The Herald-Dispatch |


Hot Topics
Taxes. Litter. The cost of living. Anything that makes news in the Tri-State is worth a thought or two.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Gasoline and hot weather

Let's see if we get this right. Gasoline expands in summer, so the amount of energy in each gallon drops. Gasoline is priced at a 60-degree standard. Gas pumps don't adjust for temperature changes, so motorists get less for their money in hot weather.

I know this is in court, but I had to ask myself if this is real. It sounds like an urban legend gone bad, but it's not.

It is true. Here's a PDF explanation along with the formula for calculating the difference between what the pump says you get and what you really get. I'll have to play around with this some later -- I hope.