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Gas pains: Phila. drivers rush to 76 cent sale

Motorists today formed a long, long line to buy 76-cent gas for 76 minutes at the Lukoil station at Spring Garden Street and Delaware Avenue in Philadelphia.

Motorists today formed a long, long line to buy 76-cent gas for 76 minutes at the Lukoil station at Spring Garden Street and Delaware Avenue in Philadelphia.

The station offered the price reprieve from noon to 1:16 p.m. today as a promotion tied to the Philadelphia 76ers playoff with the Detroit Pistons.

Before the price drop, regular unleaded was a fraction under $3.69.

Hundreds of drivers and their vehicles -- from compacts to mini-vans -- waited for the gas price break.

About 100 made it before the line was cut off.

The scene was orderly -- blocks long. People slept in their cars. Music blared from some car radios. The line began forming at 6:30 a.m.

"If gas keeps going up, I'm going to have to get used to walking," said JoAnne Baker who drove from Southwest Philadelphia - and bought $2 in gas just to make the drive - so she could wait in line for the cheap fuel.

"We have bills. Food is sky high. Everything is outrageous," said Baker, who was number seven in line. "It's just getting so difficult for people who are just trying to survive."

"There's no way for me to afford to pay bills, gas and insurance. Everything is increasing except people's paychecks," said Dean Ross, 42, of Northeast Philadelphia.

Last August, the same station slashed gas prices to 60 cents for one hour to promote a dinosaur exhibit.

Back then, the average price of a gallon of regular unleaded in Pennsylvania was $2.75.

This morning, average price in the five-county Philadelphia region was $3.55, AAA Mid-Atlantic reported.

The auto club said the price went up 17 cents in one week.

New Jersey motorists woke up to a hike of 22 cents a gallon at service stations along the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway.

The national average is $3.57 a gallon for regular unleaded gas.