SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — With the Strait of Hormuz back open in the Middle East, experts say gas prices could go down, but relief will not be immediate.
Drivers in San Diego are still feeling sticker shock at the pump. At one gas station in Fashion Valley, the cheapest gallon of gas is $6.39 if paying with cash.
"It’s horrible, it's ridiculous," one driver said.
"The cheapest one is $6.39, that’s just crazy," another driver said.
On Friday, many drivers were only putting $20 to $30 in their tanks to get where they needed to go and avoid paying for a full tank.
"I’m just turning the gas light off, I just want enough," James said.
"$20 because it’s ridiculous, $6 a gallon, it’s probably going to cost me $120 to fill it up here," said another driver.
According to AAA, gas prices in California are down 6 cents from last week. The average price per gallon in the state is $5.85, which is still about $1 more than at the same time last year.
Even with the Strait of Hormuz back open, it could still be a while before drivers see relief.
"Once oil prices start coming down, it does take time to see that reflected in gas prices; it could take a week, it could take two weeks," said Anlleyn Venegas, a spokesperson for AAA.
AAA says other factors, like demand for gas, also play a role in prices. Demand has dropped now that most spring break travel has ended, which could also help prices come down.
Still, drivers are not holding their breath and plan on filling up only what they need.
"I don’t have a lot of hope, let's put it that way," one driver said.
"I’m not going to drive a lot today, so no reason to spend cash that doesn’t need to be spent right now," another driver said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
