High gas prices are 'blood boiling.' How Californians are being squeezed — or not
LOS ANGELES â Gasoline prices have soared at the worst time: Commuters are beginning to return to offices that some haven't seen in two years, and record-hot inflation is increasing prices for many essentials.
For some people, it's one more headache, straining budgets and fraying nerves.
Others are relieved that they've given up their gasoline habit for bike commuting and alternative fuel vehicles. (Good luck finding a hybrid or electric vehicle, whether new or used. Prices are high, and supplies are tight.)
Regular-grade gasoline at some California service stations has topped $7 a gallon. And unlike most past price surges, this one could last for months because of Russia's war on Ukraine, which has further destabilized a volatile energy market.
The Times interviewed eight Angelenos to find out how their lives have been changed by the new fuel-price normal, and how they are adapting. The interviews have been edited for length and clarity.
Ariana Escalante, 34, owns a marketing and video production company called Vydeomedia.com. Transportation: Tesla Model 3 long range.
I think just the experience of getting gas has always felt a little yucky, a little dirty. It smells bad and sometimes it drips on your shoes. I was like, "Oh, you know what? I don't think I would miss that." I thought that Tesla was totally inaccessible. And I'm just like a regular working-class person, but then when I actually looked at the cost comparisons, it made tons of sense.
So, I decided to buy one
