Labor Day
is traditionally one of the busiest motoring holidays of the year.
Americans clamber to the nation's highways and byways in record numbers
whether gas prices are prohibitive or not.
This year prices are at their peak partly due to Hurricane Isaac, which forced the closure of oil refineries on the Gulf Coast.
The average price of regular gas nationally was $3.83 per gallon last
Friday, a 21 cent gain from just one year ago according to AAA. This Labor Day's cost will beat the previous record of $3.68 set in 2008, the non-profit automobile association said.
Fuel costs have increased an average of 31 cents a gallon in August
alone and 11 cents since Aug. 22. That was the day meteorologists
predicted Hurricane Isaac would indeed reach land on the Gulf Coast
threatening local oil refineries and forcing their closure.
AAA nevertheless estimated 33 million Americans would vacation over
50 miles from home this weekend. That means approximately 28.2 million
people by automobile alone – not to mention other modes of
transportation. Car travelers will see an increase of 500,000 or more
compared to 2011.
What is never mentioned when gas prices spike as they are this
weekend. The reason being gas stations holding prices at lower levels
run out quickly forcing them to buy additional supplies at much higher
wholesale prices to replace depleted allotments.
Other major factors include the massive refinery explosion and fire
in Venezuela along with an overall increase in world oil prices.
GOP candidate Mitt Romney's plan to increase domestic drilling within
the U.S may persuade many voters to rethink the nation's energy
policies and environmental restrictions.
This Labor Day memory comes just eight weeks before the election.
Source: examiner
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