States like GA, TN and NC installed this administration for two terms. So which politicians are you exactly asking help from? I say you call on W one more time and listen up for the deafining silence.

Suck it up for now. If you’re lucky, we’ll switch gears here in a bit and you’ll all the gas you can shake a stick at. Brought to you by alternative energy sources, clean coal, safe nuclear, and more fuel efficent vehicles.

I live in Atlanta and I agree! I don’t understand what’s going on with this gas thing. Something has to be done. At least have gas attendants or policemen at the stations to direct the traffic. People cannot regulate themselves under these conditions. I’m scared to go get gas. Just the other day, I saw two guys arguing back and forth at the pumps. It was very uncomfortable and I did not feel safe.

Gary,
Great letter!! I am wondering the exact same thing too! Sunday I went to four different gas stations and none of them had any gas. Finally at the fifth one I found some but all they had was regular. Thank God for that because I wasn’t sure what I would have done next.

Like you I don’t see why we can’t get gas. There seems to be plenty every where else all over the U.S. but we are having to roam looking for it or having to sit in lines for 45 minutes to an hour to get it. That is just plain ridiculous!! They need to fix this problem now! There is just no excuse what so ever for the delay!

They even said we could use regular gas instead of special gas used in places with a lot of smog and that they were shipping it to us but I don’t see it getting here.

Cindy…Ga.

Well said Gary! Ignore us at you own risk Mr and Mrs politicans.

Excellent post Gary.
In Charlotte, it has been a nightmare buying gas for 19 days now. And, the only coverage I have seen this entire time was this past Friday on the NBC nightly news. Still, that seemed to mimimize the problem.
Sincerly,
Daniel in Charlotte

Gee with Sonny (Perdue) in Italy, who knows maybe he will come back with ideas how we can run our cars on pasta or carbs. Fine time to leave the country Sonny. Thanks for the interest.

Thank goodness CNN is headquartered in Atlanta … maybe we’ll get some attention to this ridiculous gas shortage this way!

I AGREE 100%! Governor Purdue is “out of town “ this week. If you ask me he has been out of town all year. FIRST…we have a water shortage NOW….it’s gas! What is next ? FOOD? I am very disappointed in the current Georgia Governor and plan to make my dissatisfaction with him known! This is just ridiculous.

Well Gary,
The last time I looked, Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina were red states. Try electing some responsible folks into office and see if your luck doesn’t improve.
Tim

Amen,
I still cannot understand why we have not built one single refinery since the 1970’s. It it appears that it was done to keep supplies limited and prices high regardless of the overall supply. Greed is a sin that we all pay for.

Maybe you southerns will vote democrat once again! I feel for my southern neighbors, I hope everything works out for all of you.

Amen! It’s hard not to think of some conspiracy when you look at how systematically this seems to be happening in Atlanta. And if we’re some type of experiment to see what Americans would do if gas ran out, then damn it, it ought to be some other region’s turn by now. It’s been 3 damn weeks.

I feel like the Hurricane Katrina victims must have felt knowing that no one in their “Government” was looking out for them.

Shame on you, and shame on us for putting up with it.

Amen. As a resident of Chattanooga, I know the feeling of driving around, hoping to find a gas station that might have a little gas remaining. If this was LA, NYC, or Washington, the politicians would be in an outrage. But because it happens in this foreign land called ‘Middle America’ none of the politicians seem to care.

Vote the bums out.

In cobb county gas stattion is running on empty every i go.

Amen, I have been thinking the same thing. While there are some people that I talked to in my hours spent trying to keep gas in my car that do top off, most of them are like myself and are the average worker trying to have the gas to get food, get to work, and buy diapers for their kid.

We’ve tried I know in our own family to conserve gas by parking 1 of our 2 vehicles and chaining our errands together. I have to tell you that waiting in line 3 times now for 1 hour only to be told there’s no gas half way through the line is very frustrating. I don’t think it’s panic at all, but instead completely backwords management, if you even want to call it management.

Worse, as you pointed out Gary, I think the powers that be in this state are asleep at the wheel. Just like I think the bailout planners are insulated too many levels above the average person that pays their bills and has increasing less money to do so with and then sees parachutes popping for 10 million dollars, this too reminds me of the haves versus the have nots.

Personally, I wish we Americans didn’t live for the moment and instead sometimes would live for the life, and vote these incumbants ALL out of office. It’s just like when I played sports, even if you were the superstar, if you didn’t play for the team you were out. Sometimes, we as citizens have that duty to blow the whistle, call a timeout, and substitute in some eager fresh talent to continue to lead the charge forward.

Suck it up buddy. Adapt. Overcome.

You’re really, really lucky you live in America. Mentalities like that would not get you very far outside the protections of the USA.

The market will take care of it. Or it won’t. Either way, you gotta figure out how to make do. Deal with it.

I feel for you..I live in the Raleigh, NC area, and we did have trouble right after Ike, but things have calmed down a bit (unless you need premium gas). This is outrageous and makes no sense. Ike is not the first hurricane to hit the Texas coast, why is this a problem this time? No one is paying attention to this serious story because of the bailout. Our country is falling apart folks, and we can thank W for it.

Gary – the politicians have gas and the voters’ memories are short. They don’t give a crap about you. Steve

Just a suggestion, but maybe you should ask the oil companies, since they are the ones who distribute the gas. They are the ones with the oil wells, refineries, tankers, and lots of gas stations, so they probably have a better idea about what is going on.

I think this gas crisis in an outrage. Here we are, in America, and not everyone has access to gas!? People should not have to worry about how they will get to work, how they will pick up their kids, etc. Why is nothing being done about this? Why is it, when our country has a crisis, we sometimes respond with the attitude of many developing countries?

amen!!!!

I completely agree with what you are saying. I live in the Charlotte Area. We are consistanly being told we will get gas, we will get gas. Meanwhile the stations have plastic bags over their gas nozzles or caution taped wrapped around the pumps. In addition, we are paying more for gas than most other areas.

This is ridiculous. There has got to be a better way. We need help. Why can’t we get it?

I’m in Boone, NC. We have also had severe shortages. We, too, are sitting in long lines at the stations that actually have gas. We are driving around looking for stations that actually have a small supply. I would really like to see some real stories about this issue.

Case in point above, this is why drilling won’t work and we need to get so far away from problems like this!

How is this not in the news? This has been on CNN.com for the past week or more. What more do you want?

about 3 years ago Phoenix was completely out of gasoline for about 3 weeks… No media attention on that either… You are not alone… If it doesn’t happen in NY, DC, or Boston… then it doesnt happen….

Very well said! I live in Nashville and visited Atlanta this pass weekend. I can’t understand how there is no gas shortage in Texas but we’re suffering here. We were also told not to “panic”. It’s ridiculous!

As a citizen in Knoxville, TN, I understand and echo your frustration. The local and state politicians keep telling us not to worry, to remain calm. I understand wanting to avoid mass panic and chaos. However, why isn’t this bigger national news? Why don’t people who can make a difference, people who can bring in more gasoline, do something? Anything? If a larger city (NYC, LA, etc) were having these problems it would be a national crisis. Are we to continue being ignored? Or should I just go sit and wait in line, like a “good” citizen?

Gary I share your frustration. It’s ridiculous. The whole rest of the country has gas. Why can’t we??? I guess we aren’t part of America. If the politicians truly cared about the peple they represent they would do something about this. Thank you for writing this letter Gary.

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

While Sonny is off galavanting around Europe, we citizens are left to forage for whatever scraps thrown to us. As for the onus being put on ‘panic buying’…that was true maybe the first week. As for today, most people waiting in the atrocious lines are desperately in need of the fuel available. I waited until my light came on before getting gas, and my husband was below half a tank.

I am truly appalled at the lack of answers we are receiving.

I agree–the lack of attention to this incredible situation has been remarkable. I spent all of yesterday looking for gas in the metro-Atlanta area, and finally got some after over an hour wait, a near accident in the parking lot, and the observation of a spectacle at the gas pump like I’ve never seen.

At the station where I did find gas, a QT on the corner of Briarcliff and N. Druid Hills, an elderly woman, presumably the owner of the station, was outside in the dark trying to direct traffic to the pumps. My heart ached for her as I watched the hysteria of the crowd turn into blatent disrespect and anger. I was fearful for this woman–I hope she made it through the night safely. Where is the regulation? If the gas crisis in this city is not to be rectified with say, more gas, we urgently need police protection and regulation in a situation that is spiraling out of control.

I agree Gary, there is no gas or help in sight. I live in Charlotte, NC and I haven’t been able to put gas in my car for almost 2 weeks. At least Atlanta makes some of the news, there is no news about Charlotte, NC or even upstate SC. There are less than 10% of stations with gas and those that have it, also have 2-5 hour waits.

If this were to happen in D.C., L.A., NY, Chicago, Dallas, San Fran, and a list of others, this would be a hot topic.

The news channels aren’t covering it and treating it like the crisis it is and the politicians aren’t doing anything to help us out. If they don’t think it is a crisis, then let them try and live with out gas.

I, too, am really upset about this gas situation. I travel from Savannah to Chicago, and cannot find out why the gas situation is so bad in Nashville and Atlanta. No one knows. It is not being discussed. There are no solutions being offered. What on earth is going on? I find it hard to believe anything our leaders tell us anymore, but this issue is not even on the radar. What do “they” know that they are not telling us? Or is it yet another failure of the federal government and we are “on our own” once again?

It’s not the responsibility of the federal government to make sure Georgia, Tennessee, or North Carolina have gas. If there is a gas shortage in these areas, stations should be allowed to raise prices to their point of equilibrium so they don’t run out. Maybe this would result in $5+ per gallon gasoline, but at least you would be able to get some. If there was profit to be had by getting more gas to these areas, you would have plenty. I think under the current circumstances (hurricanes and shortages), prices are probably just too low in your area.

Why in heavens’s name is there still 6 refineries that are shutdown more that 2 weeks after the storm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a disgrace!!!

This is not a problem in GA alone. It appears there is a rolling shortage of gas across the southern US. It began in Arkansas two days after Ike, moved to Tennessee shortly there after and seems to have now moved to Georgia. What is the problem? Does anyone in a position of authority care to explain the multiple gas shortages?

Dear Gary,

Pretty much all of Georgia is republican. This is what happens when you vote republican. You are suffering from what is known as eight years of W. Make sure you and everyone you know votes for McCain so the good times will keep rolling.

Those of us who have been patient and did not panic are now looking at a big “E” on the gas gauge. Now what?

I agree with this lady. I am in Charlotte and I have never seen such
a mess. Where is our Govenor? Our Mayor?Our Representatives?
Congress, We know you have the Bailout, but do you realize, this is
part of what is bringing our economy down.?
People is this all a ploy to interrupt the elections. Which is nothing
but an circus. It is like 2 elementary kids sparing @ ea. other.
What happened to Loyal, Loving and standby and do Wonderful
people?

I completely agree! I live in the Charlotte area and the gas shortage, blocked roadways, long lines, and flaring tempers is a major issue.
Politians and energy officals seem content to simply pat their citizens on the head as if we are trained dogs. If that is their denial filled approach, fine. But come election time this dog plans to show its teeth.

