LITTLE ROCK — A long line of vehicles snaked down Bankhead Drive Wednesday as a community banking group kicked off a two-hour promotion giving away free gas.
The group, which was promoting a free checking account, offered $20 in free fuel to the first 200 motorists at SJP Pit Stop, 3300 Bankhead Drive. The event started at 9 a.m., by which time more than 100 vehicles were lined up, waiting to get a complimentary fill-up.
Employees at Hope Credit Union and Bank of Little Rock manned the fueling stations, pumping gas and handing out literature about the program.
Police helped direct the line, which went from the gas station south on Bankhead Drive. The cars were positioned in the far right-hand lane of the four-lane roadway and traffic moved without difficulty in the area.
Layman Roseby Jr., of Little Rock, was first in line, arriving before 7:45 a.m. and staking out a place at the front of what became a lengthy line. The giveaway amounted to about five-and-a-half gallons for his SUV with gas selling Wednesday for just under $3.70 for regular.
"Free gas means free gas," Roseby said, adding he had no interest in the free checking account. "You can go a little further. The way things are now, money's hard to come across. It's even hard to say 'let's go for a ride.'"
About 45 minutes in, officials estimated free gas vouchers remained for only about 30 more vehicles. More than three times that many were still waiting along Bankhead Drive in hopes of making the cut.