Gas prices shoot up - again

I realize this is getting repetitious but, ahem, we've never spent this much at the pump - and it's likely to get worse. In L.A., the average price of a gallon of self-serve regular is $3.458, according to the federal government's weekly survey that covers the period ended today. That's up from $3.348 just a week ago. SF continues to outpace L.A., with the average price at $3.541, up from $3.462. What's going on? When it comes to gas prices, it's never easy to get a straight answer, but one thing that seems clear is that oil prices alone aren't creating the run-up. The experts say there's just too much demand for refineries to keep up with - and many of those refineries have experienced outages. As for things getting worse, we're a few weeks away from the Memorial Day weekend, which is the start of the summer driving season. Most Americans believe there's price-gouging and say they'll cut back on driving if prices keep going up. They usually say this, but few actually follow through on the threat.