This post is part of a series chronicling news coverage of rising prices in the United States. See more here.
In Lee County, Florida, drivers express shock over gas prices to Gulf Coast News: “It's scary.” “It's ridiculous.” “What the [bleep]?”
Interviewee: “I'm someone who happily voted for Trump three times, and I feel betrayed”
Published
Video file
Citation
From the May 7, 2026, video uploaded to the website of Gulf Coast News
KELLIE BURNS (GULF COAST NEWS ANCHOR): Gas prices above five dollars in Tice. Viewers emailed us about this. We found these prices along Palm Beach Boulevard near I-75 in Lee County. Some stations charging $5 a gallon for regular gas. The national average spiking 25 cents for the second straight week. Gulf Coast News reporter Isaias Soto is investigating whether this is price gouging or just a side effect of the war.
ISAIAS SOTO (GULF COAST NEWS REPORTER): Drivers getting off the I-75 are in shock to see prices this high, a dollar more than other stations in Lee County, yet some are still filling up.
PERSON 1: What the [bleep]? My honest reaction was what the [bleep]?
PERSON 2: Oh my God, this is -- it's scary to fill up the tank.
PERSON 3: I was going to top off as we stopped here for the girls to use the restroom in. At $5.49, I'm not topping off for that.
PERSON 4: It's horrible. No one should be paying them type of prices.
SOTO: Someone emailed Gulf Coast News that regular gas is going for more than $5 a gallon. We went to this Mobile gas station on Palm Beach Boulevard to check it out for ourselves. As you can see, unleaded is $5.49. You'll pay another dime a gallon paying by credit.
PERSON 1: I honestly need my money, and I would rather put my $45 somewhere where I would get what I thought I was going to get.
SOTO: Others filling up are fed up as gas prices seem to not drop.
PERSON 5: I think it's ridiculous. You know, I'm someone who happily voted for Trump three times, and I feel betrayed.
PERSON 3: Before this war started we didn't have this issue. I mean, we had a high enough prices the way it was, but this is just making it worse. Somebody in our top government is not working for our concerns.
SOTO: As for Takia Atkins, she said she learned her lesson with a gas station $1 less down the street.
PERSON 1: I normally would go over there, but I'm about to get on the road, so I was just kind of rushing. Don't rush. I'm sorry for but don't rush. That's my advice to other people, look at the cost because it's not worth it.
SOTO: We reached out to management at the gas station to understand why the price is so high. We're still waiting for a response. Reporting in Lee County, Isaias Soto.