Pickles by Brian Crane for March 18, 2025

I wish we could go back to 0.89 cents per gallon.

Johnny Carson said that once gas reached $1 a gallon, the gas shortage would go away. He was right.

…and some guy pumped it for you!

and cleaned your windshield

and checked your oil

AT NO EXTRA CHARGE!!

Is he driving a Bel Aire? Nice. A blast from the past.

Average price of a gallon of gas yesterday in the US was $3.078. Adjusting for inflation, that works out to $0.51 a gallon in 1975, which is about right.

When I worked at a four corner gas station back in the 60s, we had “gas wars” to see how long we would stay at less than 20 cents a gallon. We would be swamped for hours. Then politicians figured out how to tax gasoline without anyone being able to say, “No!”, and the price has gone up ever since.

I’m with you, Earl!

I was convinced after yesterday’s strip that Earl was going to claim he doesn’t live in the past like he used to, and then go on to regale us at great length and excruciating detail with the events that caused him to give up the practice.

I can remember 30 cents per gallon. I remember 5 cents for a candy bar or a pop cycle. I was going to buy a candy bar two day ago at a convenience store, and the guy said $3.50 please. I said, “I’ll pass.” and walked out.

It would be nice if you could get a gallon of gasoline for $0.30, like you could in 1958 (the year I was born). Of course, the federal minimum wage was $1.00/hour and the average wage in private industry was $4,600/year. Why does nobody say they wish for that back?

It’s all you got when you are old.

In the early 1960s I worked at an Atlantic station, which had “Red Ball Service” which was, clean the windows, check the oil, and the tires if asked, and we passed out foam red balls to stick on top of your radio antenna!

The internet is a bit slow there, though.

A 1949 Studebaker. My neighbor bought one brand new.

nice car, Earl

The leaded gasoline back then should not be missed.

Back when gas was just going up in price, I got gas while I was on my lunch break. I was expecting to pay 33 cents, and it was 42 cents. I absolutely panicked! (This was when I was "between husbands and living in Section 8 housing with two girls.) I got $1 worth of gas – 2 gallons and two drops – and pulled out of the station in a hurry.

Unfortunately, I didn’t leave the way I entered and ended up on the weirdest street in Maryland. This is a one-way, single-track road that goes all the way around Towson. Once you’re on it, there is nothing to do but keep going. I was late getting back from lunch and told my supervisor I had “gotten lost”.

“Where did you go?”

“Just over there,” and I pointed to the gas station; you could see it from the office window! When I told her what had happened, she just nodded and said she understood perfectly.

I worked for a pump manufacturer that made a fortune when gas prices rose over a dollar. Then the company squandered all that money.

“You wouldn’t believe how cheap gasoline is there” …and houses and cars and groceries…

Back when gas stations only had two pumps.

When I was 16 (1966), gas was 23.9. But I was also only making .35 an hour!

I remember 19.9 cents. Those were the days.

At least, in retirement (I’m there) we don’t drive as much!

Love that ’51 Studebaker!

Earl liked the price of eggs in 1970, just .61/dozen.

EVERYTHING was cheaper.!!!!!!!!!!!!

No internet,black and white tv with 3 channels

I’ll take a dollar’s worth and check the oil please.

I miss the past because it was more civilized. One never had to worry about getting shot at, brake checked or forced off the road because he was only going 10 MPH over the speed limit. Or being hit by a “stray round” sitting on his porch. Or being bombarded by other people’s ‘entitlements’, desires and opinions. One could go downtown without fear of being attacked at any time for any or no reason. It just seemed to be better back then somehow.

Nowadays we think of McDonald’s as being a person’s first job. Back then it was gas stations.

I remember when gasoline was 14 cents per gallon.

When your daily driver was built in 1950, that is really living in the past – and it is impressive!

I love that Studebaker 51 , i think. My first car was a 48 Hudson with three on the tree

I remember when gas first hit $1 in the 70’s and most gas pumps didn’t have enough digits. Some stations showed the price per half-gallon.

I just want to go back to full service where they checked your oil and tire pressure and cleaned your windshields for free.

Oh, for the days of affordable stuff!

In 1965 I took a civil war history trip around Missouri on my motorcycle. One small town I went through had a gas war, and it was 12 cents! The average price at the time was 20 cents, and I had never seen it below 18 before in any gas war. I wanted to go home for my car and a few gas cans, but home was a hundred miles away.