In the last couple of days, prices have been going up by 2 or 3 cents in a 24-hour period. This is likely the same type of rapid price increase that has happened in Southern California every spring of this decade.

Motorists have not seen the end of price increases. Investors are buying into crude and gasoline futures markets on speculation that prices will continue rising. Retail prices still have not caught up with wholesale price increases. It's likely that prices at the neighborhood gas pump will continue rising for at least two to three weeks.

Investors have been climbing a wall of worry because of uncertainties about political stability in Iraq and saber-rattling in Iran. Those worries have sent crude oil futures to record levels and gasoline has followed.

It takes only one or two drinks to slow physical and mental skills and affect vision, steering, braking, judgment and reaction time.

We hope drivers are aware that the California Highway Patrol and law enforcement agencies are likely to be using extra patrols to look for drinking drivers during holidays.

Refiners are selling off all supplies of winter grade fuel in advance of next Tuesday's deadline. That has put extra supply on the market, sending prices lower. Motorists can expect to see prices stay near current levels for a couple of weeks. After that, with the extra winter grade supply used up, motorists should expect more upward pressure on retail gas prices.