Fuel prices have motorists aching

As gas prices climb steadily higher, reaching $3.59 Wednesday afternoon at MotoMart, Rolla consumers look for new ways to deal with “pain at the pump.”

Rolla resident Dave Garrett said that gas prices hit hard at work and at home.  Garrett works for the USA Express, an airport shuttle service, and the Iberia Police Department.  He said that high gas prices are hurting the police budget and companies like USA Express.

On a personal note, Garrett said gas prices have limited family vacations.

“We like going to Branson, but it costs close to $80 to fill up our van,” Garrett said.

While they used to go every weekend during the summer, Garrett said his family will have to cut back to going only once a month.

With gas prices rising, many consumers are looking to the government for relief.  The House and Senate passed similar bills this past week that would temporarily halt the stockpiling of petroleum by the Bush administration in an effort to combat rising gas prices.  The bill passed with little opposition in both houses, but the Bush administration said that the measure would do little to lower gas prices and could have national security consequences. 

Other members of the legislature used the bill as a platform for more controversial proposals, such as drilling in the Alaska Wildlife Refuge.

The debates in Congress, however, have yet to provide relief to consumers. Rolla local David LeBlanc said he does not think the government can do much about gas prices. 

He said he fills up about once a week, and says so far the price at the pump has not had much of an effect, but paying for electric and gas has become more difficult.  Still, LeBlanc acknowledged that if prices continue to rise, driving his ‘88 Bronco II will become pricey.

“I knew there would come a time when I wouldn’t be able to afford to drive this anymore, I just didn’t think it would be coming this soon,” LeBlanc said.

John DeGraffenreid, an 11-year employee at MotoMart gas station, said that consumers are not happy about the increased prices, and are spending less on in-store items. 

DeGraffenreid also said that many of his regulars mentioned that they were planning one or two-hour day trips, rather than taking longer vacations to more traditional spots such as Florida, as a way to cope with the high cost of travel.

Salem resident Brian Smith said he has noticed that with higher gas prices, people are spending less on what he sells.  Smith says that personally, he has cut back on how often he dines out, but trading in his truck is not an option.  Smith, who drives a Chevrolet Avalanche, said that working in sales means that he does not have the option to cut back on driving, and often needs a big truck to haul product. 

Some residents do have the option of downsizing, and have headed to the extreme with motorcycles and scooters.

Zach Murphy, a sales associate at Stahlman Power Sports, said that during the past two years, the sales of motorcycles and scooters have skyrocketed, due largely to increasing gas prices.

“You can buy a bike for what you’d save in gas,” Murphy said. 

Murphy, who owns both a car and a motorcycle, said the image of motorcycles and scooters has shifted from toy to necessity, and more people are switching over. 

Motorcycles are not just for Hell’s Angels anymore.  Murphy said that even those you might not expect to be interested are buying motorcycles and scooters.

“You’d be surprised who rides: doctors, lawyers, kids,” Murphy said.