When I was a small boy, my grandfather sold gasoline in southern California,
during "gas wars" his prices often went as low as the taxes he had to
collect. In other words, he was giving the gas away. What was the tax?
Around $.05USD as I recall.
As far as those gas wars go, my grandfather had a competitor on every corner
of a major intersection. The prices typically fell a couple of cents, or
so, about every 30-120 minutes. Around and around, first one then another.
The only way it stopped was when the stations closed for the evening, or one
of the station owners decided he'd had enough. When one had had enough the
prices began to rise, you guessed it, around and around, first one then
another.....
In 1957, at the age of 7 it was felt I was old enough to hang around Papa's
station on the weekends, yes I even had my little Union 76 service station
outfit, the one with the little US Army style cap and all. I'd fuel cars,
check air pressure, and oil, and with the help of a ladder wash windows.
Can you imagine that happening in today's world? Not hardly. Those were
the days that the customer drove up to the pumps and said hi to the owner by
his first name. And in turn the owner knew his regular customers by their
first name.
Although some of the customers paid cash, and some used their new Union 76
gasoline credit cards; Many had an open account. they just put there
purchase on a ledger and about every month settled the bill with my grandpa.
Yes, a bygone era.
Enough reminiscing...
Larry Hoy
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-mgs@autox.team.net
> [mailto:owner-mgs@autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Aeseeyou@aol.com
> Sent: Saturday, May 08, 2004 8:40 AM
> To: mghirsch@netzero.net
> Cc: mgs@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Petrol Pricing (and Gas Wars)
>
>
> Hi,
> I know that this is going to reflect my age, but does anyone else remember
> when there used to actually be "Gas Wars"? No, not like the bloody ones
that are
> being fought today where people are dying. But ones where the gas stations
> would actually lower their prices five or ten cents to entice people into
their
> station instead going across the street or to another gas station.
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