Most news coverage about the recent gas hikes focuses on the effect it has on ordinary people, the middle class who need to get to commute to work everyday. However, these prices created a different crisis that effects a different group of people, the people that sell us our gas. At gas stations around the country there is a concern about the shortage of giant plastic movable numbers on the large signs on the corner. As the prices climb the numbers need to reflect this new price and sadly, many stations are unprepared.
“I just stockpiled `2’s and now it looks like those will be useless until gas hits $12 a gallon,” one gas station owner who wished to remain anonymous complained.
Indeed, long time owners who are used to the slow hikes of the previous years did not expect to run through the $2 cycle so fast. Many now have to make plans to put their number `2’s in storage as they prepare for the summer prices. With some analysts predicting $4 – $5 gallons with impending war with Iran or economic sanctions on the country that would effectively cut off their output, owners of the giant signs are not sure which numbers to invest in.
“I prepared for the worst,” anonymous Mr. A continued. “I now have large stacks of `3′, `4′, and `5′ in case (the price should climb that high). I like to get the most for my money but I fear that if we shoot through the `3′ (dollar price range) too fast, I’ll have to put them in storage nearly new.”
Other owners are talking about turning the capital letter `E’ backwards to simulate a `3′. This is referred to as a `robot 3′ or `alarm clock 3′ causing irk among competitors who claim that sloppy attitude gives all stations a bad reputation. These are the same owners who cite the fact that not only do they have to pay for the large numbers but also for the small numbers they add to try to confuse people about the actual price. They note, however, that this number largely remains a `9′ and hasn’t been different in over 20 years.
The large numbers are notorious for blowing off the board in strong winds by employees who improperly place the number on the sign with their giant suction wand. These numbers are lost to kids who steal them or simply blow away into the sunset like a giant number tumbleweed. Other problems noted is the storage dilemma. Owners claim there is simply not enough room to store their growing stockpiles. Originally the storage areas were designed to house `1’s and are becoming overcrowded with the larger integer brethren. Whether it is the Funion end cap that has to go or the new addition of the Blueberry Banana Coldy iced drink, it is clear that the ordinary people will lose. When asked to comment on this ignored crisis most people interviewed remain insensitive to the plight of the gas station owners responding like this individual.
“They’re upset about what? You gotta be (expletive) kidding me. I had to go to that crooked `Check Into Cash’ to get a loan to fill up today.”
