# When will (US) gasoline hit $4.00/gallon? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 18, 2006, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149 "2006-04-18T12:42:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/1 "2006-04-18T12:42:23Z")
Summer is approaching, and around here a gallon of regular gasoline is about $2.79 a gallon. Someplaces a bit higher, some a bit lower. A barrel of crude topped $70 yesterday. With growing crisis in Iran, ongoing crisis in Iraq, and tension everywhere else, I don’t see prices dropping anytime soon. And hurricane season starts June 1st. This affects refineries along the Gulf Coast and oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. Not to mention unforeseen problems like fires at other inland refineries, etc. So, let’s have a contest. Guess when the price of regular gasoline, on average, in the USA, tops $4 per gallon. Closest to the actual date wins. We’ll need an unbiased site that monitors average prices to be the arbiter of when this occurs (may be in weeks, not days, but we can adjust for that). I’ll offer up some sort of prize… finances are a bit tight now, so it may just be a gallon of gasoline. But if I can swing it when it happens I’ll do ten gallons or roughly a full tank for a small, economical vehicle. If you drive a 7 miles per gallon behemoth then you’re part of the problem, anyway. Submit your guesses here. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/2 "2006-04-18T12:47:23Z")
August 28, 2007. When US markets open if you need that. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/3 "2006-04-18T12:57:29Z")
July 21st, 2006. I’m betting on more hurricanes this year. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/4 "2006-04-18T13:08:01Z")
Not a bad bet. I’m going in for August 31, 2006. Maybe I can save myself some money. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/5 "2006-04-18T14:09:16Z")
September 5th, 2011. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/6 "2006-04-18T14:37:05Z")
August 6, 2005. And might I suggest [this site](http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/wrgp/mogas_home_page.html) as the official scorer? ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/7 "2006-04-18T14:44:37Z")
> [@Jonathan Chance](#): > > August 6, 2005. > > And might I suggest [this site](http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/wrgp/mogas_home_page.html) as the official scorer? That chart on the bottom? It says something like $2.20 for 8/6/05… 😕 ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/8 "2006-04-18T14:57:14Z")
> [@Jonathan Chance](#): > > August 6, 2005. > > And might I suggest [this site](http://www.eia.doe.gov/oil_gas/petroleum/data_publications/wrgp/mogas_home_page.html) as the official scorer? Yup, pretty sure August 6, 2005 wasn’t $4 gas. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/9 "2006-04-18T15:02:10Z")
[www.gaspricewatch.com](http://www.gaspricewatch.com) ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/10 "2006-04-18T15:56:42Z")
OK, OK. 2006! But see if I don’t misinterpret YOUR Diplomacy orders next time, wiseacre! ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/11 "2006-04-18T16:04:36Z")
A lot of people speculated $4.00 by summer last year. I don’t think its going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/12 "2006-04-18T16:06:55Z")
June 30th 2006 I know it seems a bit early on in the year but I thought the day before the July 4th Weekend would be a fair bet. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/13 "2006-04-18T19:03:16Z")
> [@Jonathan Chance](#): > > OK, OK. 2006! > > But see if I don’t misinterpret YOUR Diplomacy orders next time, wiseacre! Wouldn’t be the first time. Especially when ~intend~ something different than what I ~write~. Going into July 4th weekend after a super hurricane might not be a bad bet, **drm**. ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/14 "2006-04-18T19:54:15Z")
You know, I’m going with June 15th myself. I’ve already seen 3.09 here in DC so I figure by the time summer rolls around, gas should be ready to break the $4.00 barrier. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/15 "2006-04-18T20:03:13Z")
September 9, 2009 ---
**Author:** ![ITR\_champion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c67d28/32.png) [@ITR\_champion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ITR_champion)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/16 "2006-04-18T21:40:28Z")
August 28, 2006. Though it should be noted that as a bike-rider, I have no earthly use for ten gallons of gas. ---
**Author:** ![Translucent\_Daydream](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/translucent_daydream/32/16170_2.png) [@Translucent\_Daydream](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Translucent_Daydream)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/17 "2006-04-18T21:56:42Z")
Didn’t Greenspan say a while back that if gas hit an countrywide average of $3.75 a gallon for regular the economy would crash? I have been trying to Google it, but it is timing out on me, just like this site most of the time… hmm… ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/18 "2006-04-18T21:58:18Z")
I’m going for June 25th, 2008, because it’s a nice block number. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![LiveOnAPlane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3d9bf3/32.png) [@LiveOnAPlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveOnAPlane)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/19 "2006-04-18T22:38:58Z")
I’m guessing never. If it approaches that point, I predict that the definition of a “Gallon” will be changed to something like 7 litres. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149/20 "2006-04-18T23:10:39Z")
I assume we’re talking about regular? Becuase I drove by a station today that was selling premium for $3.25… I think we Californians will be paying $5.00 per gallon before the rest of the country averages $4.00… I expect to be paying $4.00 for premium sometime this summer. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-will-us-gasoline-hit-4-00-gallon/353149.md?page=2)