The Most Dangerous Game

This week, OPEC's president said oil prices could easily rise to $150-to-$170 a barrel in the next few months. Because of that comment, oil futures went crazy, hitting a new record of $142 dollars a barrel.

According to the Los Angeles Times' Steve Hymon, the cost of gas isn't the only thing pushing record. In the spirit of the Seinfeld episode, The Dealership, where Kramer gets a rush from driving a car while the gas gauge is on empty, Southern California motorists are ignoring that pesky gas light and experiencing the thrill of driving on fumes. As every high comes with a low, though, AAA claims that they've seen a 7% increase in calls from motorists who have run out of gas in SoCal over last summer.

This is not one of those stories where I read about a new, risky trend on the streets and "tsked-tsked" about the wrong thing those other people are doing. On the way to work this morning, I realized I'd been cruising LA for two days with a glowing gas light nagging me to "fill 'er up." When my MAZDA 3 started idling a little strangely (rumba-rumba-*cough!*, instead of the familiar rumba-rumba-rumba), it was put in $56.78 worth of gas or miss the show this morning. Looking back I realize I've been running on fumes for days. It's a new game I like to play called: "How many errands can I run with the gas light on?"

Recently, I went to a comedy show where L.A. comedian James Davis suggested that car manufacturers should just get rid of the "F" on gas gauges and lengthen the time you can drive on "E." He also made this chuckle-worthy video, parodying AutoTune addict T-Pain's chart topping hit "Buy You A Drank." This time around, the words are "FILL UP YA TANK."

I don't need anyone to buy me any gas--yet. But let's check in again when we hit that $170-a-barrel mark.

--Shereen Meraji

12:48 PM ET | 06-27-2008 | permalink

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