In the UK, we see similar disparity between petrol stations just a few hundred yards apart, and of the same firm.

On observing who these people are that cannot be bothered to make the saving by going across the street, one sees a lot of people in company cars judging by the way they all hold up the till getting VAT receipts! Joe Public on the other hand, fills his tank when it is empty, and shops around for the best price. You just don't see it happening with all the "company car" people filling up at the nearest rather than the best value.

Petrol prices in the UK are already over £1.25 a litre, or over $9 per gallon. Most of that price is Tax. This is a disgrace as an OPEC member, but over here we have "car culture" like you have "gun culture" in the US. Most households own 2 or 3 vehicles, and more than half are less than 5 years old. How does that compare to stateside?