1979 Who Would Have Thought Gasoline Would Cost More Than 99.9 cents a gallon

Remember this; in 1979 gas pumps that were unable to compute gas at more than 99.9 cents a gallon?  An artificial  gas crisis created by greedy gas companies and state governments increasing the gas tax, jacked the price of gas up over a dollar and the mechanics of the pump would not compute correctly.

Sure 50-Cent Gas Is Back, But It Isn't Any Bargain

By NANCY KESLER

Fifty-cent gasoline is returning to Delaware But that's the price for just a half gallon

The lower numbers are occurring because the meters can't handle prices of more than 99.9 cents a gallon The price of unleaded at most northern Delaware stations is now above $1 per gallon, and $1 a gallon prices soon will be seen downstate.

While waiting for new pumps that can record the higher prices, many dealers are setting their old pumps at the half-price level for a gallon of gasoline. Once a customer's tank is filled, the attendant then doubles the total charge that appears on the pump to determine what the customer owes.

Thus, if a driver buys five gallons of gasoline at a station charging $1 04 per gallon, the price on the pump is likely to read 52 cents and the purchase will appear to total $2.60 But the actual bill will be $5 20.

Some station owners say despite the fact they have posted signs to explain this procedure, a few customers still think they are being Cheated.

"We have enough problems with them (customers) now, without them thinking we're ripping them off," said Daniel Nelson, operator of the Ogletown Mobil on Ogletown Road near Newark

State weights-and-measures regulations have prohibited selling gasoline this way But the problem has In-come so widespread that the state Department of Agriculture, which had been waiving the rules for individual stations as needed, has changed its regulations

This week Alden Hopkins Jr, the department secretary, announced that all stations will be able to use the half-gallon pricing system until Dec. 31. 1981 But. Hopkins has attached some requirements:

When the price of any grade of gasoline at a station exceeds the computing capabilities of the pumps, then all pumps dispensing that same grade of gasoline must use half pricing

Fuel must be priced in even tenths of a cent

Labels must be placed on the pump explaining the half-gallon pricing system.

Eugene Keeley, supervisor of the weights and measures section for the department, said the new regulation is based on recommendations of the National Bureau of Standards The 1981 target date for upgrading pump meters is based on assurances from manufacturers that a sufficient number of new pumps will be available by then.

Keeley said the only company that makes pump meters has been unable to immediately meet the sudden demand for $1-plus meters. None has been delivered to Delaware stations, according to Keeley.

Above from the Wilmington News Journal 31 August 1979

and in response to a possible decrease in tourist coming to Ocean City due to the gas shortage Mayor Kelly found gas on the black market and Ocean City purchased it to distribute to gas stations in Ocean City.  They called it Kelly's Gas

and finally just to add more crap to the consumer they started selling Gasohol - 90% gas 10% ethanol, that great destroyer of engines.