Gary: Same problems hear in Chattanooga. One Exxon station has all
grades of gas and never seems to run out and a Kangroo station (BP dealer )has had none in over a week and located across the street. Several has been out for the last two weeks with none. Hard to figure out.

I too feel your pain. I am at work with a quarter of a tank of gas and pondering how I will return tomorrow. Why is this not relevant to our mayor who hasn’t said a word and our governor who is out of the country? Co-workers were up at 200a searching for gas…what’s really going on???????

Someone should investigate why only the southeast is affected. I’ve been to Arizona and West Virginia in the past week and gas is plentiful. Perhaps this region has been deprived of sufficient gas in order to try to bring pressure on state governments to allow offshore drilling in their state.

Amen, Gary. The gas crisis in the Southeast has generated some good questions about why our cities don’t have better public transportation systems and why, despite warnings since before Hurricane Ike that fuel would be in short supply, no one acted until it was too late. But the shortage has created far more bad than good. Not only is there ridiculous violence and the stockpiling of gas like there will never be more, but I worry about our already struggling local economies, because people are afraid to leave home and waste fuel. Rest assured that I will use my vote to voice my opinion.

You are right about having gas every where else! I have talked to several people in Georgia and they all say there is no problem where they are.

You are most likely suffering from a local conspiracy of gas distributors trying to create a panic for proffit. This is the usual con that they use to jack up the prices.

In short there is no shortage anywhere, just the usual con job where you are.

Our Republican Governor in Florida wont stand for that sort of stuff here. He prosicutes them for jacking up the price!
ralphie

The problem in Atlanta isn’t a gas problem, it’s a people problem. People got wind of a gas shortage, ran to their local station, and filled up. This is a classic example of a self fullfilling prophecy.

The politicians are worried about keeping the economy a float. Unless you haven’t noticed, we are in a major crisis right now. If the politicians don’t take action, people in Atlanta and the rest of the country won’t have any money to buy gas with anyway.

You sound a little selfish to me.

Chill out and look at the big picture!

Is it possible that people in Georgia panicked during the hurricane and thought prices would surge, so they ran out and bought as much gas as they could? I think this is the likely scenario. Oh, and Gary Tuchman, how did you travel to Miami, New York City, and Anchorage, Alaska, without any gas? Maybe you flew, but you still needed to drive to the airport. Oh, maybe you took a cab, but the cab had gas to get you to the airport. You’re account is full of contradictions. You’re a lousy correspondent. And further proof that people in the north are intellectually superior to yall southern folk. Sometime it’s a burden to be right all the time. Just kidding, it’s wonderful.

Gary, you said it. I also live in the Atlanta area. I have gone past as many as 10 stations without finding gas. The other day Costco had gas so they had to block their main entrance to the store and had a person standing there to find out if you wanted gas. If you were visiting the store you had to go around to there second entrance. If you were buying gas the line went around the entire building. This is crazy and I think worse than the 70’s.

I think it would be a good time to look into hybreds or electric cars for the long term. Maybe this is just a good wake-up call that we need to ween ourselves from big oil all together. If half the people in line were using electric, or got 50mpg, there might not even be a crisis.

Now this isnt going to help you today – But if we learn from the past -which we didn’t do in the 70’s, then we might not suffer the same probem again.

Nothing saying that some entrepenuers couldnt hire a fuel truck to come North and bring some gas down to where it’s needed.

The gas crisis in Atlanta is horrible, hour waits at the stations that do have gas, in addition to wasting gas looking for gas.

I drove around for an hour before I found a station with gas, to only wait another hour to get it.

This is just ridiculous, not to mention the price gouging that the gas stations are doing to take advantage of the situtation.

WHEN WILL WE HAVE GAS??? No one can seem to answer the question in the peach state.

Way to go Gary! And while we are questioning this, how about questioning how much our Georgia Govener cares. Perdue left for a week long overseas trip, an “economic development mission.” That was after he waited too long to ask for some help while other states requested help 1-2 weeks prior. Oh wait, that’s right. He is on his second term and not running for reelection. That explains it.

The problem is not confined to Atlanta. We Georgians who live, work, and play along the I-75 corridor are short on gas too. Long lines, tempers, shortages make getting gas a real pain. When trucks deliver gas in the middle of the night people are waiting and the tanks are empty by early morning. The lack of gas is not due to panic. There is no gas, and with everyone waiting and having services stations on speed dial I don’t see gasnormality anytime soon..

US has been beating up on taxpayers for the last 3 weeks. Why should this come as a surprise to you?

It is amazing that this is happening. What is even more amazing is that politicians who don’t pump their own gas are telling us the problem is that we are panicking. Maybe if Atlanta had a decent public transit system befitting a city this size we would have more options, but we only have two train lines. But hey, this is the city that paid millions of taxpayer dollars for a theme song.

I was in Charlotte, NC on business Thurs-Sat, desperately needed gas to get home to Chapel Hill, and it was a nightmare. Numerous abandoned cars, presumably out of gas. Lines were 3+ blocks long at the few stations that had gas. I was halfway expecting violence – thank goodness the station attendant at one location was acting as a line manager. It was like being in a third world country, and we are told to “chill out – it’s ‘just’ a supply problem”!!! This is a serious issue that has, no doubt, substantial economic impact. I guess the lawmakers are distracted trying to bail out their big contributors in the financial industry, and this regional gas shortage only affects “the little people” that drive their own cars. I’m totally sick of our federal government only paying attention to Wall Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, and ignoring Main Street.

Maybe president Bush put FEMA in charge of getting gas to the region. Opps I forgot, our President doesn’t read the newspaper and his cabinet probably can’t even read
(judging by their performance over the last 8 years), so maybe he doesn’t know about the situation.

I completely agree with these sentiments. I am in the Raleigh/Durham area and even though we have not had major problems here, the Asheville area of NC certainly has. My son is a college student there and he has ran out of gas waiting in line and also had to dirve out of the city several miles away many times to find gas. He’s had to park his vehicle for a few days and walk everywhere while trying to find gas. With his school and work schedule keeping him very busy, it is difficult for him to drive around and wait in lines hours each week. Also, fall season is upon us and the Blue Ridge parkway is a very popular tourist area each October. If things don’t improve soon, it is going to be difficult for visitors to find while they visit.

Wow, my name is Michael i’m 17 and a college student in Florida. I’ve read through this article and im simply “shocked”. You guys almost have no gas left? How can that be? Price Gauging? We need to do something about this and do it now, before violence outbreaks. I am praying for you guys to be safe and hopefully some gas heads your way.

I expect that any minute now John McCain will suspend his campaign and declare this an emergency that can’t possibly be solved without his ivolvment. Never fear, once McCain figures out he can wiggle a few votes out of this he will be on the next plane to Atlanta.

The gas shortage is I believe a well timed market manipulation (given by the economic crisis) to get congress pressurized by the suffering people. I am sure polititians will respond to the problem by giving the authority to Mccain’s “drill here drill now” moto. Clearly there is a lack of planning and leadership in making sure that gas flow is re-distributed appropriately if there really is a pipe line break or a hurricane.

I couldn’t agree more. We live in Charlotte where gas has been very scarce for almost two weeks. We feel like very ugly step-children here.

Not only are we not getting gas, we are not getting leadership and not getting any sort of quality information on the situation.

In my household we have been to over 50 gas stations in the last two weeks and only two had gas – and just finding a station with gas does not mean you will get any. You could very easily run out while waiting in line or you could get to the head of the line to discover the station was now out of gas. Modern life has essentially stopped for many of us at this point.

I cannot believe this is barely making it into the national headlines and I cannot believe our local politicos aren’t even trying to help devise a way to divvy up what gas we have.

Out cities seem to know how to limit and conserve water in dry seasons, why the heck can’t we have a simple system that let’s certain people go to the gas stations on certain days only, until the supply is back to normal?

This totally sucks.

Yes we all agree , that the gov of NC and mayor Charlotte
are telling us last week “Gas on the way by Saturday and Sunday to normal status”Well it’s Monday and now they are saying Wednesday.This is a joke. The
goverment needs to focus on these matters.Abroud,

I agree, the gas shortage is largely being overlooked in the south given the financial crisis at present. I live in Chattanooga TN and have a 20 minute commute into town for work. From the time I leave my house until I arrived at work, I pass a total of 6 gas stations. None of these stations have gas and none have had gas since at least last Thursday!

Well said Gary!! Nobody’s really covering this, and it’s almost impossible even to get any reliable news about when/if the problem might be resolved. You hear a few more days, then maybe another week, and now perhaps two more weeks. Who know?!

It’s as though, as you said, neither the media or the politicians care as long as NY, DC and LA have plenty of gas.

It’s really getting rediculous, and even more so because it seems nobody cares, including our local officials!

So residents of Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina are going to vote out Congresspeople from other states? I don’t think that’s how representative democracy works, my man. Maybe you should stick to pestering your own state politicians instead of trying to raise this to a national stage. That’s the beauty of democracy, you get to fix it yourself. Best of luck.

I live in Wichita, KS. We have plenty of gas, no lines and it’s about $3.24 a gallon. I think it is an outrage that other sections of the country have no gas. Why is nothing being done about this?

Perhaps living in a sprawling, car-dependent megalopolis with poorly planned streets is causing the problem. A lot of the older cities are much higher density and not nearly as dependent on gas; it’s only places like Atlanta, Phoenix, Vegas, and other hot spots of the last fifty years that are laid out in this ridiculous fashion.

Dear Mr. Tuchman,

How dare you try to get help for a problem our elected officials say does not exist. Don’t you know how important it is to inform me of Heather Locklear’s DUI arrest or how many European MTV awards Britney is nominated for? Have you no idea how difficult it’s been for people like me since Anna Nicole Smith died? How it’s affected mainstream media? Geez, even Lindsay Lohan hasn’t been in an accident in almost a month!

Stop trying to clog the airwaves with this fictitious problem. If you really believe that this is an issue that warrants assistance, photoshop a picture of Paris Hilton, sans panties, into one of the cars in line at a gas station. This way the rest of the country will know about it within the hour.

My mom lives in Newnan , Georgia and I live in Kettle Falls, Washington. It’s kind of ironic that I work at a major gas station in Colville, Washington. I call her everyday and everyday I hear a ” Well I had to travel 5 miles outside of Newnan to get gas ” Or ” David [ her boyfriend ] just picked me up and we’re going to fill a gas can up and put it in my car on the express”. Not to mention my Aunt lives in New Orleans and she is complaining about gas there. Last night when I was working I brought up the same question you did to my gas man. I asked him why the southern states in need of gas aren’t getting any. He simply replied that he had no clue what so ever.

This has to be sorted out because I’m getting tired of the lack of care for my old home!

Not only that…but doesnt Atlanta have a massive transportation issue? More importantly, doesnt Atlanta have a severe water shortage issue?

Hmm…when does the revolution begin?

I am a resident of alpharetta, ga, a suburb of atlanta, my mom went out at 6 am sunday morning in hopes of getting gas which she did, she went by the same station within a few hours, gone, none left. How it is that the nation has forgotten about us as if we don’t matter, i don’t see how atlanta is any less necessary than all the other large cities in america. if you didn’t have gas, you’d freak. We need to go to work to put food on the table for our families and how can we do that with no public transportation and no gas. Outrageous and unacceptable.

