Cover your gas caps! That is, unless a person in blue approaches you with an offer to fill your gas tank -- for free!
With gas prices in the Southland at upwards of $5 per gallon, Honda has announced its plan to help ease the pain by surprising So Cal drivers with complimentary tanks of gas. The "helpful guys in blue" will make their surprise "no-strings-attached" offers from Feb. 27 to Mar. 3.
See below for more information.
Los Angeles's extraordinary gas prices attracted national attention Wednesday when a local news segment (video above) recorded, by chance, gas prices going up by 10 cents in just two minutes.
While the national gas price has risen to about $3.60 per gallon, the average price in Los Angeles exceeds $4, the Los Angeles Times reports.
These record-breaking price hikes are caused by escalating tensions with Iran over its nuclear program and by several California refiners closing for maintenance, CBS reports.
And while analysts agree that there's not much President Obama can do about the prices, they have already become a critical issue in the 2012 presidential race.
In response to blame from Republican for rising gas prices, the President defended his energy policy, including rejecting the Keystone XL Pipeline, in Miami Thursday, CNBC reports. He mocked GOP presidential hopefuls, saying “They are already dusting off their three-point plans for $2 gas" and went on to say that the country needs to utilize every alternative energy source possible in addition to oil.
It seemed that the President's zing was in response to GOP candidate Newt Gingrich's jab at Obama in Southern California earlier this month, when Newt said, "I want to campaign in California on jobs and $2 gasoline... versus food stamps and $4 gasoline."
Via email, Honda told HuffPost LA that the "guys in blue" will make free gas offers Monday in Bundy, Olympic, Pico, Manchester, Melrose, Van Nuys, Glendale, Burbank and Culver City. Then Tuesday through Thursday, it'll continue to make peoples' day across Los Angeles, Orange County, San Bernardino and Ventura.
Honda says it will give clues as to when and where the free gas will be pumped through its Facebook and Twitter. Gasbuddy.com also allows you to search for the cheapest gas prices by zip code.