Gas prices -- a closer look

Everybody's complaining about the high cost of gas (well, those of us who designed our lives with public transit in mind may be feeling smug instead), but it turns out that some neighborhoods are getting hit far worse than others.

Jason Toews, co-founder of the price-tracking Web site GasBuddy. com, says that oil companies often set 100 or more price zones across a single metropolitan area.

"It's all based on what they think the market will bear in that area," he said.

The prices are essentially set by wholesale price differences, not local dealers. South Philly has it the worst, and the Northeast the best, with a difference of 20-40 cents (!).