Police have coned off one lane of traffic on South Street downtown near the fire station for a new cell phone company's promotion of giving away free gas from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. this morning at Lex Brodie's Gas Station.

The first car lined up shortly after 4:30 a.m. and by 6 a.m., the line of vehicles ranging from SUVs to small cars extended down Queen Street and around South Street.

The promotion comes on a day when gas prices hit an all-time high nationally. As of 6:30 a.m., the most free gas given was $103 to an SUV. The company is asking patrons to donate money to the Boys & Girls Club as they leave the pumps in return.

Police are monitoring the traffic situation.

"I got up at 4:30, heard about the free gas, brushed my teeth, combed my hair and headed over," said Dean Thomas, a Waikiki resident who was second in line. "I would have been first in line but I had to do a u-turn and got behind one care. No worries. I'm gonna score. It takes about $40 to fill this tank and it's on e. I was going to fill up yesterday but I'm glad I waited."

Dereck Antolin, a Pearl City resident who does construction near Lex Brodie's, was first in line this morning.

"I usually fill up every Tuesday and right now I'm on E," he said, "I heard about the free gas and had to come over."

By 6 a.m. drivers were commuting from all over to fill up their tanks.

"I live in Salt Lake and I haven't my tank filled for a loooong time," said Jessica Ortega, a UH student driving a large Chevrolet SUV. "It costs $80 or $90 at least to fill it up. When I heard about this I left at about 5 a.m. and got in line at at about 5:20, so it wasn't that bad."

Pro surfers Makua Rothman, a North Shore native, and Sunny Garcia, originally from Kauai and now living in San Clamenti, Calif., were celebrity gas pumpers. Garcia flew back to Honolulu yesterday for his sponsor, Boost Mobile, and to help the Boys & Girls Club.

"It's a great cause because we're asking for donations for the Boys & Girls Club," Garcia said while pumping $83 into a large SUV. "You can't find a better reason than that. ... I should have brought my car."

Garcia returns to the Mainland tomorrow, but said he will spend the rest of his short trip surfing at his old stomping grounds.

"The water is freezing on the Mainland so I gotta get out today and enjoy it," he said, "but it's been a pretty good season for waves. And when it's good out here I'm always flying back."

Boost Mobile is offering $35 a month for unlmited calling nationwide from your home calling area and 15 cents per minute if you take your cellphone to the Mainland and use it. Also, there are no credit checks with Boost Mobile and no contracts.

The event can be heard on 104.3 FM. KC and Taka are broadcasting live from the gas station and night show DJ, Micah is emceeing at the event, giving away Boost Mobile phones with free Unlimited by Boost service to attendees.

Reach Dave Dondoneau at ddondoneau@honoluluadvertiser.com.