Fuel Prices in Death Valley

[rhagfo]

This reminds me of a gas station about 1/2 mile north of Orlando International Airport. They didn't post prices on the roadside, when you pulled up to the pump, the prices were at least a dollar more a gallon than than the average price in the area. If you went another 100 yards up the road on the other side the price was normal! They were looking to get the people in a rush to return rental cars.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

This reminds me of a gas station about 1/2 mile north of Orlando International Airport. They didn't post prices on the roadside, when you pulled up to the pump, the prices were at least a dollar more a gallon than than the average price in the area. If you went another 100 yards up the road on the other side the price was normal! They were looking to get the people in a rush to return rental cars.

Before retirement I traveled extensivly for work. Just about every airport car rental had a fuel station nearby that was overpriced BUT it was less than the rental car company charged. Every company I worked for had a stpulation in their expense policy not to allow the rental company to fuel the rental as it wouldn't be reimbursed. So no one returning a rental car cared what it cost a block away from the return gate. I've heard more then one person mutter " glad I'm not paying for this" standing at those pumps.

[retiredusps69]

And I thought New Jersey and New York squeezed 2 things till your eyes POP!!!!!!!

[wiredgeorge]

Folks that live in high tax areas pay more, sometimes a lot more for fuel. Folks that live rural where a gas truck has to spend a long time on the road to deliver pay more, sometimes a lot more. Folks who live rural where the gas truck has a long ride to deliver and there is only one filling station pay much much more. The place in Death Valley, Furnace Creek is 142 miles from the nearest big city (Las Vegas) where fuel may be coming out of. The town is also in California with its taxes and prices.

[Canonman]

If you have never been to Death Valley you need to know it is in the exact MIDDLE OF NOWHERE". The lowest, driest and hottest place in the whole USA.
It's also a National Park so there are concessionary fees associated with operating a gas station there in addition to the "Republic of Kalifornia" taxes and usual federal taxes. The owner probably has to truck his fuel in from Las Vegas and that ain't cheap either. Plus, he is the only station for about 70 miles, with Pahrump, NV being the closest station with prices at about $3.50.
I've been to Death Valley several times and have "thankfully" never had to fill up there. Does this station charge a premium for their product? I'm sure they do. But, if you find yourself in the predicament of needing fuel that badly, I'd have to chalk it up to poor planning, pay the price for a few gallons and get to a place where prices are more normalized.
DV is a place with it's own unique beauty and well worth visiting. Just fill up before you get there

[flybouy]

I remember back in the late 1980's driving the conversion van we had to Colorado with our two small (at the time) daughters. Driving thru Kansas I could see a speck on the flat horizon. Seemed like I drove forever with that speck slowly growing in the windshield. Finally arrived at set of grain silos at a rail siding with a gas station out front.

I pulled up to the pump there was a sign on the pump that reas "The maximum price allowed by law is $X.XX per gallon." Looked at the price on the pump and it was that maximum price. Yup, just pay it and move on.

[JRTJH]

Marshall,

I think I stopped at that "grain silo/gas stop" once myself. Nothing but wheat fields, corn fields and a "legal thief" for 100 miles in any direction.....

The last time we were in Las Vegas, we took the Slingshot north to Indian Springs to watch the Thunderbirds practice. It's only about 60 miles north of Vegas, but a "whole nutter world"... There's one general store with gas pumps and the price for "no name regular" was $1.20 more than the name brand stations in Vegas. The Slingshot uses premium, so that was an "expensive tank of gas"...

Nothing's really "unique about pricing in remote areas"... Way back in the 70's, the little store in Haystack, CO (north of Steamboat Springs) was 50 cents more than the Esso station or the Conoco station in town.... That's back when regular gas was 21 cents a gallon, so 50 cents was "way up there".....

[flybouy]

I had the stuff scared out of me when I was at the pump. The cornfield behind had corn taller than me. I could hear a tractor but could not see it until he flew around the road and pulled up beside the pump. I was driving a Dodge conversion van and the tires on that tractor was taller than the roof of the van. At the spped he was wheeling that behemoth if he ran over us he wouldn't have felt much.

[Bob R]

Furnace Creek and Big Sur, probably the two most expensive places in the US to purchase gas and they are both in CA.

