Just a month ago, Southland drivers were buzzing about gasoline prices finally dropping below $3 a gallon, a major milestone after reaching more than $4.50 this summer.

But Tuesday, drivers around the San Fernando Valley and the rest of Los Angeles witnessed something they hadn’t seen in almost four years.

Gas prices that start with a 1.

Costs at the pump are sliding below $2 a gallon at some L.A. gas stations as prices for crude oil drop and commuters cut back on car trips to stay afloat during rough economic times. The last time Angelenos paid less than $2 a gallon — in early 2005 — President Bush had just been re-elected.

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