Gas Supply Is Gone; Sitting Tight...

motordavid · #1 08-31-2005, 05:31 PM

For the next several days here in HillbillyHeaven.

I noticed huge lines at several gas stations today, while running some errands in town. In my lil' town, most stations are out or v.low and limiting buys to 10-30 bucks. And, regular is $3.10-3.25 here. (It was 2.45 a couple days ago.)

Watching the local news out of Asheville this afternoon, it was explained that the major pipeline that flows most of the refined gasoline north through GA, SC,NC and VA, from the Gulf area, is shut down due to no power to pump and flow gasoline through this line.
The talkingheads say, that the pipeline guys say, that it may be early to mid next week before it's running. In our case, this pipeline supposedly dumps into a big terminal in Spartanburg,SC, (yeah, that S'burg), and 18 wheeler tanker trucks flow in and out 24/7 for delivery to gas stations in western NC, upstate SC, etc. Thus, no supply, no gas, no ticket, no wash.

We were going to see friends in TN this weekend, but we may just sit tight. The 3 cars each have over 1/2 tank, but I don't wanna get stuck or sit in some line for hours.

Beyond that slight inconvenience, the utter despair for most people affected by 'Cane K in LA, MS, AL, etc., is beyond comprehension, imo. My opin is there will be be some serious short to med. term ramifications from this disaster. For most of those people, life in the ol'USA, may never be the same, again. BR,md

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ncx · #2 08-31-2005, 05:39 PM

MD, that is incredible. I heard the same story around 4pm today while I was headed towards my house, only they mentioned GA and SC. I got of the interstate at my normal exit and BAM! My normally slow little ride home from there, was bumper to bumper with cars. When got past the big jam I saw that all of the cars were trying to pile into the local gas station! I have never seen more than 4-5 cars at this Exxon, and now I am looking at lines 10+ cars deep from each of 8 pumps. That is really weird to see. I am glad all of my cars are full!

Katrina is going to affect so many areas of our lives, though nothing like the people who lived through it.

03Topazbluex5 · #3 08-31-2005, 05:43 PM

Hope everything works out for them over there! I heard that they declared martial law 'cause of all the looting and some places have up to 20 feet of water

I'm feeling kinda grateful now that all i have to deal with is these SH***Y winters!

And our gas prices have skyrocketed here 1.45 a litre for premium gas???? WTF!!!! I dont even wanna think about there being a shortage cause i'm just gonna start crying!!

Curious Joel · #4 08-31-2005, 06:30 PM

Gas in my area is usually pretty cheap... Especially at the Sunoco down the road.. But I just payed $3.02 a gallon for 93. It's nothing compared to what it is in other places (I saw $3.45 for regular in San Fran on the news), but it's still expensive...

I can't imagine all the effort it's going to take to get the whole affected area, especially New Orleans, back on its feet. I saw a bit of Fox News while I was in the kitchen a while ago and there are thousands of people stranded on an elevated section of I-10 and they've been there for days and they've got no food or water or anything... It's a nightmare.. I feel so bad for all of them. My school is starting a fund drive, I think. I'm glad I saw New Orleans when I did, last month, because it likely won't ever be the same. The mayor says 12+ weeks minimum before the city is habitable again...

Juanted · #5 09-01-2005, 07:26 AM

Same here, Md. Lines at EVERY gas station. People are trying to fill up for the holiday weekend before the stations run dry. The local papere says that 20 gas stations in Charlotte are already empty. Incredible. You know what, though? This is nothing compared to what those poor folks in LA, MS, and AL are going trhough.

Juan

ylwjacket · #6 09-01-2005, 10:26 AM

So, with gas prices going through the roof due to supposed lack of supply, and said supply to be restored when the pipelines are powered up, are prices going to fall again just as dramatically? Or, now that gas and oil companies know that we'll pay $4/gallon, but they never had the nerve to try that price point before, will they invent another story and leave the prices?

It seems that short term problems cause major spikes in a heartbeat. Fixing those problems never cause a corresponding drop.

I have real fears that this mess will cause a mjor economic problem. I have feared that rising gas prices would do that anyways, but I am afraid now that will accelerate, and we'll teeter close to free fall. 1990 is back.

And, as far as gas, my boat takes 275 gallons to fill. A few weeks ago, it cost over $800. This weekend, instead of using the boat and supporting the gougers, I'm sending my gas money to the Red Cross. I may stay overnight on the boat, but I'll keep it parked at the marina.

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