I got a hell of a shock yesterday morning when I stopped by to fill up the tank at the local Marathon station here in Palmetto Bay: $3.44* for regular. That is up 25 cents a gallon in one week. And of course they’re blaming it on unrest in the Middle East, particularly Libya, where the turmoil continues. But we only get about 2% of our oil from Libya, and as far as I can tell, the refineries are still running, even if some of the foreign workers have left.

Oh, I am sure that there are other reasons for the steep spike in gas prices — speculation, market demand, seasonal adjustments — that make sense in some economic circles. But when you pull into the gas station and watch the numbers spin by like a slot machine, it’s pretty easy to convince the average driver that the oil companies are doing it just because they can.

So, how much are you paying in your area?

*It was up to $3.47 when I went by this morning: a 3-cent hike in one day.