Gas prices have been steadily increasing in recent days, having reached an average of $4 a gallon in North Carolina. | Wikimedia Commons/Airman 1st Class Andrew Lee
Gas prices have been steadily increasing in recent days, having reached an average of $4 a gallon in North Carolina. | Wikimedia Commons/Airman 1st Class Andrew Lee
Fayetteville residents are describing how skyrocketing gas prices are affecting them personally.
Fayetteville consumers are paying an average of $3.98 a gallon for regular gas, as of March 9. AAA estimates that gas prices a year ago were more than a dollar less. Rising gas prices have been blamed on the current Ukraine-Russia armed conflict.
"Essentially, think of the global oil market as oil producers filling up a pool of oil," Patrick De Haan, lead analyst for Gas Buddy, told ABC 11 News. "If one major contributor to that pool stops filling it up, there's going to be less oil available for everyone who takes out of the pool. That's the collateral damage here."
One mom of three, who lives primarily from her disability checks, uses her credit card to put just $20 in her gas tank, as she has no cash.
"It's stressful as a mom. It's horrible," Fayetteville resident Brittany Rypdahl told ABC 11 News. "Everything has gone up. Everything. And then I get to figure out dinner and all this stuff."
A visitor from Greensboro said she can't pay rent, along with the rising price of gas and all the other items that are getting more expensive.
"It is ridiculous," Greensboro resident Towanda Kegler told ABC 11 News. "You don't get reimbursed for this money. It's hard. I can't pay rent and all this stuff because I'm too busy trying to pay for gas."
A potential deal with Iran with and deteriorating relations with Russia is likely to increase gas prices even further.
De Haan predicts more gas price increases in the future, up to 75 cents more. "Could be essentially a double whammy for motorists," he told ABC 11 News.
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