Gas is not a right, you obvious redneck. Ride your bike. You may just lose a few pounds, too.

Gary – How can we expect our governor to get worked up about this? About a week ago Sonny said that this problem would only affect us for four or five days and we need to have patience. Now that we are all painfully aware that the problem will last much longer, our governor is away on an “economic development” junket in Europe.

THANK YOU!! Thank you so much for expressing what has been making all residents of the southeast exasperated for the past two weeks. I’m sick and tired of being blamed by the media for creating a panic by “topping off” every chance I get. How is it that we are all “topping off” when gas stations have been completely out of gas for two weeks? This is a serious and very scary situation that deserves national attention and attention from politicians! I myself have waited in line for almost 2 hours on empty and have seen several confrontations over people cutting in line. I passed 21 gas stations on the way to work and not a single station had gas. No wonder people are hysterical! Thank you for voicing our concerns!

We had panic buying after Ike here in Tallahassee, FL, too, and were without gas for nearly 2 weeks. Even now, many stations are out or have regular gas only. Premium is very hard to find. Why does it seem like no one cares? Not being able to get gas and being a prisoner in your home is a bigger deal to me than the mess on Wall St – and I’m sure much easier to fix.

Thank you for this!

HELLO! WHERE IS THE GAS?

And Sonny is so concerned about it that he’ s off in Europe! Come home and DO something.

Call off school for a couple of days. Do SOMETHING.

Gas prices and the issues surrounding those are huge but how about the 1 Trillion Dollar budget that was passed for the Military! 1 Trillion Dollars!!!!!!!!

We are witnessing the end of our Country as we know it.

You can say that again!! Our gov’t doesn’t have a clue what it’s like to be middle class and actually pay your bills on time. We are what keeps this country going and we are constantly given all of the burdens to carry here.

Looks to me like they’re trying to push their case that we have to drill. Who better to pull one over on than the ignorant southern red states.

I like your post. Hopefully it may turn some heads to the southeast. But I just wanted to add that Alabama is under the same conditions as well.

We, too, live in Atlanta and last week had to shop all over the northern arc (of the suburbs) to find gas to attend a funeral out of state. And we weren’t sure we would find enough to make it home! The small play this regional crisis gets on the evening news does make one wonder if all the other stories they broadcast are just that much more important, or if it is simply the prejudice against the southern states that brings “Deliverance” to mind when Georgia (or the South) is mentioned. Would Chicago get more attention from the media and the feds? Would Boston? Certainly NY & LA would.

I think the gas shortage in three states is a joke. Where our Governos and Congressmen are? I agree that we should vote a lot of our Representatives out of office, even if we have to walk to the polls. Maria, Norcross GA

During the gas shortages of the 1970s, the Northeast (especially the New York City area) was especially hard hit, and none of the politicians were especially interested in doing something about it. That was 30 years ago, but I remember it well, and I do sympathize for those who are suffering it now. There are many among us who know all too well what it’s like.

It’s amazing that we still can’t get any straight answers about why this is happening. Now, as then, all we hear from the oil companies and politicians is that the situation is far too complicated for us to understand, and that we should leave it to the experts to manage all this – just like we left the banking and financial system to the experts.

Gary I have friends who live in the South and they are having major problems finding gas to fill up their car and want to know what is going on. I really think that most politicians are out of touch with what the real American citizen is going through, they have people who take care of things like finding fuel or other things we average Americans do on our own. Just once I would like the present Administration or any member of Congress to live one week on what someone on a fixed income does, bet they couldn’t do it, but I’d love to see them try. Really I don’t think Congress cares that we average Americans must decide between paying for medication or groceries.

I just find it hard to believe how, in the 21st century (when we’re supposed to be in flying cars by now), our fuel distribution network can’t compensate for problems like this. How is it that I can get all the gas I want (and at a slowly decreasing cost) in VA, DC and MD, but not in NC, SC or GA? I understand there are issues with the primary pipelines. Can’t overland deliveries (TRUCKS) be stepped up and redistributed nation-wide to compensate until the system’s back online? Isn’t this in the gas companies’ best interest (selling some fuel at greater cost has got to be better than just not selling fuel at all).

You’re a reporter, a national reporter at that. Well you have the tools, contacts, and the know how to gig up the facts and report on them. I’m sure you will find finger pointing and “It was not us” excuses. A politician in not interested in anyone of us they have their hands full bailing out their friends on Wall Street. Just remember report on the facts not the HIPE.

Carpool. Ride a bike. Take public transportation.

Coming off any addiction isn’t easy, and apparently alot of Americans are addicted to driving their car.

This is the way of the future. We did it in the past so don’t say it can’t be done. Adapt, evolve.

P.S. Anderson, do we really need to call everything a crisis? When did we stop having just “problems” to solve?

As a correspondent for Anderson C. perhaps you could research your own problem in this context: The EPA has designated Atlanta as a “high” pollution contributor requiring you to us “designer” gas (special blend). When restrictions on the type of gas to be distributed in an area combined with refinery interruptions due to a hurricane, this appears to further lessen the supply. While I’m not an “oil” person my belief is that much of the problem in certain areas of the USA are created or ignored by the media which refuses to high-light the absurdity of some EPA practices. Therefore, the lack of gas in your area. Have you considered “mass transit” or electric cars as the solution put forth by the liberal press? Perhaps you could just increase the air pressure in your tires. That should do the trick to giving your car higher mileage. Sure it will.

I think the gas shortage in three states is a joke. Where our Governors and Congressmen are? I agree that we should vote a lot of our Representatives out of office, even if we have to walk to the polls. Maria, Norcross GA

I have said for years (ever since the Phony Oil Embargo) that we should watch the price of crude oil — talk about your leading economic indicator! The price of crude oil went up therefore the economy has gone down. Working people are doing without in order to buy gas and heating oil. The prices of everything has gone up considerably and, yet, paychecks have not kept up with prices. Yes, we here in the South have shortages of gas and that is because our prices have been below the National Average and the Big Oil companies want to charge us more therefore they have held back on our supplies. They are still just as greedy now as they were in the 70s.

Vote me out? How? Are you going to stop using Republican voting machines? You little people just kill me. Why not just drive your second or third car? There’s probably lots of gas in one of them.

My children go to a small charter school outside of Raleigh. Everyone transports their own children to school as we don’t have busses. I hope the weather stays sunny for the next couple of weeks as gas is short around here as well and I think the kids are going to have to bike to school. While, that’s fine for me and my family, there are many families for which that is not an option. You can’t send a kindergardener off on a 15 mile bike ride to school in the morning. What’s up with the gas here and in Atlanta?

I’m so sick of people in your situation blaming Washington and the administration for your problems. If I were in your shoes I would be furious. But I wouldn’t be furious with Washington… I would be furious with my local government. This is the same attitude taken during Katrina. Everything was big bad Bush’s fault. Do you have a governor!?!? Do you have a mayor !?!? Shouldn’t they be doing something about this!?!? At some point you have to understand that Washington has it’s hands full right now. (just two wars and an economic crisis)

Where is the leadership in this country? Where is the direction in this country? Are we still guided by the constitution? Do the people matter? The motto for our times is SOS again and again.

Let me guess, your going to blame Bush for this too……..

Guess what, just another look into the window of the Bush administration. Seems they can do anything except screw things up. Worst administration that I can ever remember.

I have several friends living in Atlanta. All have stated that they cannot get gas. I spoke with Kevin Garcia yesterday. He said that he had waited three hours in line to get gas and still had not been able to get any. Lines twenty-seven cars long. Where is the media? I’ve wondered that for a while. This has been going on since the recent hurricanes went through the area.

Maybe someone “with clout” will be able to hear us in the forgotten Atlanta area. Seems as if the rest of the country is deaf to our plight.

Its time to ride your bikes and get fuel efficient cars…If you can drive 100 miles to find gas, then you can ride a bike to the super market.

How does everyone else in the world do it? Are we any better?

People should learn from this experience instead of cry about it.

Unbelievable!

Amen! Yes, please, for the love of humanity, will someone please get us some gas here in Charlotte?!

Live in Asheville, NC and I couldn’t agree with you more! We are waiting in huge lines for an hour or more for gas…if you can find it! 30 miles south in South Carolina, all the gas you need. There needs to be an investigation as to why this is happening! It is affecting daily life, business, education. Waiting for some help! Where’s our bailout?!

Thank You! I live in Raleigh and I drove down my entire street (4 miles) and couldn’t find a gas station that was open (or had anything other than way-overpriced premium). Why is this OK?

Gary, let your vote speak for what’s really going on and truly important in the world and at home as you see it. Send a msg to the political parties that you care more about basic necessities and fairness acros the board than you do about whether Bristol will get married before the election and derail the campaign coverage. Let your vote speak volumes! Urge and encourage others to follow suit.

Well put. Gov. Sonny Perdue waitedtoo long to request any help while other politicians , while not on the ball, were much quicker. Sonny was all about whining when the Bulldogs didn’t make #1 last year, but he’ll wait two weeks before lifting a finger to help already struggling families. Priorities????????????

I’ll give you a helpful hint for life. Do not rely on government, or anyone else to provide you with essentials.

Ration the gas you have, keep your own personal supply for times like this and like the boy scout motto, always be prepared. If you think gas is bad, what happens when you can’t get clean water, electricity, natural gas, etc?

Your reliance on the government is what has you writing this letter.

The Republicans are not ignoring it. They have been pushing for a “drill here and drill now” bill to be passed since before the 5 week vacation for congress. Nancy Pelosi is ignoring the problem… she went on a 5 week book tour vacation while Republican leaders were waiting in Washington to come up with a deal.

Other Americans don’t care about one tiny region’s gas “problem” because there are FAR more important things to worry about, like the $700 billion bailout plan currently making its way through congress as we speak. And, if I do recall correctly, you brought this upon yourselves when that rumor that parts of Georgia were going to run out of gas started to spread like wildfire and people panicked. Of course you have no gas; those stations that got bombarded with the panic of no gas are still trying to recover.

So instead of worrying about not being able to drive your kids to soccer practice, why don’t you worry about how we’re all going to pay for bailing out a bunch of failing bank giants?

I’m sorry to say but most people don’t like the south if they aren’t from there. I was just in South Carolina (I drove and I also stopped in Virginia and North Carolina) and as soon as it was clear to most people I didn’t have southern roots attitudes changed for the negative. People visiting also don’t like being called Yankee and being reminded of a war that occurred before a lot of our families even arrived in America. Not to mention the bragging about sports, lifestyle and everything else as if you invented the stuff. Rudeness to non-southerners isn’t gonna help your cause and holding on to a less-than honorable confederate flag which simply means ignorance and hate to any one not “in the know” (whatever) doesn’t help your case either. Instead of being critical of everyone who visits the south try to be a little bit less inhospitable. Maybe then people would care about you. You get what you give. And spare me the whole “Southern Hospitality” line. It’s just like Fox News saying they are “fair and balanced”. It’s like telling someone “Hey, I’m honest” Are you really going to believe that person? I would immediately think the opposite.

Agree, and it didn’t help that some news stations said we were running out of gas due to our own fault of panicking and filling up when we didn’t need to. Thats NOT TRUE. Atlanta is a commuter town. We are just buying gas that we don’t need.

