more drivers running out of gas as they accelerate towards econocrash

update: US gasoline settles at 33-month high on stock draw
from cbs local: With gas prices pushing $4 a gallon, a lot of people are trying to stretch their dollar at the gas pump, but some of them are trying to stretch it a little too far. Since the beginning of March, AAA has seen an 18 percent increase in the number of roadside calls for people running out of gas. “I never put a lot in because I can’t afford to fill it up,” Leo Greek, a stranded motorist, said. He says he’s not even sure how much it would cost to fill up his truck these days because he hasn’t done it for a while. He gets only what he needs and today he underestimated. “It’s frustrating,” Greek said. “I can’t believe it has to be that expensive, but I know everybody’s going through it.” According to AAA, gas prices in the Pittsburgh area have gone up 26 cents per gallon in the last month. “Before it was more absentminded than anything else,” Jim Krebs with Brighton Service said. “But now, I believe that’s what it is. I believe people are like, ‘Man, I got to buy something else so I’m not going to put gas in the car. I should be able to make it,’ and they don’t.”

related update: wal-mart shoppers running out of money*
should you buy a home in 2011? 29 statistics on the housing crisis*