> gas in CA is almost $4/gallon in the Bay Area

And the national average (today) is $2.95, you might as well compare Hawaii and Alaska which are also economic islands.

>it doesn't take much time for normal rates to hit $6/gallon in the next 10 years or so.

The national average 10 years ago was $2.45, which is $2.90 accounting for inflation. The only way gas hits $6 is if we have a second Great Inflation or massive political changes in the United States and abroad.