Gas has finally dropped back below $2 per gallon at many Gulf Coast gas stations. While $1.97 isn't much less than $2.02, seeing a "1" instead of a "2" is nice little milestone in something as volatile as gas prices. I'm old enough to remember seeing gas at 48 cents, also old enough to remember paying more than $4 for it. But when I got a drivers license in 1982, gas prices were around $1.25. In today's dollars, that's the equivalent of $3.28.
So it turns out we're paying less for gas, a lot less. Which probably helps to explain why Ford will largely abandon making cars (all except the Mustang) in favor of relatively lower mileage SUVs. And why GM announced that they were going to discontinue production of many of their sedans, as well.
I still like cars, though, and the gas mileage that goes with them. I wouldn't trade my 35 mpg Subaru Legacy for anything, unless it was another nice car that got similar (or better) gas mileage. Because the thing about gas prices, it only takes one event -- maybe even today's Alaska earthquake -- to send prices spiraling back up. Anyone else remember when some stations around here hit $5 a gallon? (I don't remember why it came to that, but I do remember seeing it).
FYI: I checked Gas Buddy today for the lowest prices in the Mobile area, and found $1.93 at Costco and Sam's Club. I used my Fuel Rewards at the Shell station across from the South Alabama campus, and bought gas for $1.91.