Gas Prices

Are California gas stations pricing gas at over $6 per gallon? No, statewide the average gasoline price is $4.39 per gallon, according to the American Automobile Association. But there are exceptions. An AAA spokesperson said that $6-plus prices may be accurate for some stations in Los Angeles or San Francisco. And an industry analyst said the station whose $6-plus prices…

Did the prices of lumber, gas, wheat, coal and corn suddenly increase in 2021-- ever since President Joe Biden took office? No, that's not true: The global COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous effect on national and international economies. This, coupled with other issues unique to each item, has produced many unprecedented swings in prices. The five commodities featured in…

If the gas station is out of gas, can you put diesel in your car as long as you water it down? No, that's not true. "Water and internal combustion gasoline engines are not compatible," Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson, told Lead Stories. Amid the gas shortage due to the Colonial Pipeline shutdown, Americans are being warned not to water down…

Is the Keystone Pipeline closed and is that causing a gas shortage? No, that's not true. The gas shortage on the East Coast of the United States in May 2021 was triggered by a cyberattack that caused the shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline, which runs from Houston to New Jersey and supplies 45% of the gasoline to the East Coast.…

Did a Japan-based startup company come up with a new, innovative and inexpensive fuel-saving device that not only helps lower a vehicle's fuel consumption but also reduces the carbon footprint? No, that's not true: The three men pictured -- purportedly at a Tokyo tech expo -- are not founders of an automotive tech company called Effuel. The men were spearheading…

Did a gas station display a message on its roadside price sign telling customers, "For your safety have your gun in your hand while visiting this gas station"? No, that's not true: This image was generated by a prank website that allows people to create their own message on a variety of sign images. The photo appeared in a post…

Is a ship that blocked traffic in the Suez Canal on March 23, 2021, used for human and sex trafficking? Is there a connection between the ship and Hillary Clinton? No, that's not true: There's no publicly available evidence the container ship is involved in illegal trafficking activities, nor is there anything -- such as the ship's maritime call sign…

Was regular unleaded gasoline $7.89 per gallon and diesel $8.98 per gallon on March 19, 2021, at a Maverik convenience store in Albuquerque, New Mexico? No, that's not true: The sign is at a store that isn't scheduled to open until April 2021, a man answering the phone at the store on March 23, 2021, told Lead Stories. The man,…

Did President Biden cause the early 2021 increase in the price of gasoline? No, that's not true: petroleum industry analysts agree that prices nearly doubled in less than a year for several reasons not under the control of any president: rising demand as more people travel due to a stronger economy and waning COVID concerns, a stagnant supply caused by…

Did the United States spend zero dollars on imported oil in 2020? No, that's not true: That would mean either that the United States did not import any oil in 2020 or that the oil it imported was free. Neither is correct. The claim appeared in a Facebook post (archived here) published on January 30, 2021. The post read: In…