California sees massive surge in gas prices

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The inevitable is happening because gas prices are on the rise. Prices shot up 25 cents just since Monday across California. Now, a gallon of gas is either right at or above $3 a gallon in Fresno.

"It's kinda hard, you know," said Patrick Riddlespriger. "Everybody was going places, enjoying themselves, taking their car out. Now it's one stop here and back home to park it."

These spikes always seem to hit at the right time. Spring Break is right around the corner.

The cost to fill up his Tahoe has gone from $40 to $70 for Riddlespriger. "We do gotta suck it up," he said. "It's one thing about Americans, we love our cars."

Drivers don't usually care about the reason so much as the impact to their budget. This time the increase is being blamed on the recent explosion at a Southern California refinery, as well as a steelworkers strike and operational glitches at refineries in Northern California.

"Yeah, we can't really do anything about it," said Jaclyn Milan. "So we just have to roll with the punches."

You can say we're the lucky ones here in the Valley. Prices shot up overnight in Los Angeles and San Francisco by as much as 20 cents.

On Tuesday, prices around Fresno were as low as $2.79 a gallon. Friday we found them between $2.99 and $3.29.

Jose Parra says he actually coughs up the extra money for premium gas. "You get more bang for your buck, I think," Parra said. "Because if you put cheap gas you have to come to the pump more times a week."

No matter the grade, driving is once again more expensive and we'll just have to wait to see when it will get worse.

A new Field Poll found a nearly perfect divide among Californians on whether to add a 10 cent gas tax to fund road improvements. That's despite about 70 percent of those same people wanting the state to spend more money to fix our roads and highways.