I can recall when gas was $0.23 a gallon (and people complained about it). And that was 100-octane gas. You can't even get 100-octane at the pump anymore.

As for the half-gallons: Back in the '70s, when gas prices first started really going up, there were still a lot of stations that had old mechanical pumps that couldn't be set to a price higher than 50c/gallon. Since there was a big government PR campaign on at the time to press everyone towards the metric system, some station owners put two and two together and started pricing their gas in liters. (They had to do pump mods for this, but apparently that was still cheaper than modding the pumps to register the true price in gallons.) Needless to say, everyone hated this, and soon those stations had to buy new pumps.

Cousin Dave beat me to it. Yes, I remember when gas was under a quarter - and you got full servies with a smile along with the fillup!

One person pumped gas while one or two others cleaned your windows, checked your oil, checked tire pressure (and added FREE air if needed), checked your battery fluide levels. OH MY!

What units are they going to sell hydrogen in?

I am a strong believer in the free market. Which makes me confident that baring a long term catastrophic reduction in oil supplies; we will have our changed energy storage and transfer mediums before they have to price by the half gallon. It is all about economics (marginal benefit and marginal cost stuff).

BTW: The day I got my drivers license gas was $1.12 (which was an all time high at that point).

I wasn't buying gas when it was in the thirties in California, but I sure remember being outraged at gas over a dollar.

It was only a few years ago, in fact, I was able to buy gas under 90 cents a gallon at a QuikTrip station here in Newnan.

Seeing that station's price over $2 was painful. But the last gas I pumped was $1.82 (with Kroger-Plus card).

I can beat your 23 cents and lower you to 17. Remember when we use to have GAS WARS? It was fun sport at the time. I actually bought gas that low in the early 70's, ahem, shortly after recieving my drivers license. As Edith Bunker use to sing..."those were the days"

Cousin Dave, I stumbled upon 103 octane gas in a West Texas town a few years ago! I don't ever recall seeing that high of octane anywhere. I haven't seen it again either! I drive a 1990 Jaguar and it loves high octane... I just thought that was funny that you recall there being an octane that high! I wish I could get it again!...

Yet, when ya think about it, gas is comparatively cheap. Why, people drink vended cans of *Pepsi* at $10.66 a gallon.

"Pretty soon, they're gonna run out of numbers on the board and start listing it by the half-gallon."

Nope. They'll start selling by the liter, just like in Europe & Japan (or maybe by the quart).

Here in NY, any day now they'll just switch to signs that say "what have you got?"

Zsa Zsa, there are a few gas stations in the metropolitan areas that will cater to race enthusiasts with 100+ octanes. If you can't find one, you can always by an octane booster at one of your local auto parts stores.

I've seen $0.19/gal, albeit not lately.

My car is kind of getting to be an old lady. I have abouy 115000 miles on it. I give it alot of special attention! I do feed it the octane booster when I go on a trip or something. I have never seen 103 octane anywhere except that little West Texas town! I live in Houston and the highest octane here is 93. It is such a fun car! I seldom drive it that often unless I go out of state. It gets really great gas mileage too! I can drive fom Houston to almost Oklahoma city on a tank. I usually fill up outside of OKC. Gas in Houston is about $2.03 and up at the moment!

I just love Jay Tea's blog!...I was trying to remember if it was Jay Tea who had the wierdo hate mail person, who ended up calling him on the phone? Was that you Jay Tea? Didn't he leave his phone # on your caller ID? Or was that someone else? I thought it was one of the funniest blogs I have ever read! WILLisms.com has been getting some wierdo. I don't think this one is calling him on the phone though? Correct me if I am wrong but didn't you post the phone#? Thanks! Sorry to get off the subject!

Laurence Simon:

If my experience with propane powered cars is any indication, they'll cool the hydrogen to the point that it becomes a liquid and sell it by the gallon, too.