Motorists may be gritting their teeth over gas prices, but most of them manage to squeeze out a smile, say the people who sell the increasingly costly fuel.

“Most of them are understanding — understanding but irritated,” Anna Haynes said Monday at the Chevron station at 402 Marine Drive, Port Angeles.

Gas there cost $2.999 a gallon for regular, $3.099 for midgrade, $3.199 for premium.

People who drive off without paying have become more common, however.

“We’ve been keeping a closer eye on the pumps,” Haynes said, “so it’s not as bad as it could be.”

West of Port Angeles at Fairmount Grocery, owner Mike Kang said he sees “a lot” of drive-offs.

“We’re thinking about pre-pays,” he said.

Kang’s wife, Jackie, said the customers who pay are nice. The grocery charges from $3.099 to $3.299 per gallon.

“Most of our customers are regular customers,” she said, “so they just joke.”

Some customers ‘mean’

It’s not always a joking matter, though, at the Sea Breeze Grocery in Port Townsend.

“Most of them are nice,” said Miho Yamaguchi at the station, where prices range from $3.039 to $3.239, “but some of them are mean.

“They’re upset that gas prices are going up. Some of them are saying that they might have to wind up walking or using bikes.”

Meanwhile, at the Tesoro West Coast station in Forks ($3.109 to $3.309), “a few people get pretty irate, but we just tell them we can’t control the price,” said Terri Simpson, assistant manager.

“They go away mad anyway.”

Simpson added, “A couple of them think President Bush is in on it. They’re still buying the gas, though.”