LOOK OUT FOR PUMP JUMPING
You may have noticed that pump prices for gasoline have dropped some recently. Or you may not have, particularly if you've had the misfortune of pumping your gas at area stations with pumps that "jump," adding anywhere from a few pennies to 30 cents in one instance before any fuel was dispensed. Add "pump jumping" to your list of consumer hazards to be avoided. According to a front page report in last Sunday's Chronicle, errors at gas pumps that pick extra pennies from drivers' wallets are all too common. The Texas Department of Agriculture monitors the accuracy of fuel pumps across the state, and reports that more than 350 gas stations in the Houston area had one or more pumps inaccurately recording gasoline purchases, adding phantom pennies to thousands of gasoline and diesel purchases. The cost to consumers ranged from a few pennies to as much as $3 per fill-up.