I agree 110%!
What kind of (state) administration would let this happen?

I agree completely, I drive 55 miles to work and only passed two gas stations with gas. Also the town I live in is a major connector to the UGA home games, we had little to no gas all week, but on Saturday I drove around and every single gas station had gas. Coincidence, I think not

Dear Anderson,

Will you please cover this story immediately and help us get something done to solve this crisis?

Please, help. We’re suffering. Every morning we wake up to local news stories that the crisis is over and that gas stations have supply, only to travel around and find that’s not true. What the hell is going on here?

Sincerely,
Doug
Asheville, NC

Yes, why is there not more coverage in the MSM (main stream media)? We have not had adequete gasoline supplies since the Tuesday after Gustav. Here in Asheville NC, the college campuses closed, cities closed non-essential staff for Fri-Mon to conserve fuel. There were several days when tow trucks were so busy moving stranded cars they were not available for hours. Those days the city was effectively out of gasoline completely. Businesses were economically hurt, we cancelled our vacation as a result of not knowing where we could get gas.

Why has there not been better efforts on local state or federal officials to help conserve gas? Such as temporary rationing (forced or suggested)? Inquiry into how much fuel is where and the circumstances it is going? Some type of relevant information was completely not available to help the average citizen to make informed decisions. Anything but overly generalized information from the pipeline companies and refiners in Louisiana.

As someone who considers himself extremely well informed on the oil & gas industry, these shortages and outages are likely to continue for 2-3 more weeks! Certainly it will get better, but it will take time.

Terrible media coverage and efforts by all government officials on something that will leave a lasting indelible impression on all the citizens of the Southeastern US and how we were forgotten.

The one CNN newscaster last saturday morning was extra insulting for laughing out our struggles as if we were a bunch of freaks for trying to get gasoline to go to work. He will be getting a special letter to the managing staff.

I’m in Alabama and we have stations runout every couple of days or so. Luckily I live 2 blocks from work, not so with most people. This country has been on the edge of a cliff for years and nobody in Washington has even lifted a finger to stop it. Just pass more regulations and raise the price of everything so we taxpayers have to make more in wages to pay for it. It will all straighten out in the end. Well, this is the end of that cliffhanger and the end of that attitude!! If we bail out bad investors who mismanaged their money in the first place, who’s to say they won’t do it again? Not me! The best indicator of future behavior is passed behavior and no one in Washington or Wall Street will be able to convince the American public that this won’t happen again if we bail them out. This is our money, not the government’s to do with as they choose. I for one am seriously considering not paying taxes owed by our employees and our corporation. If this is how it is managed, not a chance! Just exactly how does the American public benefit from this bailout? They are footing the bill to bailout the investors and they are still required to pay the mortgage on the homes they are trying to purchase from these investors. How does that make sense? Oh wait, I know! Only in the eyes of the politicians who get paid by lobbyists for passing laws benefitting themselves. Or maybe they have money in the stock market? Either way we get a royal screwing!

Why – it is so bad here in Atlanta to find gas that our govenor had to go to Europe to get gas!

Why do we allow our leaders to sleep at the wheel – I guess it is because the wheel is not turning.

Indeed, in the Big D, we have plenty of gas. It’s about $3.60 (no pun intended) a gallon. We have been talking about here on a personal level, but there isn’t much media coverage at all. I am also curious as to why only these places are affected. Why is the media only giving a glancing look? Are they too distracted by the buyout crisis to notice the other crisis? I suppose that would be a question for CNN bosses to answer.

Dear Gary Tuchman,

Apart from writing this column did you make any efforts to contact any of the politicians ?

When a journalist like you just writes a column and awaits an answer its just not enough.

We, general mass, expects more of you just like we expect more from our local politicians.

Now, call some of the people.

Well Gary, I am completely in agreement with what you are saying. I live in Atlanta as well, and I am seeing the same huge gas lines that my father said he saw way back in the 1970’s. The problem is that many states have different so-called “environmental standards” for their gasoline. This means that even though gas should just be gas, minute differences in quality undetectable to the average person, as well as stupid red tape, keep ample supplies elsewhere from reaching our stations. We are America, and we have some of the best logistical supply chains in the world. We need to shove politics aside in favor of some common sense.

Maybe this is some secret government experiement to see how a major metropolitan area reacts to a gas shortage, since that’s what’s coming nation-wide soon anyway.

Gary,

I share your pain. I think this crisis is being ignored because most of the media has aligned itself with the Democrats on the issue of domestic oil and drilling, and otherwise they will have to admit that we have to increase our internal oil supply and diversify the sources.

I have seen bits and pieces of this online – I agree with Gary that this should be reported more in the media. It seems MSM (mainstream media) cares more about ratings than reporting the news. I thought ratings were for football games and TV shows. The media’s job is to do the news – period. I wish we could vote the media out along with the politicians.

Amen Gary. I live in Charlotte area, and I’m now afraid for my wife to drive to work, or my son to drive to school. Why is this not major national news?

South Carolina has the same problem… There are many small towns where there is no gas at all… Fort Mill is one small example… A friend of mine had to drive to 20 different stations, before finally finding one with gas… (And that is not an exaggeration…) I drove from Columbia to Greenville just this past Saturday… I had to stop at 6 places before finally finding a station with gas… Why isn’t the press talking about this? Why is the SE being ignored? If either one of those Presidential hopefuls expects my vote, let alone any of the local runners, someone better starting talking about this issue, and finding a solution…soon!

Yes, the South has a major problem and the rest of the country is mostly oblivious; just as most of the country were unaware that portions of Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky were without power for 7-14 days due to a freak windstorm. The damage in the Dayton, Ohio area is estimated at over 500 million. But, just as the gas shortage in the South is ignored by the national media, so was our power outage that left an estimated 5 million persons without power.

National news organizations would be well-served to provide coverage of events that occur outside of the beltway, even during an election year.

The United States of America implies that we are ONE country, not a loose confederation of states. Give us the coverage that citizens of the USA deserve.

Max, now with power and gasoline in Ohio

We are completely oblivious over here in Oregon to the gas crisis in the East. From the looks of things here, we would never know that else where in the U.S. there are families that have to cancel trips, commuters that waste hours of their day trying to gas up to get to work, and local providers that face huge challenges to transport their goods.

Here, our gas station lines are small and the prices are moderately stable. I’d happily ship some of our gasoline east if it were up to me.

If I lived in Georgia, Tennesee, or North Carolina–I would consider flyinng to Oregon, renting a tanker, and returning home with a full truckload of gas.

The gas issue is being ignored because this administration simply doens’t care much about middle class Americans.

They are so confident in free market economics that they’ll put all of us in harms way…

I don’t think you’ll get an aswer as everyone involved with the gasoline chair is making money — sorry for your pain.

The problem is that both sides secretly favor higher gas prices. The Republicans want higher gas prices because they’re in bed with the big oil companies and get big kickbacks from lobbyists. The Democrats want higher gas prices because they reason that if driving becomes unaffordable for the average person, they will have to switch to more environmentally friendly ways to get around, like buses and bikes. Of course, that won’t stop them from commiserating with us and pointing blame at their political opponents.

I’ve been to Atlanta. It’s a sprawling mess with little to not decent public transportation to speak of. Put in some light rail, subways, a decent bus system and increase gas taxes in an effort to get people to both spend more time with their kids and also use less fuel. Once you get around to all of these items, then remind me about your gas problem. Perhaps if ‘y’all’ didn’t use so much of it, there wouldn’t be a shortage.

I don’t understand why Atlanta is having this problem. I don’t know anywhere else in the country that has any problem with obtaining gas. What are the local politicians saying? There should be a 1-800 number offered to report stations overcharging and they should be fined. What is going on down there?

There isn’t a shortage of gas. There is a shortage of common sense. People are in a perpetual state of “there’s going to be no gas” panic, thus they are constantly running to the gas station in fear of it running out. This of course causes the gas to, you guessed it, run out! It’s a self fulfilling prophecy basically.

If everyone would calm down and go back to normal gas usage, then there wouldn’t be any shortages.

Considering the knee-jerk reactionary behavior of most Americans now-a-days, however, that is unlikely to happen.

If there’s one thing that we’ve learned from catastrophes like Katrina and this current situation in Atlanta, Charlotte, and Nashville, it’s that our government doesn’t care about… the South. As far as they are concerned (even though many of them are from this region) it’s much more important to pour money into Iraq than to help their own people. It’s all so frustrating. My honest advice: once you have enough money, move to California where the US government actually gives a hoot about you.

Thank you Mr. Tuchman, well said!! I think people are more confused than angry about the situation. I don’t understand why it is taking so long to get help, when we have surrounding states that could help. You would think as important as Atlanta is to business travelers and Jackson-Hartsfield, that we would get a little more attention in the help area. When the shortage first started it was bearable, now it is just down right scary. We knew there would be a potential problem before Ike hit. What was the hold up in being prepared? I hope Perdue sees your letter!!

I don’t understand why Atlanta would not have gas while Warne Robins a 100 miles south has all the gas that we need. No shortages here. No pumps closed or long lines.

I have to agree with Gary Tuchman. In Atlanta many of us are in serious danger of loosing our jobs simply because we can not find gas to drive to work. What little help Gov. Sonny Perdue may be able to offer is not forthcoming because he is in Europe negotiating trade agreements. I am sure that this is not his pitch: “come to Georgia where we have no gas to get your employees to work, your children to school and your products to market”.
Atlanta right now is like a sick child who needs some attention but the “father” is away on business and will not return to take care of the sick child.
While Gov. Perdue may not be able to solve this gas supply problem but he could certainly show that he cares about the citizens of Georgia by at least making an appearance during this crisis.
And as a final note to this situation – don’t think for a moment that every terrorist in the world who has a grudge against the United States hasn’t noticed this crisis and have seen that by placing one explosive on one pipeline they can bring a whole region down to their knees.
We need some serious action right now to make reserve gas supplies available in case of another crisis down the road.
Maybe a different Governor of Georgia is needed right now !

funny how the governor of GA is in Europe trying to get new business. Bet he isn’t telling them about this.

I live in Augusta, GA and we have had increasingly bigger problems finding gas for the last 10 days. Most stations are out now, and when you can find one with any gas at all, you can plan on waiting 30-45 minutes in line and paying close to $5 per gallon.

I am confused as to why this is not national news that an entire region is going on 2 weeks of serious gas shortage. People here have quit driving anywhere but work out of fear.

Where are our leaders?

Oh that’s right, in Europe.

I’m in total agreement. I spent the weekend in Hilton Head, where gas was abudant and $3.57/gallon only to return to Atlanta on Saturday and drive around for an hour looking for gas (which only burned up more of the precious little that I had…).

In that hour I passed over 20 stations and not a single one had gas. Not one. I returned home angry and defeated and scoured the internet for information on this ‘crisis’.

I found much of the same articles that you are finding…’Atlantan’s are overreacting and topping off their tanks’… ‘Gas can be found”…”capacity is at 80%”…which is all a crock if you asked me.

I finally found a station with gas yesterday afternoon and waited in line for 40 minutes to fill up my tank. Luckily this gas station had tremendous foresight and blocked all but one entrance to the station, allowing a one in/one out policy that kept tempers in check. I paid $4.39/gallon.

