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AN OUNCE. NOT LONG AGO, PEOPLE THOUGHT 'OIL' WAS A SAFE INVESTMENT. NOW IT'S FALLING AS FAST AS STOCK PRICES. CRUDE PRICES NOSE-DIVED NEARLY 10 PERCENT TODAY---BY ABOUT 8 BUCKS A BARREL. PLUNGING OIL PRICES MEAN LOWER GAS PRICES - AND THAT'S GOOD NEWS FOR NEW MEXICO DRIVERS STRUGGLING WITH FAMILY BUDGETS AND FOUR-BUCK GAS FOR MOST OF THE SUMMER. STUART DYSON IS LIVE ON THE GAS WATCH TONIGHT FROM THE PUMPS ON RIO GRANDE AT I-40. SUDDENLY YOU CAN FIND GAS DOWN AROUND TWO EIGHTY A GALLON - WHICH IS WHERE THE PRICE WAS A YEAR AGO - SAVING A LITTLE MONEY? - CHA CHING! GAS PRICES IN ALBUQUERQUE DROPPED ABOUT SIX CENTS A GALLON OVERNIGHT - THREE THIRTEEN THE CITY AVERAGE RIGHT NOW - ALTHOUGH IF YOU LOOK YOU CAN FIND TWO EIGHTY AND EVEN TWO SEVENTY FIVE! ' I live on the east side of the mountains so I commute 40 miles every day. Q: This has gotta be helping a little. A: This is helping a whole lot!' STILL TRIPLE A ANALYSTS SAY MOST OF US ARE LIKELY TO KEEP ON DRIVING LESS AND DRIVING SMARTER. ' I pay more attention to the way I drive - mostly - I try not to accelerate too much if I don't have to. Q: Still doing that even though the gas is cheaper? A: No - I think I'm keeping the habit - the good habit of driving better.'' That's nice it's going down - I try to drive as little as possible - but you still gotta get gas. Q: Do you find yourself thinking about driving more now that it's a little cheaper? A: Oh no - no - not at all!'TRIPLE A SAYS GAS CONSUMPTION HAS DROPPED SIX PER CENT OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS - AND MOST PEOPLE ASSUME THE DROPPING PRICES WON'T LAST LONG. STATEWIDE AVERAGE PRICE OF GAS TONIGHT - THREE THIRTY THREE A GALLON - ABOUT TWENTY CENTS HIGHER THAN THE ALBUQUERQUE AVERAGE.