Take the car...but next week

Local Hawaii press has been industriously reporting 'gas cap' news for months: the anticipated prices, the political squarings off and exchanges, and the cap's recent implementation (see iClips, September and October local business stories). Zach Patton in Governing.com's blog, 13th Floor, offers a view from the mainland and notes an interesting spin to the adjusted price caps. In his Thursday Oct 20 post, Gas Pumponomics, Mr. Patton finds it "rare for an entire population to know exactly when and by exactly how much the price of something is going to change." From stranded cars during the highs to dry gas pumps during the lows, seems the not quite fortuitous per gallon fluctuations make odd the traffic patterns of human drivers. Of course, the caps are ceilings and do not force wholesalers to charge up to the maximum allowed, everyone just figures they will, and plans accordingly.