Someone must stop the madness and the only voice we have is through our elected officials. I hope one will speak up before this gets any worse…

You are absolutely right. What in the world is going on? I can understand if the entire country is going through this but thats not the case. Something needs to be done and done fast. Only a hand full of stations have gas and the worst part of it is it is barely making national news. The only people that know about this crisis are the cities actually being affected, Noone else cares. I actually wish the entire country is going through this so more attention can be received.

We do sympahise with your plight, however what is your politician going to do?

Having come FROM Atlanta, tI understand the surest way to a shortage in gas is to say shortage may be coming. You know everyone is going to rush out at once and fill up thier v8 cars and SUVs. The only solution would be to implement rationing until people stop the panic. What politician is going to suggest that?

It is unfortunate, but blame the Hummer that commutes from across town sitting next to you on the Perimeter tonight.

Mr. Tuchman – Why is it that every time people (in this case you) have a problem they look to the government to put some fix on it. Where does it state in the constitution that every problem should be fixed by the government? I believe it states that you have the “right of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” – it doesn’t guarantee happiness or that you will have gasoline in your car. You are a private individual buying gasoline for a private vehicle from a private company. If the company doesn’t have the gas then find one that does and support it (you are supporting it when you pay more which will encourage others to get their act together). Get on the air waves and criticize the gas companies that don’t have gas. Please stop trying to get the government involved. Every time a bunch of whiners have a problem they petition the government to get involved and guess what – the government screws it up even more. Then the whiners whine some more when the government bureaucracy grows, raises taxes, and regulates our lives. Do you want Big Brother or don’t you. A little self reliance is in order – save calling on the government for a real crisis. It is not a “crisis” to not be able to get to Starbucks for a $4 cup of joe. Take the bus or car pool.

Can someone also further explain why gas prices are going DOWN in most areas of the country when we supposedly have LESS supply. That is in direct contradiction to the explanation of why we have $4 gas.

Hi Gary,
Can any of us find a politician who gives a You Know What, Where, or How! Good luck. Lets hope the gasoline flows to you very soon.

Lorie Ann, Buellton, Calif.

The gas shortage in Atlanta is the result of a perfect storm – two hurricanes, a short sighted governer who didn’t bother to do ANYTHING until the shortage had been on for a week, lack of public transportation in too many locations, and people desperate to get to work. What really annoys me is politicians blaming the shortage on people “topping off” gas tanks – is that why I see pictures of car after car being pushed into gas stations after running on empty? Is that why the number of cars out of gas on the interstates have trippled? “Topping off?” @#$%&^*() Anyhow, I am lucky, I can walk to work, restaurants, supermarkets, etc. My mission is to reduce my gas demand as close to “0″ as possible – and keep my money in my pocket – and vote against anyone who runs against Perdue.

This is not a gas crisis and it isn’t THAT bad.

I agree! I can’t believe how little coverage there is in the national media about this. I live in Asheville, NC and I’m witnessing an incredible economic and social melt-down! Why aren’t we getting more help?!

Interesting point about the potential to not have gas to make it to the polls to vote. If something doesn’t change soon, we won’t have the gas needed to make it to our polling place to vote!

People in the rest of the nation are not hoarding or hogging up the resources. It’s the same reason why milk and bottled water can stay on the shelves when there is snow elsewhere, but not in GA. People are good at panicking, but it’s not our fault. All of the free market republicans down there should shut up and be happy that nobody is meddling, right? Free market should allow gas to be $20/gal if it’s in such short supply.

Yes!! Finally someone is standing up for us. We need some help and it is not getting any attention. I don’t understand. I have been wondering how something so huge is happening in our area and getting little to no national attention. What are we supposed to do? how do we get to work? to school?

THANK YOU!! i’m scared!

The problem is a big one and will only get worse. I know everyone hates the word “depression” around here, but it’s time we realized the current crisis, all though not there yet, may result in one. The only reason I put that out there is to explain the gas shortage. When the great depression began, hundreds fled to their local banks in order to pull out something they needed on a day to day basis, cash. Now, in all reality, we don’t use cash, everything is credit (another issue for another day) and we don’t need to run on the banks nowadays to make them fail, apparently. Instead, we’re all running for something we use on a day to day basis; not cash, but gas. Instead of a run on the banks, it’s a run on the gas station. People are worried they won’t get their fair share. What makes it worse is that it’s spreading. Now it’s in Nashville. How long until Richmond? DC? Baltimore? Oregon? Ike might have been the catalyst to get this scare moving, producing an original shortage, but since the banks are down, the local gas stations will become the new “Bailey’s Savings and Loan” and instead of “your money [being] in Tom’s house,” your gas is in Los Angeles.

Your gas crisis is only the beginning of what looks like a complete systemic failure of the world’s financial markets. Greed has trumped rational thinking, and as a result, the folks in charge have over-leveraged themselves to the point of no return.

I have looked at our leader’s faces, and I see panic, and I see fear. They appear not to know what to do next, so they throw money we don’t have at the problem.

It’s all about greed. Those of us who (stupidly) played by the rules are about to receive the shock of our lives. Those of us who are rich apparently could care less what happens.

At least Ms. Pelosi was right about one thing-”the party is over”.

let the price of gasoline to go to 6-7 dolars even more and you will have the gasoline… There will be business that will buy the gasoline from other state and will sell for a profit in Atlanta. If it is a local shortage, but not a oversupply on nation you could end up few month until you get the gas normal. Let the free market to work! otherwise expect to live in socialism/comunism … (where you all the time will have shotage…)

That’s a good question – perhaps it would help if the national media focused on the problem more, like, say, CNN. It would be nice to see it covered as a lead-off story rather than buried halfway through HLN. Perhaps a top-story lead on CNN rather than just a blog entry and some iReports?

The “reports” that the shortage is from panic buying are clearly bunk – they may have been true for a few days, but the problem has been going on for well over a week now and is not getting better. People filling up now aren’t topping off – they’re running on fumes.

I am totally agree with Gary Tuchman. When Katrina hit, this shortage happened only in short period of time like two or three days. However this time is different because we see the shortage going on over a week period.

Who is responsible this time?

Its not just big cities. I live in Boone, North Carolina and its happening here too. I’m tired of hearing about Atlanta. Other places are being affected and its not really being covered. DO A COMPREHENSIVE STORY PLEASE!!!!!!!

Thank you Gary!

I feel I too have been calm about the whole gas situation, but I am just a little angry at politicans saying all is well and this is not that big of a deal. It is a big deal when you are trying to find gasoline. We are also told not to top off our tanks…..You have got to be kidding me. Of course I am going to top off my tank when I see gas becasue I do not know when I will see it again. I know the big bail out of AIG and others is important, but how about those of us who pay our bills on time and manage our money? Why are we left out to drive in circles trying to find gas just to make it work.

Lori – Hiram, GA

The way I understand it, is you Georgians can thank your governor. Apparently, all he had to do is submit a request to the EPA to loosen restrictions on the gas mixture temporarily – but, he is spending your tax dollars traveling around the world instead.

Sounds like a good time to get out the bicycle?

Atlanta is closer to the East Coast than Houston Texas so why is Atlanta short on gas but no one else in the Southeast seems to be under such a shortage. It seems to suggest a rationing by the wholesalers or redirecting of supply by the refineries or both otherwise why are these areas feeling a shortage but no other areas of the country are. It could also be possible that this is another way to boost profits with the drop in crude prices (retail prices stay high while crude prices continue to drop equals increased profits for the gas refineries).

“If y’all don’t think it worth helping us, perhaps we’ll vote you out.”

Help… how, exactly? What do you suggest they do about it? Maybe setup new laws requiring gas to magically appear out of thin air?

You seem to be under the impression that big oil is holding out on you. Why? What would be their motivation? You think their execs were sitting around the table and saying, “Ooh, ooh, I’ve got an idea! Let’s really piss off millions of people! That’ll do the company good!”?

If they could get the fuel there, they would. It doesn’t do them any good sitting in tanker trucks and storage facilities. If there’s some reason that fuel can’t be delivered to your area, then no amount of legislation will get it there.

People in the south have it EXACTLY they way they want it. They must, they just keep voting for the same republican politicians that make the laws that let stuff like this happen. The ga. governor could have done something weeks ago to help curb the shortage but he didn’t. You can’t vote for the party that doesn’t care about people then suddenly when there is a crisis expect them to care about you. AND yet again. according to the polls people can’t wait to get there and vote for the republicans again.

Gasoline is in short supply in Alabama too, and has been for 2 weeks now.

Perhaps Mr. Tuchman is right, I’ve had a feeling this had a lot to do with the political climate of late. How many people like myself are considering that this situation could be the result of ugly politics? There’s no doubt we’re all going to see some very nasty, though not unexpected, displays of fear, portrayed as hatred, rudeness, unfairness, etc., pretty much the same we mess we see on a daily basis in the aspect of daily living in this country. The idea of a Black Man as President of this nation is going to cause a lot of unstable people to do a lot of ugly things just because they think they can. I don’t think there are many people that are not seeing this. I do believe the southeastern part of this country is leaning very heavily to the Democratic presidential candidate, and that has a lot of other folks really scared. Suck it up. Things are a’ changin’.

Amen! I only have to fill up once a week, and have NOT been rushing to the pumps out of fear and panic. I have been buying gas as usual, but in East TN; just last Thursday, I had to go to 3 different stations before I could find one with unleaded gas. This has prompted me to fill my car up every time I get to half a tank, because with the way it is, I just can’t take the chance on running out, while running around searching for gas! This is absurd! Why is our region the only ones experiencing this??? Also, just the fact that gas stations can run out in ONE day is an eye-opener for me. I never imagined it would only take a day. . . I figured it would be at least 3-4 five days! If my town had sidewalks on all the streets, I would ride my bike, but they don’t. The fat-cat politicians (who don’t have to worry about gas shortages or gouging because our tax dollars pay for their gas and cars) should ALL be voted out of office! I am not voting for ONE incumbent in this upcoming election, right down to the dog catcher! This is totally unacceptable!

I agree with Mr. Tuchman in that it is rediculous that the gasoline shortage is regional. I am beginning to belive that the problem may lie with the fact the our Congress is ripe with in activity due to being under the control of special interest groups ( how much money is being spent by Lobbyist to ensure that thier interest are protected) and that the lack of action by Congress on this and many other issues is the proof. Points to Ponder, if the Oil Companies have spent over 55 million dollars on Lobbyist, is it a suprise that no laws have been inacted that would cut into the 100 Billion + proffits of the oil companies? I am not so sure that the problems we are having in the finacial market is not because of congressional inaction in the recent past due to the interest of big business.

Couldn’t have said it better myself. As a resident of Atlanta, I understand everything that was said in this letter. I was saying all weekend I don’t understand why a bigger deal is not being made of this. I live in Smryna, GA, about 15 min outside the city and almost 95% of the gas stations have no gas. The stations that do have gas have almost an hour wait!!

