MB gas availability

Just wondering the gas situation in the South MB area--we are headed there tomorrow. In SW Virginia, gas is $5+ a gallon, and some stations are out of it.

MB gas availability

Haven%26#39;t seen any stations out of gas here

MB gas availability

Good to hear--thanks! It seems there was a generalized panic here yesterday that may (hopefully) be isolated. They had to get police to direct traffic at some of the larger gas stations because it was causing traffic problems. Yesterday morning gas was $3.47, now most stations are at $5.43!

I think the ones that say they are %26#39;out%26#39; aint/wasn%26#39;t really out. I think that they were just saving the gas they had left until the next day so that they could jack up the prices and make more money. IMO

I don%26#39;t know--one station here had gas at 5PM yesterday, by 10 PM they were closed, and have not re-opened. They kept their price at $3.47 and the lines were about an hour to get gas from 2PM to the time they closed--I truly think they are out, or they would be open today. But interesting concept. You never know.

We plan to veg on the beach until time to come home, so if there%26#39;s no gas, then it%26#39;s not time to come home, right?

It%26#39;s Economics 101 (which, alas, most Americans didn%26#39;t take, or pass): like me, the gasoline distributorships don%26#39;t keep their tanks full when the price is going down, only when it%26#39;s rising (in order never to have to buy the whole tank at the highest price). Prior to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, oil/gas prices were dropping rapidly (trading under $100 for a barrel of oil briefly Friday), so supplies were not %26#39;topped off%26#39;.

Then, with the pipeline/refinery disruptions occurring from the storms, actual shortages have occurred. Gasoline distributors are not %26#39;gouging%26#39;, they just don%26#39;t have a full supply of fuel.

There are two ways to keep shortages from becoming panics: government price protection (which we learned in the %26#39;70s is a long-term disaster), or increased prices.

Ike did much less damage to refineries than feared. Once power is restored, supply will come back on line quickly, and prices will revert to %26#39;normal%26#39;. Just don%26#39;t buy more gas than you actually need during this temporary price spike.

We are planning to leave Charleston, WV to go to Myrtle Beach on Saturday, Sept. 20th. We are hearing rumors that we may not be able to get gas.

Do you know if that is true? We usually stop for gas in Wytheville, VA.

Thanks!