Gas Sign Suction Cup

Today, while driving along Beverly Boulevard in the cleanest, most wonderful winter air, I passed a gas station and a man was using a very long pole with a suction cup on the end of it to move the numbers around on the price sign.

He moved the numbers from the Super Unleaded up to the Leaded. He moved the Super Premium up to Super. It struck me funny to see gas prices rise right before my eyes.

The suction cup worked on the Physics principle of suction, unsurprisingly. The poler slammed the suction cup down and the air was pushed out, so the air pressure outside the cup became greater than the pressure inside, thus making a clamping experience. Then, after he moved the number into the next position, the operator pressed on something near his hand on the pole and the suction was released. He repeated this a few times, moving the numbers into new positions. And the numbers called out from their new locations, announcing to the world the increased cost of fuel.

I hope gas prices continue to increase. Maybe fewer people will drive. Or maybe not. There is so much mass transit in New York City, yet the streets are always clogged with cars.