Gas shortage - I-95 NC

[Al and Cindy K]

Just a heads up to anyone travelling through NC on I-95.

The rupture in the Colonial Pipeline in Alabama is causing a major problem for us in northeastern NC. Prices have spiked upwards $.20-.25/gal and many stations are out or are limiting purchases to ten gallons. Sam's Club in Rocky Mount had only mid-grade available this AM and pumps were closed at several nearby stations.

Gas supposedly will start flowing again on Wednesday (9/21) but I haven't seen any estimates on how long it may take to resume normal operations.

[thrifty bill]

Western NC is even worse. I-40 in the Asheville area gas is spotty and be prepared to wait in a long line, and limits on how much gas you can purchase at one time.

This really shows how vulnerable we are. One leak in a pipeline in AL is felt across the SE.

+100 The Law of Unintended Consequences: Declare a State of Emergency, Prevent entrepreneurs from raising prices, and supplies of everything dries up. Seems to happen every hurricane.

[Darral T.]

I live in Columbia, TN. (Middle Tn.) and by late Friday afternoon, ALL of our stations were out of gas. Never seen that before in my life! Crazy. It was simply a "run on gas" that caused it. The maddening part was watching idiot owners of some stations upping their gas prices while we pumped!! Some up to $1 a gallon more. After hearing about being reported for "price gouging" after the Gov. declared a "state of emergency" many started lowering their prices back down.

[Glenn Baglo]

Is that the same state that passed a law to prevent people from raising prices on things such as generators during a widespread power outage? Entrepreneurs were trucking in generators and charging high prices.
So, the next time there was an emergency, you couldn't find a generator anywhere for love or money.
Good work, governor.

[Paul O.]

There are a few of us here, I bet, who remember 1973. Price controls caused hoarding of gasoline and the shortage was worse and longer. And you could not find any gas "for love or money", as you say. Those were the days!

[Glenn Baglo]

Funny how some can go on and on about the virtues of free enterprise and capitalism and then pass laws restricting the very same.

[Al and Cindy K]

Originally Posted by Paul O.

There are a few of us here, I bet, who remember 1973. Price controls caused hoarding of gasoline and the shortage was worse and longer. And you could not find any gas "for love or money", as you say. Those were the days!

I remember those days quite well but not very fondly. I was a college senior living several miles east of the campus with a job equally distant to the west. It was a crap shoot as to whether or not I'd have enough gas to get back and forth to class.

[Paul O.]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Funny how some can go on and on about the virtues of free enterprise and capitalism and then pass laws restricting the very same.

I am always slightly amused when somebody comes along and says: "These fiberglass campers are not very big, look at them, why do they cost so much?"

[redbarron55]

I remember the various gas problems well.
At the time they were predicting $5.00 a gallon in just a few years!
I sold my M-B 450SE when the price of gas skyrocketed to over $0.90 a gallon!
In 1973 I had a Ford Capri V6 with an added 6 gallon tank and a valve.
At the time we were involved in Nascar Racing and used this car to get to and from the tracks on the weekends.
Many times Bobby Allison traveled with us to the races since the Capri was fast, frugal, and had plenty of fuel!
There ware also alternating days you could buy gas as well.
Later in the 70's I switched to VW Rabbit Diesels and put a tank in the back yard and burned taxed home heating oil.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by thrifty bill

..

This really shows how vulnerable we are. One leak in a pipeline in AL is felt across the SE....

Further than the SE in fact. Thats why the pipeline is such a tempting target for terrorists. They could do a lot more damage than just a little leak. Its a very likely scenario.

[Paul O.]

Originally Posted by gordon2

Further than the SE in fact. Thats why the pipeline is such a tempting target for terrorists. They could do a lot more damage than just a little leak. Its a very likely scenario.

Pipelines are underground for the most part, hence much safer than railroad cars. Just ask those who survived the disaster in Lac-Megantic. A more reasonable approach is needed.

[Darral T.]

A sad truth. I had just spoken almost the exact words to my wife how we could EASILY be so crippled after seeing what happened with one breach in a pipeline!

Originally Posted by gordon2

Further than the SE in fact. Thats why the pipeline is such a tempting target for terrorists. They could do a lot more damage than just a little leak. Its a very likely scenario.

[Paul O.]

... is what we need to avoid situations like this.

[redbarron55]

OK they have the leak bypassed and as soon as they get the price of gas high enough they will start the supply again.

[Mitzi Agnew-Giles]

We've actually had folks insist to us that ethanol in gas never predated the Clinton administration (news flash- started in the Carter administration!) and that there was no 1973 oil embargo. According to my diary I was upset about having to pay the huge price of 76 cents a gallon!

[Mike Magee]

OK law forbids price gouging in the event of an emergency, such as a severe ice storm or a tornado. The idea is to prevent anyone from taking unfair advantage of those who are in need.

[thrifty bill]

While ethanol has been in fuel for a long time, the mandates that REQUIRE IT were passed during the Bush administration in 2005.

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by Darral T.

I live in Columbia, TN. (Middle Tn.) and by late Friday afternoon, ALL of our stations were out of gas. Never seen that before in my life! Crazy.

Know we know how old your are not!

Suspect I am not the only party here who recalls the two major gas shortages of the 70's and/or been someplace during a disaster where everyone who recalls the 70's takes off to the local gas station and lines to fill up their gas tanks resulting the pumps running dry.

[Darral T.]

Actually Carol, I DO remember some about it even though I was a "little boy" back in the 70's . Actually, I got married in 1979 when the truckers were on strike! Sheesh...if I remember correctly, gas was bringing the world to an end going up to $.75 a gallon .

But, even through all of that, I dont remember a situation like we had last week where EVERY gas station in our town had bags on their pumps because they were totally out of gas! From reports I've heard, Tennessee did get hit hardest. Everything (but the stupid prices!) have returned to normal.

Originally Posted by Carol H

Know we know how old your are not!

Suspect I am not the only party here who recalls the two major gas shortages of the 70's and/or been someplace during a disaster where everyone who recalls the 70's takes off to the local gas station and lines to fill up their gas tanks resulting the pumps running dry.