Don't people get tired of panic buying?

[01rangerxl]

After two weeks people are still freaking out over gas here in Charlotte. Prices have actually been very stable here, people are just going nuts. A lot of places are completely out of gas because as soon as a station gets any, a herd of panic buyers shows up and cleans the place out.

I snapped these pics on hwy 49. All of the cars on the right are turning into the Shell station down the road. That is a turn only lane.

And a little closer...

I wonder how much gas is being wasted by all of those idling engines.

 

[Johnny]

Maybe they just like Shell gasoline.

 

[TylerL]

What a waste time.

 

[LTVibe]

Makes you wonder what people like this would have done during WWII, when there was a gas shortage and mandatory rationing for 4 years.

 

[kkreit01]

Are you sure that's not the line for Arby's drive through? haha

Yes -- that is crazy. I have not seen any of that here in the midwest.

 

[drivewaytech]

It's somewhat been that way here in Atlanta for about 2 weeks. Nightly news has been showing interviews of drivers who spot fuel tanker trucks and follow them to the station. Two times this week, on the way to work, I have seen a truck at the Chevron station near my house unloading. The station would be out of gas by the time I get back home. While out on delivery today, I got behind a guy pulling out of a gas station that was out. He ran out of gas a mile down the road.

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: kkreit01
Are you sure that's not the line for Arby's drive through? haha


That would make more sense, but I don't think the herd had any interest in roast beef sandwiches.

 

[tom slick]

maybe they just love v-power more then techron?

 

[Gary Allan]

Originally Posted By: LTVibe
Makes you wonder what people like this would have done during WWII, when there was a gas shortage and mandatory rationing for 4 years.



Well, there you were rationed, you were probably working at one form or another of a defense plant. There was a wage/price freeze. No cars were being made ..and you didn't drive for the good of the nation in the war effort.

Last experienced in this nation, at least in part, during the Korean War (blood drives and such). I'd say that since then ..nothing has skipped a beat EXCEPT for oil embargoes.

I can't even recall in the past where natural disasters have produced this type of thing. This is a recent evolution for us ..I believe

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: LTVibe
Makes you wonder what people like this would have done during WWII, when there was a gas shortage and mandatory rationing for 4 years.


My grandmother started full time work at 14.

Grandad drove vehicles that were fueled by wood-gas and charcoal gas, and collected conversion kits to convert others (later when petrol was available, converted people's houses to run wood gas). He had a footlocker full of "not too bad" sparkplugs "just in case".

People ate regional food. It was produced in the region, and consumed in the region.

People shot/clubbed vermin (rabbits), and if there was meat left over from the local community, they exported it to the cities.

Where I live currently, they triple shifted the beds, and the entire town was controlled by the steam horn of the small arms factory.

 

[Shannow]

Key point...people lived as a community.

 

[Cutehumor]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Key point...people lived as a community.


not here, it's every man for himself

 

[Cutehumor]

ah, the sheep fueling up. ah, memories. People resorted to following gas tankers. Getting up at 3am on a saturday to be first in line at a gas station. waiting in line for an hour for gas, just to watch some dude fill their surburban. When he was finished, watching the guy fueling their (3) 5 gallon gas cans. You just gotta love it.

 

[LTVibe]

This article is 2 weeks old, but probably would have been a good idea:

Former oil exec: Gas rationing needed


Quote:
John Hofmeister, the former president of Shell Oil Co. and one of the most influential voices in the oil industry, called for short-term gasoline rationing by introducing odd-even purchases based on an automobile's license plate and by limiting the amount of gasoline drivers can purchase.

 

[Cutehumor]

Originally Posted By: LTVibe
This article is 2 weeks old, but probably would have been a good idea:

Former oil exec: Gas rationing needed


Quote:
John Hofmeister, the former president of Shell Oil Co. and one of the most influential voices in the oil industry, called for short-term gasoline rationing by introducing odd-even purchases based on an automobile's license plate and by limiting the amount of gasoline drivers can purchase.





"Mr. Hofmeister witnessed gas lines while traveling through Tennessee on Friday as consumers rushed to fill their tanks in anticipation of Ike's damage. The market is jacking up prices because of a fear of scarcity, he explained. "The supply system in America is not designed for everybody to 'top-off' their tanks," Mr. Hofmeister said."


He saw it in Tennessee first hand. It doesn't matter if your a former CEO of Shell, if you can't buy the gas for your own ride!

h

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

Went to the local grocery today. Checked out the 3 stations at that intersection. All 3 closed and bagged. W/M was nearly empty. Grocery had more stockers then customers.

So Far, the 6 local stations are all out of gas. Of the 3 in Mint Hill, 1 May have gas. Not willing to waste gas driving over to check. Wife and I both have dental appointments Tue. I'm going to reschedule mine for at least 2 weeks.

This is getting to be some annoying [censored]! At least I don't have to drive anywhere, but my wife has a 20 mile commute.

 

[Johnny]

Just exactly why is the southeast having this problem? We have plenty of gas in Wisconsin. Heck, the price has dropped $.20 in the last week.

 

[wavinwayne]

People purchased all the gas in the SE right after Ike, and stations are having a hard time getting enough to re-fill their tanks. It really is that simple. At least the prices are falling, even with the gas lines.

 

[LTVibe]

Originally Posted By: Johnny
Just exactly why is the southeast having this problem? We have plenty of gas in Wisconsin. Heck, the price has dropped $.20 in the last week.

Some answers here:

Gas Shortage Q&A

Quote:
Q: The Northeast seems to have escaped the shortages? Why?
A: They have more supply options in the Northeast. There are more refineries along the way and they get supply from other parts of the country, in addition to the Gulf Coast refineries and pipelines. The Southeast depends mostly on Gulf Coast refineries and pipelines.

 

[AcuraTech]

Seriously. Half of the gas stations here are nearly empty, with plenty of gas to go around. The price has dropped quite a bit lately, too.

Problem is, this may be indicative of what the whole US will look like sometime in the future.

People are sheep, they see a full gas station, better get in line to top it off. Once a line begins forming more people join until you have a mile long cluster****.