Free gas tarnishes Milwaukee's good driving record

Houstonist knows about the fanatical crazes that take over when you feel the need to drive ten miles out of your way to save fifty cents on a tank of gas, but drivers in Milwaukee have taken it to the next level.

Hundreds of cars were waiting in the wee hours of the morning to get free gas from Allstate Insurance, who was rewarding cities for high ranks on their Best Drivers Report. The only problem was that the convergence of free gas and eager Milwaukeeans resulted in car crashes, fights, arrests, trapped residents, and blood-spattered police officers.

All was not so bad, though. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Beverly Hortman and her family parked five cars along the side of the road, where they had a great time talking and listening to music all night, she said - but they didn't know who their benefactor was.
"Allstate? Shoot, we thought American Family was doing this," she said.

Photo: Flickr user highwaygirl67