Tired of paying $50 or more for a tank of gas? Are the prices finally going down? Good questions and probably ones we can’t quite answer right now.

For the fourth day in a row on Tuesday, California broke the state record on gasoline prices. According to the AAA Fuel Gauge Report, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline was $4.671, an increase of 0.3 cent overnight.

The only good news – the rise continues to lose a bit of momentum although experts said it’s still possible that prices will continue to jump.

According to AAA figures, gas prices in the state are almost 49 percent higher than they were a week ago. California also topped the nation in prices by almost 50 cents.

Part of the problem is attributed to a series of refinery problems across the state, including the August fire at the Chevron refinery in Richmond.

On Sunday, Governor Jerry Brown ordered the winter-blend gasoline could be sold in the state in hopes of increasing the fuel supply.

So next time you complain about that crowded Muni bus or no air conditioning on BART, think of the idea of driving everyday and spending a small fortune on gas.

Photo Credit: MrPrada, via Wikimedia Commons

• Tag: driving, Gas Station, gasoline, Governor Jerry Brown, Prices, Refineries