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But in these uncertain times, when the price of gas hinges on more than just supply and demand, the cost of gas in the Lancaster area this week rose to its highest point in more than a year.
In the last four weeks, the price of regular gas has soared 37 cents to an average of $2.72 cents a gallon, according to figures from the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report.
At least two gas stations along Route 30 were charging $2.80 a gallon for regular gasoline on Wednesday.
A year ago, the average price for regular gas here was an economical $2.38.
People are noticing — and groaning.
"I'm retired, and I have to watch my pennies," said Lydia King, 76, of Ronks Wednesday afternoon while filling her compact car at a station along Route 30.
"I go where I have to, but I don't do a lot of traveling."
William Berry, a 23-year-old volunteer firefighter from Paradise, works as a driver for the Amish during the day. Three months ago, as gas prices began their precipitous rise, he notified his customers he needed to start charging them $1.25 a mile, a 30-cent-per-mile increase.
"They understand. It affects going out and seeing your friends and family," Berry sighed about the steep rise in prices.
The country has ample supplies of gasoline and now that vacation season is over, less driving means less demand. Demand, in fact, is flat worldwide.
Normally, that means a sharp drop in prices at the pump in the fall.
Until recently, gas prices nationwide have climbed during the fourth quarter only one other time in the last 30 years, according to AAA.
A weak U.S. dollar is helping drive the cost of gas upward, according to industry and government analysts.
Oil worldwide is sold in dollars and when the dollar is soft it becomes cheaper to buy for investors with other currencies and more expensive for U.S. investors.
There is a ray of good news, however. Refiners are preparing to switch to winter-blend fuel, which is less expensive because it has less pollution-protecting additives.
Consequently, gas prices generally fall during the winter.
"Without a further increase in crude oil prices, we're getting close to the peak on gasoline prices, if not there already," Doug MacIntyre, an analyst with the U.S. Energy Department's Energy Information Administration, said this week.
Harold Graham, 65, of Honey Brook, certainly hopes so.
"I'm like anybody else. I don't like to pay the price," said the car dealership handyman while pumping gas Wednesday at a station along Route 30.
"But what are you going to do?"
