Mom-and-pop service stations are running into an unexpected problem as gasoline continues its unstoppable march toward $4 a gallon: Thousands of old-fashioned pumps can’t register more than $3.99 on their spinning mechanical dials and can only count up to $99.99 for a total sale, which prevents SUV and truck owners from filling their tanks all the way.
Hat tip to 1115.org
During the previous oil crisis the same problem arose and a simple solution was proposed. Just start selling gas by liters. That way the price could quadruple before the digits were used up.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, Americans resist the metric system as strenuously as they insist on buying gas-guzzlers. I have been trying to reason with them for a few years now, but they remain unmoved. Well, at least they have stopped smoking cigarettes next to the pump.