Thanks Gary! I have managed to get a MARTA card, but I feel for those who have no vacation or sick leave, for the hourly employees who are the hardest hit—and the most vulnerable. I wrote to the Governor. I am quite sure they don’t care. Purdue should’ve given the state employees a day off by now. Instead he’s in Spain pursuing his own wealth….Like most greedy politicians, he takes care of himself while we foot the bill. REGISTERED TO VOTE and READY FOR CHANGE!

amen……same can be said for their crappy bailout bill. i’m against it.
we don’t need to put all our eggs in one basket. too many big companies – should have more smaller companies – executives should make reasonable wages – that aren’t out the roof.

Luckily, I managed to get gas a week ago at about 2am at a local QT and I only work 5 miles from where I live due to some strategic planning… I still have half a tank. The lines are ridiculous though. I agree with this creating dangerous driving conditions–I stopped at a gas station to grab a coffee and had to weave in and out through lines of cars just to make it out of the parking lot. Lines going into gas stations are causing traffic jams on the streets because they are blocking road access for other people.

Although, I have to partially blame this on the panic mentality of local Atlantans. They are constantly buying gas up whenever they see it, even when they don’t need it. I think that’s partially to blame for the decrease in supply and the perceived price gouging. Fill up your tanks and don’t get gas again until you need it, people!

This is worse than when we expect an inch of snow and everyone panics and rushes to the store for canned food and bottled water.

Anderson-
I also live in “the metro” and have been making the same observation-that were this crisis happening in Washington, New York or California then tankers would be lined up nose to tail in convoys delivering gas like the old 70’s movie. Since it is NOT yet November, perhaps all those politicians should remember not only that we Southerners remain part of America but also that WE VOTE and that is coming. I can always walk to the polling place if I have to do so in order to cast a vote for the candidate(s) –NOT just for President either Senator Chamblis!- who will ensure that all of us are better off after this election. I am also struck, while sitting in these gas lines how much this resembles pictures coming from Haiti and other developing countries which kind of reinforces my feeling that politicians are turning this proud nation into a Third World country only visited by the rich and companies with something to sell.
See you in the gas lines!

Bravo.. I cant understand how each and every time theres a gas problem it seems to be the same area.. Atlanta to Charlotte and up to Tennessee .. maybe if they dont take out gas in Texas, and the rest of the lower states and let some of it flow up to the end of the line here, it would be nice.

Dont know what the national average is here, but its been up to 4.25 here (that would be just after the truck arrives with 50 cars following it down the street.

We do not have gas in Charlotte, NC either!!!!!
Very little is trickling in since Hurrican Ike!!!

Was IS going on ?????????????

You are definitely right. The gas shortage is not being publicized via media. I live in VA—I was totally unaware that there was even a gas shortage in Charlotte, NC until last week when I spoke to an old college friend who resides in Charlotte and she explained to me the chaos that is going on. I hope that this reaches out to the entire nation and that this problem is fixed.

Why don’t all you people start carpooling? Take a bus? All this whining, and no one sees the obvious solutions. During World War II, when resources were tight, we had a saying – “when you ride alone, you ride with Hitler”. These days, when you ride alone, you’re riding with the Saudis, bin Laden, and every other person who hates the United States, but is enriched with our oil.

So you do remember Katrina and the lack of readiness due to a failed administration? Now look what is happening to the folks in Galveston and Houston under that same administration. And now you,wonder why you have no gas and are waiting in lines…. with a Republican governor? Wake up all of you! You can’t keep electing the same good ole boys and expect anything different. A vote for McCain is just going to get you more of the same. Do you really think Mr. Seven Houses and A Dozen Cars cares about the little guy? If you do, you deserve what you get. And off-shore drilling is going to get you nothing either.
Don’t listen to this idiocy anymore. It would take years to get oil from off shore and there is not enough to justify the cost of drilling. And should you “drill baby drill” anyway the oil off the coast will not get you to work for at least the next 10 years. Alternative fuel is the only way to go and you will not get this from the Republicans. They are the oilmen!!

Do you who live outside of the Southeast really understand? I drive by six gas stations on the way to work and can reach another five if I drive a few blocks off my route. Friday, only one of them had gas. How many gas stations do you drive by going to work, going the to the store? Now think of only one having gas, you don’t now which one and your gas guage has already edged into the empty. Yeah just exactly how many miles are you going to travel tracking down gas while that insidious light starts blinking.

But hey, don’t panic it’s only going to be temporary, gas should be flowing normal again in about two to four weeks. … Possibly.

I didn’t panic and make a rush to the pump after the storm, but now time has taken its toll and my tank is empty. My boss isn’t coming in to work, but gee I don’t believe that’s an option for me. My neighbor followed the gas truck to find a station. And another collegue told me that it took two hours for a station to run out once they finally received a shipment.
But as some of you have pointed out, its our own fault for panicking, the politicians can’t or shouldn’t do a thing, maybe we should try alternative transportation to deliver us however many many many miles to work, and that we should not be frustrated or angry about the situation.
Am I worried about the effect of the bailout, sure. But at the moment I am more worried about getting my car 10 miles home and hoping that maybe I can find some gas tonight before my car sputters to a dead and final stop.

Suck it up you southern crybabies. You all wanted the cheney-bush combine from the oil patch. You got it, the lesson is be careful what you ask for, you may get it. You asked for it and now you live with the results.
By the way, gas here is 3.28 a gallon, no lines.

I know what this guy’s talking about. I spent the last two weeks in Hendersonville, North Carolina. Occasionally one or two of the thirteen or so gas stations in the area would have gas, but most of the time there was no gas to be found. Groups of cars were moving through the streets like a swarm from one station to another looking for gas. I eventually had to drive thirty miles to Greenville, SC to find an open station. I noticed by the license plates that many of the others filling up had done the same thing.

Now I’m back in New York and I haven’t seen one station closed due to lack of gasoline.

I hate to admit it but I was glad to leave that gas-forsaken place.

I’ve been wondering for over a week why this gas issue has not gotten national attention. I’m hearing today that this will go on another 2 weeks?!! How is that possible? Why haven’t our so called leaders(Gov. Sonny Perdue) done more?

I picked up my car after having work done on it for 2 weeks an hour away from home. I waited in an hour and a half line and was the first car to NOT get gas as they ran out. Then I was 1 hour away from home, alone, below empty. I took surface streets towards my house, hoping and praying that I could find a station to get gas at – even just a couple of gallons. I passed no less than THIRTY stations that were out – ZERO had gas. I actually made it all the way home. I have no idea how – I was below empty in Powder Springs and made it all the way to Roswell w/o stopping. I had to walk to work today though as my local station was on its SIXTH day without gas. This is ridiculous – consumers are already financially strapped, do we have to be *stranded* as well? IT IS PAST TIME TO LOOK INTO ALTERNATIVE ENERGY.

Why on earth are you complaining to the federal government about this highly local issue? Direct your pressure locally, to your city council and your state legislatures. You have a municipal and state government for a reason!

This is ludicrous. There are NO gas shortages in this country. It all comes back to economics and someone making money. I feel for you in those desperate states of non-compliance with the necessities of human beings. If it were profitable you would have gas. No one west of the Mississippi is worried. I am sorry – it is time to cry public malfeasance! This is absurd. How do you guys get to work? You don’t? What has this country come to?
-From Colorado

I say blame abortion and gay marriage!

LOL…while America got in a huff about social issues, the price of gas soared, shortages have become commonplace, houses got foreclosed, banks failed, jobs went overseas or just disappeared all together, our foolish president got us into 2 endless wars. Over 4,000 soldiers dead, countless others wounded, education suffered, 47 million Americans have no health care (myself included), shall I go on?

How stupid can Americans be? Well, at least we still have guns and religion to cling too!

I can’t help but notice that this has hit some pretty stout red states the hardest. Billions of dollars in subsidies for big oil, and no new refineries anywhere.

Welcome to the America of your own hand Republican voters!!!!!!!!!!!

As a friend of mine said:

“Our problem here in Atlanta is that we are dependent on the Gulf of Mexico and Texas refineries for our oil and gasoline. If *only* we were dependent on ‘Foreign Oil’ like the rest of the country we wouldn’t be in this predicament.”

maybe if people stopped wasting gas by driving around for hours looking for it. just a thought. get on the bus, ride a bike, carpool,and find a way to handle it. I understand it sucks but there are a lot of things that do right now, and this one can be adapted to for the moment.

How many refineries do you have in Gorgia? In North Carolina? In South Carolina? In Florida? I can tell you…NONE. You get your gasoline off the Colonial and Plantation pipelines that run from the gulf coast to the north east. (Except for Florida which won’t even allow a pipeline in their state). It’s only natural that the refineries are going to supply their local areas first before sending it up the pipe. Gustav and Ike knocked out some of the biggest refineries in the world all the way from New Orleans to Houston. Refineries don’t start back like a car. It takes weeks to get one running again after an outage – and then more weeks to build up lost inventory. Get real – we are dependent on gasoline and there is nothing in the near future that is going to take it’s place. Solar, wind, electric – that’s all good stuff and should be promoted. But with the current technology, they can’t even come close to matching the energy derived from coal and petroleum. People don’t like to hear that but it’s the truth.

Amen! I live 20 miles north of charlotte in Mooresville, Race City on Lake Norman. There is no gas anywhere. How ironic since we are the Nascar capitla of the world!

To all of those who are pointing fingers at the voting records of the states/localities affected by this, our NC governor (Easley) is a democrat. The republican running to replace him is McCrory, who is the current mayor of Charlotte. Neither have offered any leadership during this whole mess. And despite what the majority may have voted nationally, the minority is being affected too. Thank you for your ignorance and lack of compassion. Spoken like true liberals!!!

I feel for you guys, I have family in Dacula and Atlanta, but haven’t talked to them in a couple of days; speaking from the “post Ike” area myself, and in one of 29 counties declared disaster, just because it’s Texas, doesn’t mean we have access to that gas…it doesn’t come straight from the refineries, otherwise, during Rita we wouldn’t have had that mess and just last week, we wouldn’t have had a shortage. And…I did NOT vote for W.

May I PLEASE put in my 2 cents, here?

I don’t WANT the national media to cover this because it will spark a MANIA tidal wave across the country of Americans who don’t want to end up in the same boat! People EVERYWHERE will flock, not run, to all the gas stations and buy up all the gas and then NOBODY will have any gasoline anywhere. Panic stricken people across the entire country! What do you want the media to do, to start the panic of Armageddon?! (I say in jest.)

That being said, this gas crises is complete BS!!! Why isn’t someone actually DOING something about this for our people stranded without gasoline! This is a catastrophe! My hearts go out to each and everyone affected, because I have this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that we will ALL be facing this gasoline crisis, too. It probably won’t take long.

It is so frustrating! I had to set my alarm, drag my kids out of bed and go out at 2:00am Saturday morning to go look for gas, just so I can make sure I have gas to take me to and from work this week.
I cannot believe that this is happening in America. It’s like I am dreaming. It’s been 2 weeks! 2 weeks! and it has not gotten any better. Someone please help us!. It is depressing!
What I don’t understand is why does everyone else have gas and we don’t?

What I want to know is how many hurricanes is the Gulf going to have to go through before these refineries figure out how to safeguard their facilities and product supply chains. It happened following Katrina and it has happened again. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out something needs to be done to protect our lifeline.

