Pain at the pump for Hampton Roads residents

HAMPTON ROADS, Va. (WAVY) —AAA says that the national average for a gallon of gas is $4.09, and here in Hampton Roads, that average has jumped to nearly $4 for unleaded regular gas.

One month ago, it was more than a dollar less, at $2.95.

The higher prices have been driven by tensions in the Middle East cutting down the oil supply.

The trickle-down has hit Norfolk resident Marti Johnson.

“The price of gas has impacted me negatively,” Johnson said. “I feel like my money could’ve been spent elsewhere, instead of all on my gas.”

Joe, who drives a truck rig, was at the Wawa on London Street in Portsmouth. While he did not want to appear on camera, he said his per-week gas costs have doubled.

“I would put $250 in the truck for what I needed for a week of work,” he said, “never filled to the top, but enough for the week. Now I am putting in $500 a week.”

We met Afiea Gbedji at the Wawa, and her dilemma is our dilemma.

“I can’t stop driving,” she said. “I need to drive. I need to go to work … and gas is now $3.99 a gallon…I usually fill up $40. … Now it’s $60. … It costs me $20 extra to fill up.”

Her example is the bottom line — gas is sucking money out of expendable income.

Chesapeake resident Tony Hughes said the higher gas prices are making it hard for everyone.

“Getting to work, getting from work, just the basic needs make it hard for everybody,” Hughes said. … “$60 for 12.5 gallons. It usually costs me somewhere around $40. That is a $20 increase per tank of gas.”

That is real money, and it adds up.

Here’s how high gas prices have altered Easter weekend for Newport News resident Robert Modkins.

“I can’t do what I wanted to do this Easter,” Modkins said. “I can’t get gas to go where I am trying to get to take my kids to have Easter. It’s just ridiculous. It is ridiculous, so this is all I could afford — $10, that is it, 2.5 gallons of gas.”

Keith Reynolds from Portsmouth has a helpful tip.

“I use strategic ways to counter this [high price of gas],” Reynolds said. “I advise anybody, if you give rewards like 7-Eleven rewards [or Wawa rewards] to take advantage of that. It is better than nothing.”

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