Diesel here in Pahrump is about 40-50 cents less per gallon than in Las Vegas even though the fuel has to come through/from Las Vegas to get here. Go figure.

bob

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Bob R

Furnace Creek and Big Sur, probably the two most expensive places in the US to purchase gas and they are both in CA.

Diesel here in Pahrump is about 40-50 cents less per gallon than in Las Vegas even though the fuel has to come through/from Las Vegas to get here. Go figure.

bob

When we were living in Denver in the early '70's, there was a "gas shortage crisis" in the Denver area. Long, LONG lines, gas rationing, 10 gallon limits, even/odd plate restrictions and the price at most stations doubled overnight and at the end of that "crisis" the price per gallon was 3 times what it was at the start. It never came back down....

My DW was working in the EXXON TBA warehouse at the time and sat in on the management team daily meetings.

Routing for the pipeline came from Limon, CO, to Denver where it branched to follow the front range north to Cheyenne and south to Pueblo. Fort Collins, Cheyenne, Colorado Springs and Pueblo were having "gas wars" while Denver was having a "gas shortage"....

That gas had to pass through an area of "severe shortage" to get to the areas that "had so much they were giving it away"....

Go figure !!!!!

[chuckster57]

I sat in lines in Pleasanton at that time and said “if gas hits $1.00/gal. I’m going to quit driving”

[travelin texans]

IMHO that should be considered "price gouging"! I understand the trucking to that location should be factored in the price, but not $3+ per gallon.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

IMHO that should be considered "price gouging"! I understand the trucking to that location should be factored in the price, but not $3+ per gallon.

Call Governor Newsome and tell him you think he should jump right on the price gouging!

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Is that why it's called Death Valley? Folks go to fuel up, see the price and drop dead?

We visited DV one time. After going through the desolation, on the way out, we saw a building labeled, "Death Valley Chamber of Commerce." I remarked to DW that these people may very well have the hardest selling job in the country, just on the name alone.

"Come live and work in the beautiful valley of death! Bring your family!"

No, thank you.

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by gearhead

Death Valley is in California right? I really really don't understand how people tolerate those prices and not take revenge at the ballot box. I paid $2.99 for my last fillup of diesel.

Well, you're just outside Houston, which is gas station heaven. We always try to plan our I-10 trips with a major fillup just west of Houston, where the prices are cheaper than anywhere else. Besides, getting to visit Buc-ee's is just so damn much fun!

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by LHaven

Well, you're just outside Houston, which is gas station heaven. We always try to plan our I-10 trips with a major fillup just west of Houston, where the prices are cheaper than anywhere else. Besides, getting to visit Buc-ee's is just so damn much fun!

Yep I rarely pass up a Buc-ees. Gas prices are great, diesel too. They don't allow 18 wheelers. I can usually snag a pump island to get the 40ft 5th wheel in and out easily. Good food too. Super clean restrooms.
As far as Death Valley..I have no desire to go there. I've been to Presidio Tx and Laredo Tx. If DV is any worse y'all can have all of my share.

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

Call Governor Newsome and tell him you think he should jump right on the price gouging!

What happens in California can stay in California! Sure wish it would & quit migrating east!
If the governor attempted to control price gouging in that state he wouldn't have time to do anything else!

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by gearhead

..... As far as Death Valley..I have no desire to go there. .....

I. Agree, if I have the desire to walk in hot sand. If I do, it's only because I have to to go swim in ocean. Now if they build a boardwalk with Caruso Pizza, Thrashers french fries, Dumster's icream, and Italian Ice stands I may rethink it.

Those are Ocean City, MD refrences for those that haven't been there.

[jvbutter01]

Originally Posted by gearhead

Death Valley is in California, right? I really really don't understand how people tolerate those prices and not take revenge at the ballot box. I guess they are different people than my people. Maybe they like it.

its Cali... they love it. For the most part, the voting public is not driving through DV. So they never experience this. mostly yuppies in So Cal. Hence the big drive for No Cal to separate into their own state.

just be glad some only drive through, and don't pay this daily. My fav station In West Portland went from
$3.39 Day 1
$3.59 Next day
$3.89 Day after and stuck.

[Jorick]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

Fella in the photo is my BIL's brother who was traveling through Furnace Creek yesterday. Fill 'er up?

Nice to see gas prices are going down there. Last time I was there a few years back, gas was about $8 a gallon.