Fuel Hardy

While Gasoline Remains a Relative Bargain, Some Drivers Are Ready to Pay Any Price

Everywhere thirsty cars, appalled drivers. The remarkably precise signs displaying prices change daily. New records have been set nearly every day for the last two weeks in the Washington area, the first time that's ever happened.

$2.53 9/10.

$2.59 9/10.

$2.68 9/10.

The subject of gas prices is like the smell of gas after it spills on your hands. You can't escape it.

It's the chatter in Starbucks, where the front page in the newspaper rack shows more of those big signs. You order a grande coffee. It is 16 ounces for $1.87, which gets you thinking.

What if you did the gas math on this cup of coffee? Let's see, there are 128 ounces in a gallon. . . . This coffee costs $14.96 a gallon.

Gas prices are on people's minds at the Giant, too, where another precious fluid comes in grades, like gas: a gallon of whole milk is $3.39; 2 percent is $3.29; 1 percent is $3.35; skim is $2.99.

Headline: Gas prices approach milk.

At the neighborhood bar, where you might like to forget about gas prices, except they're on CNN, a two-ounce shot of Jack Daniel's is $4.95, which comes out to, um, $316.80 per gallon. Cheers.

Shopping at the liquor store is more economical: A six-pack of Budweiser is $5.43, or $9.65 3/10 per gallon.

There's one liquid that's as essential as gasoline: water.