South Shore Residents Worry Over Gas Price Surge

Jill Allington drove to the in Hingham on Thursday afternoon on a near-empty gas tank. 

The Hingham shopper said she dreads the next time she will have to fill her tank because of the recent surge in gas prices.

Allington is not alone in her fear to fill up, as gas prices this week are averaging $3.60 a gallon in Massachusetts, one cent over the national average and more than 40 cents higher than a year ago, according to Boston.com .

The talk around the Derby Street Shoppes on Thursday showed that the recent price increase has caused many  South Shore residents to change their driving habits.

Donna Zamagni of Weymouth said she has started to plan consolidated trips.

Dan Driscoll of Braintree said he walks more, rather than driving.

Jimmy Lamir, a Weymouth resident in his 20's  said he has changed the way he fills up his tank.

“I now look for the cheapest station,” he said. “I no longer fill it up all the way. I fill it half way.”

Lamir said the price of gas will affect which candidate he selects in the upcoming presidential elections, and the Weymouth resident is not the only one looking for answers from the government.

U.S. Representative Edward J. Markey and two other lawmakers Thursday called on the Obama Administration to help drive down the fuel’s costs by releasing crude oil from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve, Boston.com reported.

According to the Globe article, this was also done in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina,  and prices fell 9 percent.  It was done again a year ago when turmoil in Libya threatened oil supplies, and prices dropped by 8 percent.

For the South Shore and the rest of the country, time will only tell how high prices will reach by the summer.

This will undoubtedly affect residents who travel by car to commute to work daily. As such, we're wondering how this rise in gas prices could affect you. 

Let us know your thoughts in and weigh in with comments below.