Gasoline stations

[Sigarms]

What I do know is true is that the biggest part of the problem is that is people behving like sheep....or worse than sheep. Mere rumors about prices going up prompted people to race out and fill all their cars and top off tanks. The local radio and TV reported this, showing lines of cars at gas stations and small stations out of gas. This created a panic that has been going on for well over a week now. I hear people in my office saying how everyday they top off a nearly full tank "just in case". This is creating an abnormal and unneccessary demand that normal supply can't keep up with. I say its abnormal because the are no more cars, no more miles being driven and no bigger gas tanks than two weeks ago. And everyday the local media fuels the panic. I'm beginning to think the sterotypes about ignorant southerners are true. We're behaving like morons and paying the price.

That's EXACTLY what happend in N.C the day Ike hit land down in Texas.

The attorney general of N.C has made some headlines because he's written to some gas stations in N.C (one right here in Yadkinville) asking for a written response as to why they jumped gas over $5 a gallon (over a $1.50 jump in price).

Seems that N.C has some "price gouging" (sp?) laws and they are actually investigating to see if any were broken.

Honestly, summers during college I worked pumping gas (when they had 'em back then). Being in the gas station business is not something I'd want to be in. Perhaps my observations were wrong at the time, but rarely does the local station owner make money selling gas (add on sales for what you have in the store is where the money is at). Can't win, and darn if you do, darn if you don't.

 

[tallyho8]

In southeast Louisiana, our gas is about $3.65 right now. It went up from $3.25 right before Gustav and has remained steady now. There is no shortage. All stations are open and have plenty of gas. All the refineries in our area are open and working.

 

[N80]

All the refineries in our area are open and working.

195/110

My truck is on dead empty. No gas anywhere near my house. None.

 

[Bird]

I've seen in the news that some stations in the Dallas area ran out of gas, but I haven't noticed any problems out here 40 miles north of Dallas. Of course I haven't really been hunting any stations out of gas. I filled both vehicles 4 days ago; not because of any expected shortage; just that I took each one that morning, got it washed and gassed up, and my wife and I noticed signs today indicating prices had come down from what I paid 4 days ago.

 

[kenmac]

Here , some stations have gas,some don't . Some just have prem.gas only. Saw on the news that one station had all tanks in the dround full of gas. But, couldn't sell it because their pumps were old & the price on the pump would only go to 399 per gal. They could not or would not sell until they could upgrade the pumps to reflect the higher peice per gal.

 

[dgl24087]

Any station in my area that jacked gas prices to outrageous levels is now on my "Do Not Buy From" list. Strange part of all of this is that the stations closest to my house are cheaper now than the ones where I work. That has never happened before.

 

[dmccarty]

Area stations have been running out of gas. I have been sick with the flu for a week. Luckily I can work from home. Yesterday was my first day driving in a week. Last Friday the "shortages" hit here. The shortage was announced by the media and people started filling up tanks or as much as they could get. A local chain was not getting shipments and limiting people to 10 gallons of gas.

The refineries have been shut down for week due to the two storms. Its going to take awhile to fill the literal and figurative pipelines. Eastern NC is not supposed to have any supply issues since they can get fuel from tankers where is my area gets some fuel from down east but mainly from the Colonial pipeline. Western NC is hurting for supply since they are really dependent on Colonial. Areas in TN are having shortage since they have to have special gas for air quality reasons.

But ye have to wonder if the problem is due to people just getting gas when they don't need it. I did not see any closed diesel pumps. Just gas. Diesel price has been stable here for a few weeks. The low price has been at 4.05. With the high price still at 4.39 at the station that has no competition.

Later,
Dan

 

[EddieWalker]

Gas is down another penny today. I saw it for $3.40 at the cheapest place in Tyler. Other places are as much as $3.56 just down the street.

Eddie

 

[Bird]

The newest Quick Trip, just north of us in Denton, is also the largest gas station in the area. It was doing a booming business this morning, but no waiting lines, and the tank truck had just made a delivery. The driver was putting away his equipment. Regular gas was $3.549 which was the same price as the Walmart south of us in Hickory Creek. The Hickory Creek Walmart only had a few customers, and their diesel was $3.919. The Walmart in Denton only had 2 customers and had temporary signs on all the pumps that "all grades are unleaded regular 87 octane". Their price was $3.499. Sam's Club in Lewisville was $3.489. I did notice one service station that still had their sign up showing regular at $3.729. I didn't need any gas myself today, but it obviously would not be a problem for anyone who did need it.

 

[dmccarty]

I drove by the local stop and rob chain this afternoon and all of the pumps I could see where closed. This chain had been limiting purchases to 10 gallons starting last Friday. A Exxon a few miles away was fine.

Later,
Dan

 

[redneckford]

Area stations have been running out of gas. Eastern NC is not supposed to have any supply issues since they can get fuel from tankers where is my area gets some fuel from down east but mainly from the Colonial pipeline. Western NC is hurting for supply since they are really dependent on Colonial. Later,
Dan

Mr. Dan please explain to all those east coast folks "that don't want a gas refinery in their backyard" where all that gas comes from in that little bitty Colonial pipeline----and the jet fuel too!!!!!

 

[Bird]

This chain had been limiting purchases to 10 gallons

The only time I can recall finding stations with that 10 gallon limit was in 1974 when I had a little Winnebago with a 40 gallon gas tank; had to go to 2 or 3 stations to fill up. However, just this past July, we found several stations between here and West Virginia at which the pump shut off at $50. We could have restarted it and continued each time, but didn't.

 

[kenmac]

There is an Alabama vs Georgia football game in Ga. this sat. They are telling the Al. fans not to come to Ga. because they may not find any gasoline to be able get home. According to the news. There is a big gasoline shortage in Ga.

 

[tallyho8]

There is an Alabama vs Georgia football game in Ga. this sat. They are telling the Al. fans not to come to Ga. because they may not find any gasoline to be able get home. According to the news. There is a big gasoline shortage in Ga.

IT'S A TRICK!!!
They just don't want the Alabama fans to show up! Go anyway.

 

[kenmac]

IT'S A TRICK!!!
They just don't want the Alabama fans to show up! Go anyway.

Could be. I wasn't going anyway B-4 they stated this. They showed people at gas stations in GA. almost getting into fights over the gasoline