It's always struck me as bizarre that two gas stations, literally across the street from each other, can charge a different price for identical grades of gasoline. But it's maybe even more strange that, for me, I don't necessary pick the cheaper one every time. When we're talking about two cents per gallon -- or maybe 30 cents per tank -- I usually hit the station that's on my side of the street, or the one without a line at the pump.

Is that strange?

Further, there's a Clark station about a half-mile from my house, and it's always several cents cheaper than the Marathon station very close to my house. I even have a Clark credit card, so I earn another 2 percent back when I fill up at Clark. Yet I don't usually go out of my way for the cheapest gas.

Do you?

Apparently not, because I can't imagine how a competitive gas station could survive when they sell identical grade gas at a higher price than their neighbor.

Am I missing something?

I will say this: I feel like recent $4 a gallon gas prices have changed the way I drive. I try to group errands more carefully now, and even as gas prices fall back into the only semi-ludicrous zone of $2.75 per gallon, I am continuing these good habits of living a bit more locally. I also pay more attention to which car to drive on which trip -- highway driving goes to the BMW while city driving goes to the Prius. But I still barely drive the scooter, which gets 75 miles per gallon.

I guess major shifts in behavior just take time.