I'm sure to a certian point the gas companies do make us suffer a bit more than is strictly necessicary, but for the most part its the gas itself that drives the cost up. When your highest demanded fuel for autos is one that is of limited quantity (at our current rate of usage, we will have used up all of the oil in the world in about 50 years), and that the majority is controled by an unstable middle east, it's hard to blame the companies.
I wish I worked for shell or bp though right now

.. hell of a business