The people that say Atlanta and the surrounding area are not getting any national attention have obviously not watched the news in the last few weeks. The gas problem has been on CNN every 20 minutes, I even changed the channel because it was getting so annoying. Showing the story on TV constantly has not had any effect so far!

How much gas are people wasting by driving around aimlessly looking for more gas so then they can drive around and waste even more?

Great letter Gary! I don’t know about the rest of you, but nothing make’s me more angry than when these politicians start thanking each other. May the adulation begin. They spend all their time with the adulation at the news conference knowing that it will cut into actually telling we the people what they have done or mostly not done. Perhaps if they all were voted out of office they might thank us. I doubt it. These politicians dem or rep totally make me sick. I really wish Nancy Pelosu would stop smiling when talking about anything serious. If these politicians were up for reelection they would be behaving differently mind you to get your vote so primarily for selfish purposes. I feel terrible for all of you who simply want to be able to go to work or get food for your family or to go home even to go to the doctor.

MN – I know exactly what you mean!

I live in Monroe, NC about 30 minutes east of Charlotte. It seems that we have been all but forgotten as have other smaller towns on the outskirts of Charlotte. If Charlotte is having such a difficult time getting all the stations back up and running I can only imagine when the smaller towns in the area will be getting help.

I drove around all weekend looking for gas. Now I have almost none. I can’t even take the chance of leaving my house for fear that I’ll completely run out.

This situation IS scary. What if I have a family emergency and I can’t get there? In my opinion it IS serious.

My family lives in North Georgia.
The Wednesday before Ike hit, gas was selling at $3.53/gallon. The day Ike hit, the price jumped to $4.29 at the same station. At some retailers the price was $5.00/gallon and above! Price gouging, plain and simple.
I did NOT see any shortage following Katrina, so why now after a level 2 hurricane?
It might have something to do with the fact that there has been no increase in refining capacity in 30 years! Big Oil creates an artificial “shortage” to “justify” a price increase. But the humongous profits that they are reporting are just due to “good business management practices”? And that is a quote from our friends at Exxon.
The shortage is NOT due to “hoarding” or “panic”.
When we have been able to find gasoline available, purchases are being limited by the retailer.
I decided to try and do my part to preserve the limited stocks of gasoline by driving my motorcycle. When my motorcycle is not in use, I keep the tank empty to prevent the gas from deteriorating and harming the fuel injection – particularly now that alcohol is blended into the gas, as it attract water like a magnet!
Unfortunately, local retailers are not allowing any gas to be pumped into portable containers – only directly into a car’s tank. So much for trying to do my part & help other people get to work, the store & the doctor.
If you think this is bad, just wait until the eighteen-wheelers are unable to get diesel – your local grocery MIGHT have stock on hand for three days.
The root cause of this crisis, and that is exactly what it is, lies in Washington, D.C. & the politicians that Big Oil have purchased lock, stock & barrel.
It is only my opinion (and you know what they say about opinions), we need to invest in alternative energy supplies – of all types. In the process, unless we “out-source” the work overseas, we could put tens of thousands of people to work – and making a LIVING wage at the same time.
But that idea won’t fly – we have to spend $700 BILLION to bailout Wall Street Fat Cats.
And do it now, or it is only going to be worse!
STAND UP AMERICA!
STAND UP TOGETHER!
Or forget about Freedom, you sold it to the Devil while watching your “American Idol”.

I am a liberal and vote Democrat 99% of the time. But that has nothing to do with the fact that gas stations are not getting deliveries here. I am also fortunate that I can work at home, and encourage those who can do so as much as possible until this crisis is resolved. I also live in an area with no public transportation, nor do I live close enough to my office to ride a bike. However, I agree that those who do should be encouraged to take public transport as much as possible.

I hardly think spouting cliches such as “spoken like true liberals” or pointing the finger at your neighbor because he is of one political affiliation or another is going to do anything other than make the spouter look ignorant and silly. Mr. Tuchman was not pointing fingers at any particular party – just stating that he feels we are not being properly represented by politicians of either party, and we can voice that opinion the next time these politicians are up for election. It’s likely that the fact folks are waiting in 2 hour gas lines (but still getting gas) pales in comparison to the current economic crisis, and we know many politicans have trouble dealing with more than one crisis at once

I think we need to hunker down, do everything we can to conserve and reduce trips, and try to be conscientious of our neighbors who are feeling the crunch of this crisis just as much (sometimes more) than we are. Try not cutting your neighbor off in the gas line, or staying home in the evenings.

But, if you wanna point a finger, how ’bout those still driving 10mpg Hummers and other SUVs or sports cars? It’s not all about whether or not you can afford gas – it’s about having enough to go around. Because, unfortunately, true alternative vehicles are not yet readily available. Hybrids are expensive and their manufacturing plants can be very environmentally destructive, and many don’t get much better gas mileage than my regular old Honda.

Point a finger at the oil lobby who has crushed the progress of alternative vehicles over the years. Point a finger at politicians in general, and voters who consistently vote against public transportation in suburban areas (like mine). But bickering amongst ourselves based on political ideologies isn’t gonna solve a damn thing.

I live in Apex, NC. My brother just drove back to OK from here this past weekend. I spoke with him Sunday and he said he was able to find plenty of gas. In Springfield, MO, he paid $3.16 a gallon. Here in our area, if we can find it, the price is right at or above $4.00 per gal.
I agree, the refiners are holding all of us up!

Thank the democratic congress, this is a praylude to whats coming. don’t vote democratic, lets stop giving everything away to the illegals and people to lazy to help themselfs. This is all part of a plan to make the working people, work forever like slaves only to lose your life savings giving it to enemy countrys to use against us

The reason FLORIDIANS and TEXANS have gas is that they didnt PANIC and stations were SMART and limited the amount of gas each person could get. If your station owners weren’t that smart, they just weren’t. You were not in short supply until a rumor started, no one trusted their neighbor (understandably) and you all went into a buying frenzy. This goes right back to a limit not in place on fillups, but then filling gas cans. Again, a LOCAL problem. Gas in MY area shouldnt go to bail out your area’s stupidity of not imposing restrictions when it QUICKLY became seen that YOU ALL WERE PANICKING. When Gustav and Fay approached and the destinations were unknown, explain why Pensacola still had gas. Pumps gradually started going dry, but note the word GRADUALLY. We didnt panic, or HOARD.

I believe if you go look at many people’s back porches, you’ll find OOMPTEEN red gasoline cans, all filled to the brim. Ask them for the gas! (Yes, duh- how do you think most of those cars ARE on the road?) I’m all for sharing, but not when it’s to bail out residents who are hoarding.

So you want sympathy? Go to the dictionary. You created the crisis.

I live in Chicago

We have GAS

If it were just consumer panic, then why have so many stations been empty since the week before Ike? You’d think they’d have gotten at least 1 delivery in that time!

I believe everything comes back to GREED! OPEC started this ball rolling, the Oil Companies jumped onboard and the car manufacturers never cared or considered it important enough to see down the road, so to speak!

Its BS that after the past few years of uncalled for oil and gasoline prices, everyone still sits on their back ends. Come on, OPEC has their hands wrapped around the valve and around our economy! Its nice to see how our government has really pushed all of us in AMERICA to think outside of the box and STOP RELYING ON FOREIGN OIL! This started years ago because we’ve become too lazy and we don’t fight for what we believe in any longer… Its a shame, I do okay for a single person and yet I know quite a few families that struggle to even buy the minimal amount of groceries! Yet we still allow OPEC and the oil companies to take more and more every day. Well the MORE IS GONE and this is all you have left, NOTHING!

I live in ATL as well, and we’re running pretty low in my car, and I have no idea where we’ll get any more. We’re conserving where we can. But here’s my two cents. The only thing I’ve heard from the governor’s office since this began is “price gouging will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law”. And prices have remained stable, around $4.00 per gallon, but all the stations are empty. No stock. Now, tell me, what should the price of gas be in this case? $5.00? $6.00? If it was allowed to get to that level, I’ll bet that in 48 hours we’d have gas to buy! Because of two things: Demand would go down, and supply would appear, because the gas companies would go find us some to sell for that price, because the price is so darned attractive. And then over the next few weeks, things would continue to normalize back to a regular equilibrium.

But that’s not been allowed to happen. Government stepped in and prevented normal price fluctuations that would have given incentives to companies to meet the market’s demands. And now we’re out of gas.

This is why I never understood over-protecting against “price gouging”. It artificially prevents supply from being offered up to the market, and therefore the market’s demand is unmet.

Let me remind you we didn’t have a problem with gas till the Democrats got in the house 2 yrs ago..The price of gas was at or under 2 dollars prior to that and plenty of it!!..So do the math!! So Is it Bush’s fault! Democrates this is your own handy work!

This is definitely NOT a blue state vs red state issue as some as you are saying it is, because the are Democrats and Republicans alike at the helms.

I am in Detroit, and gas has gone down 40 cents in the past 7 days. We are currently paying $3.50 and its continuing to go down. I have family in Charlotte who visited us this weekend and heard something that makes sense.

Many of the owners and distributors of gas in the southern region have made a pack to purchase small quantities of gasoline until the prices come down. Here in Detroit, if you paid $40,000 to fill up your station, and you were only going to sell it for $30,000- why fill up all your tanks…. What I have heard is that gas stations are not getting their usual supply as a tactic to make a profit.

Liz S-

I have no choice but to drive around and look for gas. I live in a rural area. We have NO public transportation here in Monroe, NC.

Also, I didn’t vote for W either. Just because we live in a red state doesn’t mean that we deserve this problem.

Gary,

Well said. If people could only see how people are camping out at the pumps waiting for a Gas Truck to arrive. Some are going in the middle of the night (around 2am) to try and beat the crowds in getting gas. The average time for a Gas Station to run out of gas after a delivery is 6 HOURS!!!

Gas is hard to find and when you find it it is high as heck. ($4.59 a gallon) This is like living in a Third World Country to me. The gas lines are long and people are now fighting while in the lines. We have had one death due to the shortage during a fight. People are running out of gas on the side of the roads. I am not sure why CNN is not reporting this mess.

Our Gov has left the country and has not addressed the Pipeline from Galveston not pumping at full capacity. They said our state was red and our Governor is a republican. I bet when all is said our state will be BLUE.

Monica-Atlanta

here every one goes pointing and so forth 1st off i have horse cant get gas to get to town to buy feed….. two we dont have buslines here in the country cant ride a bike to town to far ………..dont call us whiners we have been asking and demading from our gov why we have no gas ……………………and yes alot of people are loosing their jobs becuase they have no way to work . so if you have gas be thankful…….. you dont sit in a line for hours to get up there and tehy are out or try to find gas to be able to go get your meds, go to the store…………

A gas shortage? Oh my god! It’s like someone messed up supply and demand by putting an artificial cap on prices – or more accurately screamed price gouging every time prices went up by a nickel.

Welcome to economics 101 – If there is a shortage of something, prices must rise to stem demand. If this pricing mechanism is not allowed to operate shortages result. Suppliers will not increase supply because there is no economic incentive to do so. Demand will not abate because prices are still low.

Welcome to the new America – brought to you by the Democrats.

