It’s like that scene in Steinbeck’s The Pearl where the pearl buyers are all lined up in a row, giving the illusion of competitiveness but they’re really in cahoots with one another. Except the pearl is your car and the peasant wins, temporarily.

“A gas station’s credit card promotion in Pennsylvania turned into a 7 hour price war with a competitor.

Both Latrobe Pennsylvania stations started out Tuesday with regular unleaded for $2.89 a gallon.

A BP station countered by offering the first discount. The independent station across the street took their price a few cents lower.

Within a couple of hours both stations were selling for $2.36 a gallon and drivers were lined up for blocks.

Just before 9:00p.m. both stations gave up the fight. They raised their prices back to where they started Tuesday.”

“Pennsylvania Gas Price War” [WZZM13]

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