The truth about L.A.'s most notoriously expensive gas stations

[mahatmakanejeeves]

David Weigel Retweeted

The most notorious gas stations of L.A. How can they charge that much? And who'd pay that much? You'd be surprised
@SamAugustDean

Link to tweet

The truth about L.A.’s most notoriously expensive gas stations
You've seen the signs advertising $6.95, $6.99 or even $7.05 for a gallon of regular unleaded. But who's buying it, and why?

BUSINESS

The truth about L.A.’s most notoriously expensive gas stations

BY SAM DEAN STAFF WRITER
MARCH 9, 2022 5 AM PT

Gas prices in Los Angeles have climbed to new heights this week, with Angelenos shelling out more than $5.50 a gallon on average at the pump. ... But for customers at a handful of notorious gas stations across town, $5.50 would be a bargain. ... These stations are the mysterious outliers of the L.A. petroleum landscape, advertising $6.95, $6.99 or even $7.05 for a gallon of regular unleaded, seemingly in defiance of economic sense.

Mention their intersections, and many Angelenos gravely nod, their eyes growing wide: how can that place at Fairfax and San Vicente, or La Cienega and Beverly, or downtown on Alameda right across from Olvera Street, charge such wild prices? What dark secrets do they hide? And who’s desperate enough to buy gas there?

{snip}

Mike, who declined to give his last name, pulled in to fill up the tank of a brand new V-12 Bentley Continental GT Speed. The total topped $128. The only reason he was using this gas station was because he wasn’t paying for it.

“Because I’m on the clock and using a company card and I’m delivering to a client, I’m just using whatever’s closest,” he said, “but if I was using my own personal card, Costco’s the only way to go.”

{snip}

[SharonClark]

1. Why post the lead up to the article

5 times? Just post the link to the article and forget the tweets. Who cares that David Weigel retweeted a tweet from Steve Marble who linked to an article in The LA Times?

Get to point!

[mahatmakanejeeves]

3. It's called "attribution." The story is not original with me.

I am giving credit to the people who did the work.

I would not have known about the story had it not been brought to my attention by Dave Weigel. Dave Weigel would not have known about the story had it not been brought to his attention by Stephen Marble. Stephen Marble would not have known about the story had it not been brought to his attention by the Los Angeles Times. The Los Angeles Times would not have had a story to run had it not been written by Sam Dean. Everyone gets a tip of the hat and name recognition.

I do this whenever I post articles at DU. I make sure that the authors get credit for their work.

Thanks for asking.

[MerryHolidays]

2. OP: Thanks for your posts. They're always interesting, regardless of format demanded by other DUers!

[Warpy]

4. People will pay it

Back during the OPEC oil embargo in the 70s, I lived near the Boston Robber Baron, a station on the edge of Beacon Hill, near the rotary where Charles Street intersected with Cambridge street. Gas lines for gas that was nearly double the price of other stations snaked down both Charles St. and Cambridge St. Other stations had gas, but the fiction at the time was that the Robber Baron always had gas since the high price probably reflected Mafia bribes to get it. It didn't, but that's how yuppies were thinking.

I just took mass transit.

[Bobstandard]

5. Article in brief: because they can. n/t