Old Gas Pumps Can’t Display $4 a Gallon Price

• Chad Cloman
  May 19th, 2008 at 3:09 am

  Back when US gas prices first broke $1/gal, we had a similar problem. Most gas pumps could only go as high as $0.999. The short term solution was to halve (or quarter) the price and just multiply it when you paid. They will have to get new pumps, eventually, but so did everyone in the late ’70s.

  Nothing to see here, move along.

• BikerRay
  May 19th, 2008 at 6:27 am

  In Canada we had a similar problem when gas went over $1 a liter. I think the signage was most affected. Fear not, they’ll adapt.
  And the cheapest gas I can find up here is about $4.69 US a gallon (equivalent).

• MikeH
  May 19th, 2008 at 7:20 am

  Businesses that don’t reinvest in their capital equipment aren’t competitive and will be left behind. Owners took out too much of the profit and didn’t reinvest. Capitalism at work.

• ted
  May 19th, 2008 at 7:26 am

  Yeah, mostly signage problems for the litre in Canada. They had to figure out where to insert that extra digit. Some places still just show only the last two cents, and the dollar digit is assumed.

• sparge
  May 19th, 2008 at 8:00 am

  It’s ridiculous that they can’t just use the total number of gallons pumped and calculate the price at the cash register. That’s how we buy fruit and foods in the bulk section. You have to go inside to pay anyway.

  MikeH: The place mentioned in the story is the only gas station for 20 miles, as are most stations where this is a problem. Capitalism has little effect.

• CKS2996
  May 19th, 2008 at 9:36 am

  Americans (Canadians anyways) often tend to buy fuel by the dollar (usually rounded to the $5 or $10 mark), rather than by volume, so a volume only sale would be no good.

  The pumps do need refitted. A cheap way would be to remark the 10th/cent roller to be the cent roller, since the 10th/cent place always seems to be set to 9, and set the read value/gallon to 1/10th.

• bean
  May 19th, 2008 at 10:56 am

  Or she could just stop gouging customers. She wouldn’t be making any money off the gas in the first place; gas station profits come from concessions, like at movie theaters. This is just yellow journalism.

• Lars
  May 19th, 2008 at 11:26 am

  In Denmark we had the same problem about a couple of years ago when the price got over 10 kr per liter (7,91 $/gal)

• SenorMysterioso
  May 19th, 2008 at 11:35 am

  I doubt gas stations, in cities anyway, make more money in doritos and slurpees than they do in gasoline sales. In this case the gasoline does seem like a gimmick to get folks to eat at her restaurant as I doubt there are more than a few people fueling up their tractors very often.

  She could just level her price at $3.999, especially if its the only station in miles - Rising oil prices do not have to equal ridiculously high gas prices. If its unprofitable, invest in new pumps or stop selling gas.

  IDK how much gas stations spend on gas but Im sure theyre not selling it for even money

• Christophe
  May 19th, 2008 at 12:17 pm

  Or, she could switch to sell gas by liters or deci-gallons…

• JET
  May 19th, 2008 at 12:35 pm

  Just set the rollers to half-price and post a note to this effect. Sheesh…whatever happened to American ingenuity and can-do spirit?

• kid_icarus
  May 19th, 2008 at 1:41 pm

  there could be some catch-22 money working in here somehow…..if only i could figure out how to buy for 2 cents and sell for 1 cent and get rich off it….

• SenorMysterioso
  May 19th, 2008 at 2:20 pm

  Jet the article says she tried that before and got in trouble with the weights and measures association

• MoonCake
  May 19th, 2008 at 6:23 pm

  wow here’s a good idea: get a new f*cking sign!

• stef
  May 19th, 2008 at 7:35 pm

  I highly doubt she’s gouging customers since that particular store is in the middle of nowhere! I’ve driven past it many times (and stopped there, just never got gas). She needs to charge the norm to keep the store open. I’ll have to pay it a visit since I’ll be heading back home for a week and it’s on one of my favorite roads to drive in beautiful Fauquier County Virginia! I very much recommend visiting the area too. It’s the greatest place to drive if you know all the back roads and secret spots. I love Fauquier County!

• seth
  May 20th, 2008 at 10:40 am

  I live on an island in Maine. The gas pump here (there’s only one) is of the above type, but it only goes up to $1.99. So the price is set at $1.47 with a large sign reading SORRY, PRICE MUST BE TRIPLED. So gas is $4.41 a gallon.

• Church of Dim Sum
  May 22nd, 2008 at 6:37 pm

  Up near Blane, Wa, the price is still below $4.

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