SE United States: Go Get Gas

[USS Triumphant]

To my friends and fellow Trekkies in the SE United States: You might want to go fill your tanks with gas either this evening or tomorrow before work - as soon as you can. I've been told by a usually-reliable source that there may be shortages and price gouging starting tomorrow because of the pipeline spill. Not sure if it's true about the shortage, but the prices may go up whether it is or not because of speculation.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Keep this between us, but I also got a top secret report from a trusted insider source about the gas situation in the Southeast:

NC price gouging law in effect after gas pipeline break leads to shortages, outages

Sporadic gas shortages reported around Nashville

Alabama, Tennessee, & Georgia Declare States Of Emergency As Gas Shortages Loom After Pipeline Leak

Gas Outages Reported After Pipeline Spills 336,000 Gallons, Prompting Emergencies In Six States

 

[USS Triumphant]

You're a smartass, you know that?

Okay, fine - there are definitely other sources for this news. But I tend to take it more seriously when my company's fleet manager sends out an email telling everyone to go get gas. And there are people on the board who may be reading the board but not hearing the news....

 

[Locutus of Bored]

You're a smartass, you know that?

So I've been told.

People in rural areas lacking in public transportation or who live a long distance away from their place of work probably would do well to heed that advice, but if everyone in urban areas fills up their tank even if they could find an alternative, it's only going to exacerbate the problem. People who can afford it, have ease of access to it, and who won't be greatly inconvenienced by it (too many stops or transfers, or too long a distance/travel time) should probably look into public transportation as a temporary alternative.

 

[MANT!]

Dear daughter lives in NJ and requires the use of her personal car to service her sales territory.. I'll pas it along..thanks...

I've no issue..they gouge us every year when the blend of fuel changes..

 

[Awesome Possum]

I was able to get some gas and so far we haven't devolved into a Mad Max scenario.

But I'm keeping my leather and makeshift armor nearby just in case.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

 

[Awesome Possum]

Things have gotten worse.

Once, I was a mod. A forum warrior searching for a righteous cause. As the world fell...each of us in our own way was broken. It was hard to know who was more crazy. Me... Or everyone else.

 

[Captain Ice]

^ I've got news for you....

 

[USS Triumphant]

So, I was right and wrong - it didn't get as bad as I feared it could (remembering the highest prices under Bush 43), but I *did* probably save anyone who listened to me and went and filled up right then somewhere between 10 and 60 cents on the gallon depending on where they were. Plus, I created an opportunity for Mad Max meme use. Worth it.

 

[{ Emilia }]

Has anybody created a "Never forget" meme for the big gas scare of 2016 yet?

 

[Robert Maxwell]

So, I was right and wrong - it didn't get as bad as I feared it could (remembering the highest prices under Bush 43), but I *did* probably save anyone who listened to me and went and filled up right then somewhere between 10 and 60 cents on the gallon depending on where they were. Plus, I created an opportunity for Mad Max meme use. Worth it.

 

[publiusr]

Sigh--my state gets in the news again for the wrong reasons
http://www.al.com/news/birmingham/index.ssf/2016/09/alabama_pipeline_flowing.html

 

[Ar-Pharazon]

The price of gas goes up immediately if there's even a rumor of oil prices increasing, yet it stays put for a while after oil actually drops.

It's always about greed.

 

[tharpdevenport]

I got gas before it even happened, and haven't had to get any since the big non event passed. I missed every bit of this big beautiful blink and you miss it event.

 

[Catarina]

And some person argued pipelines don't spill. A group is trying to stop one being installed in northern Iowa. being spills one of their concerns.

 

[publiusr]

You are going to have to have infrastructure. Trains can make spills too. Energy density--and the ability to move different grades of hydrocarbon fuels is amazing. Even if we had fusion powered cars tomorrow, you need asphalt for roads. Do concrete? That also releases CO2 gas--all quarries do.

As it happens, 90% of the Earth's oil has already leaked to the surface naturally:

http://discovermagazine.com/2008/jul/20-things-you-didnt-know-about-oil (no. 4)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asphalt_volcano
http://www.tarpits.org/la-brea-tar-pits