San Diego's average price for a gallon of gasoline is in record territory today. A Utility Consumers' Action Network survey found the average price was $3.38. UCAN spokesman Charles Langley says this is the most outrageous example of gasoline price gouging in history.
Langley: The industry model isn't about supply and demand, its about demand and supply. They supply less gasoline and demand more money for it. That's the name of the game. It's very similar to the electricity gouging that we saw in the summer of 2001.
Petroleum industry officials say world-wide demand, shrinking refinery capacity and the switch to the gasoline additive ethanol are driving prices up. Western Petroleum Association spokeswoman Anita Mangles says the best thing consumers can do to deal with higher prices at the pump is to conserve and drive less.
