By By Adam Prestridge
Lines began forming at numerous service stations late Friday afternoon when motorists began noticing gas prices dropping at a rapid pace.
Atmore resident and Rachel Patterson Elementary School physical education teacher Tammy Smith noticed the prices as she was driving to the bank after leaving work.
"I saw a sign that read $2.49 and then a line of cars," she said. "I thought to myself that I needed to get in line to fill up. While in the line, the cars kept coming and I noticed the sign at Feaster's dropped from $2.59 to $2.47 while I was sitting there. I didn't know why the prices were dropping, I just knew that I wanted to fill up everything we had."
Earlier last week, the price of regular unleaded gas reached as high as $2.87. Prices in Atmore have peaked just over $2.90 this summer.
Smith was pleased to see the prices fall.
"After filling up my vehicle I went home and got my son's to fill up and then my mother-in-law's," she said. "In doing so, I noticed prices dropping at other stations as well."
The price at the Diamond No. 22 station changed four times Friday afternoon, the last being around 6 p.m. from $2.49 to $2.47 for regular unleaded, increasing 10 cents each for plus and supreme fuel.
Even though larger gas stations began lowering their prices, some smaller stores couldn't drop as low until fuel already purchased at the higher prices runs out. If so, they would lose more money in the long run.
"Our prices dropped 20 cents a gallon today," Cooper's Grocery manager Marion Cooper said. "Florida gas runs seven cents higher than Alabama due to the sales tax enforced by law. We expect our prices to drop further upon the shipment of additional fuel should prices remain low."
As for now, residents and motorists traveling through Atmore are enjoying a small raise of sorts.