The rising prices of gas have many UCLA students dreading their
next visit to the gas station, and these commuters are especially
affected by the daily fluctuations in gas prices.
Many students in the UCLA community are looking at the upcoming
presidential elections for a solution to the problem of increasing
gas prices.
Rajan Dharni, a fourth-year psychology student, commutes to
school everyday from Culver City and spends an average of $25 a
week on gas.
“It’s like my car is on a diet. I’ll drive it
on empty for days until I let it binge and fill up the tank. I have
an inner conflict while I watch the meter climb higher and higher
and debate with myself as to when I should stop pumping,” he
said.
Natalie Batta, a fourth-year psychobiology student, is also not
a stranger to the pressures at the pump.
Batta has been commuting to UCLA from Northridge in the San
Fernando Valley ““ a commute of approximately 20 miles each
way ““ since her freshman year and spends an average of $35 a
week on gas.
“I hate the price fluctuations because I never know how
much I’m going to have to spend on gas every week. It’s
something I have to do but don’t want to do,” she
said.
Gas prices have been steadily increasing for the past month ever
since Hurricane Ivan damaged oil rigs and natural gas pipelines in
the Gulf of Mexico.
The October average of regular unleaded gas has jumped nearly 24
cents from the September average of $2.11, according to the
Automobile Club of Southern California.
California is not the only state suffering from the increasing
price of gas. As of Oct. 18, the national average per gallon of gas
rose to $2.01 from $1.85 a month ago. And compared to last year,
average gas prices have risen nearly 80 percent nationwide, the
automobile club reported.
But experts say high gas prices may not necessarily be a bad
thing.
“Higher gas prices will stimulate people to create and buy
fuel efficient cars thus improving the environment and reducing our
dependency on foreign oil,” Senior Economist with the
Anderson Forecast Christopher Thornberg said.