I understand that the events of the hurricanes made us low on fuel, and we should not panic, but this is a joke. I am concerned for all those that have a long way to commute to work, run several errands, those owners of gas stations that might have to deal with outraged people, etc. It’s going to be unpleasant to call work saying you can’t come in because you can’t gas. That really causes a chain reaction with what’s dealing with the economy. Plus, not only for people who have their own cars but ofcourse kids that take the bus to school, the public transit bus, and businesses that deal with transportation. I know this is what we get for relying on gas, but it’s not like all of us can afford to get hybrid cars. Besides, the maintenance for those cars is too expensive, I’m sure there are still some bugs, and it takes years to make your money back. They still rely on gas anyway so you’ll still be in the same predicament looking for a gas station.
I don’t blame this on W. but more on our state leaders. It still doesn’t make sense why it’s not reaching throughout the nation. I also don’t believe it has to do wether GA is a republican state or not.
I am only 20 and my family can be categorized as being democrats, but I’ve being working hard enough to say that I want to keep most of the money I make instead of letting people get it who abuse the money. I am not saying don’t help anybody, but I see too many who are lazy and live off of the gov’t and they don’t want to even try to make their lives better. Yet, as a full-time worker and a full-time student, which I have about a 45 minute commute to school and another 45 back and with gas prices being so high, and cost for tuition…I need all the money I can get. Well sorry for ranting away from the topic but hey I’m 20 and I should be out having fun, but no gas in the car!

Hearing someone say it’s our own fault because we panic and run out and get as much gas as we can is just plain BS! How much can you buy at one time, even without a limit… one tankful at a time, and even if you have 2 or 3 cars, few are filling them all even if you had time.

Again, it’s poor management and lack of what used to be “common sense”. You can bet that those with the power have the gas.

I have no issue with those who are well off, however they got it, but for those who think they’re “special” because they have a “silver spoon”, I hope you choke on it! Corporate execs and politicians included. If you felt the pain of the middle and lower classes who are supporting you, you just might get a clue… time to go back to “We the People for the People”.

Perhaps some of you have forgotten that although Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee are red states, there are some of us living in the South who did not vote Republican. I do not appreciate being lumped in with this group, and I do not think that anybody from the South (Democrat or Republican) appreciates the stereotypes that have been applied to southerners in these comments.

Passed 13 gas stations in a row yesterday, all empty.

If that isn’t a shortage… what is? The only time to get it without waiting in line is at 4am, which I did this weekend.

Would everyone stop with the sarcastic red state comments, I live in Tennessee and I didn’t vote for Bush in 2000 or 2004. As a matter of fact Nashville/Davidson county overwhelmingly voted for Al Gore and John Kerry as did Atlanta and I’m pretty sure Charlotte did as well. We in Nashville, Tennessee have a democratic Governer and a Democratic Mayor so please stop with the red state comments, I’m already ashamed to be from Tennessee because of our red state designation, there’s no point in rubbing it in. This was a great article because the fact is if it was New York, LA, or DC the politicians would be telling the residents of Tennessee, Georgia, and North carolina to make a sacrifice for their fellow Americans but they expect us to carry on like nothings wrong during our time of need!

Not everyone in this state is republican, so get off your high horses and help us out here.

If it is so important to get this bill passed why are the Jewish lawmakers taking the next 2 days off! I question their motive and patriotism! I understand holidays being a Catholic, but come on!!!!

You know, seeing all these posters with the mentality of “suck it up, get over it,” and “adapt” make me so angry.

I live in Georgia and there is just no gas. I don’t drive that much; and I use a very fuel economic car when I do. I wouldn’t have thought that not having gas would wreak such havoc in my life, but it does. All gas stations where I am -even ones with gas- are closing at night because it is too dangerous for the attendants (because people are fighting etc). I was out of fuel and passed 23 (TWENTY THREE) empty gas stations. It is scary when you think you might not make it home, are in a remote area, on a highway, may not be able to go to work, can’t see friends, family etc. all because of gas.

We do have high expectations in America, because it is America. And, let me just say to those of you who aren’t having to deal with this, who have a “just deal” attitude: You would be upset if this was you. You would be bemoaning and yelling and just as angry.

Sorry, but this has been in the making for years starting with Cheney’s energy taskforce in 2000. But hey, there are record profits in the oil patch and and George and uncle Dick have more tax breaks for big oil in the works. Maybe they figure that Georgia and the rest of the southeast are so solidly red that they don’t have to care. I find it interesting that swing states don’t seam to have a problem getting gas. Hmmmm..

8 years ago we were at peace, the economy was doing well, personal income was on the rise, the banks were sound, the dollar was strong and gas was under $2/gal. I wonder what got us here?

I think its more about your local politicians than any one else’s. We had a similar problem here in Phoenix a couple summers ago when a pipeline between Phoenix and Tucson broke. Our problem lasted only a few days as our elected officials were quick to act. Maybe you should be calling YOUR elected officials rather than placing the blame on Washington.

Not to add insult to injury, but Gas prices have dropped here in MA since ike dissapated. I’ve seen gas at 3.32, lowest price in months.

You ought to be calling the suppliers, but good luck since a crisis just means higher profits.

It really aggrivates me that many of you are saying to get over it. I guarantee if you were in this position you’d be pitching a fit too. I personally am not effected by this, but I’m putting myself in those people’s shoes.

Many Atlantans travel 40 plus miles for work–it’s a commuter city–and their livelihood, just like the rest of ours, depends on a pay check. So if they can’t get to work, and there is not a good public trans system in place they are screwed.

AnnMarie, Exactly what can Sonny Prudue do? Can he restart a refinery any sooner? NO, Can he order more gasoline from europe and demand it be sent..No (not even Bush can do that) Can he ask for fuel wavers so trucks of conventional gas (non smog gas) be shipped over the road to Atlanta from rural areas? Yes and he did, and I believe it was granted by the EPA, but not enough trucks avil. to put a dent in the issue… Conservation would help much more..

And Jeremy, while that may have been an issue at first, the wholesale prices have dropped. If prices are high at certain stations, it’s more likley because that local dealer needs the extra profits to make it.. If he’s selling 10% of what he normaly does, instead of making a dime per gallon, he needs 60 cents now.. Or next month he may not be their, when you need him again…

The reporters on CNN are so condescending about the bail out. The “experts” are proclaiming that there will be a disaster if Congress doesn’t pass the bail out. It isn’t maybe. It’s “there will be!!!”
Why are they promoting panic?

To prolong a corrupt system like Wall Street will cause more pain and larger losses in the long run. It will ensnare millions more people who will lose more of their money. Wall Street is a failed system. WE must let it die before it brings us all down.

I live in Charlotte, NC with my family. I too am worried abut the gas situation, and our economy as a whole. We have already cut back. We car pool, consolidate our errands, etc. We have not gone and “topped off” as others have- but have waited until we truely needed gas to try to find it. But there are two things about the situaton that really make me mad! Our governor and mayor have consistently lied to us about when gas will be available…….why do they do this? And I really don’t appreciate the comments people have made on this blog about Southerners. I am not a redneck – most people I know are not. I do not mistreat people from the North. We are just trying to live our lives like every other American family- and I resent people saying that we brought this on ourselves. You probably won’t say that when it happens in your “world”.

I am gas station owner & none of my 4 stations have gas for last one week. No reply from supplier when we will get gas next & how much.

I would like to respond to the gentelman from Florida, Mr David W. Violence has erupted at gas stations in the lest week. People are camping out in gas station lines. When a gas station gets a delivery, Police must be on hand. My sister in law waited in line for two hours and forty minutes and was then only allowed to buy ten gallons of gas, not enough even for the weekly commute. It is to easy, sir to sit back and say “suck it up” when you are not in this crisis. As for our state putting the current administration in office, I remember clearly that it was YOUR state that couldnt count ballots. Yes we would all like alternitives to gasoline, but until they are online and available to the majority, people need gasoline to get to work.

Goodness gracious! I haven’t even noticed this problem until now, it’s been so long since I needed to fill up my Prius.

I think it’s very curious that only one part of the nation is particularly affected by a gas shortage. This also happens to be part of the nation that will be most likely crucial as far as votes are concerned in the upcoming election. So how many of you in the southeast will now be manipulated to vote with McCain because you perceive him to be the gas god?
I think it’s unacceptable to say the fuel companies were caught off guard. If I lived in the southeast I’d demand a serious investigation.

Move to VA! We have plenty and it’s cheap!

Maybe if we could drill ANWR you’d be in better shape. Don’t blame W, blame the idiots who have stopped us from drilling. DRILL BABY DRILL!!!!

the problem is the state standards. they dont allow for lower quality standards as far as sulphur levels and emissions like many northern states…

the lack of continuity between states and the lackluster attention being paid by community,civic and especially State governments is embarassing for this country.

did we not have time to prepare for such situations? did we learn nothing from the potential damage of katrina?

if we allow true supply and demand to happen 8 dollar a gallon would have been standard… it seems to have been bad enough.

mean while my parents cant get gas in a city with more cars per capita then boston… where the price has actually DROPPED in the last couple of weeks…

why cant what is in excess elsewhere be refined and shipped?

seems to me that a days drive from other areas should me a day or 2 without gas… not weeks.

This is to the people responding because southern states are “red states”

Are you kidding me? I guess we should vote for a same sex marriage and then maybe we will have some gas!

The problem is that the people in those cities are over reacting to stories and filling up all the time even when they don’t need to. They are creating their own problems.

Cities such as Atlanta are typically on a 5 day gas rotation based on previous demand and usage. Because people are over reacting, they are using up a 5 days supply in less than a day by filling up when they typically wouldn’t.

The refineries are operating at more than 75% capacity right now. There is plenty of gas. We are paying less for gas now than at other times in history, but no one is over reacting to it. If people would settle down, and if the media would stop reporting this as a crisis it would resolve itself in about two weeks – but every week you keep over reacting adds more time.

I can’t imagine how you people would react if there were a real crisis.

Kevin

P.S. I work for a major gas supplier that supplies gas to the south and other parts of the country. Trust me, I know what I am talking about. There is no shortage of gas!

Vote for the Repubican party in November ,,,, You ain’t seen nothing yet!!

apparently an i.q. is not required… this gas issue will subside when the next two refineries get back online this week, it will take a few days to catchup with demand largely due to the approx 10 million illegals competing for gas, food and housing in your country. calling the southern red states ignorant, and blaming all of this on W shows just really how out of touch some people are. tossing insults and outright uninformed b.s. gives me little hope for the future of our country. where did you miss the facts….. what the hell is your self-obsorbed problem? wake up and see thru the stink! an unarmed debate is not the answer…. self responsibility is.

Here here! The situation here is dire to say the least, and no one is talking about it. Our own governor isn’t even HERE! And the pipeline/ike excuse just doens’t fly: The same pipeline that supplies us supplies Washington DC, and there are no shortages there.

And to those who say GA is a red state so we have only ourselves to blame: SHAME ON YOU. Not only did not everyone in Georgia (particularly Atlanta) vote for GWB, but the idea that we should be treated poorly because of political affiliation is downright unamerican. We’re all a part of one nation, and this political bickering is literally going to tear the country apart.

Ride your bike, take the bus.. you have options. I’m not waiting for someone to fix my problem

Our goverment has lost focus.They no longer care about the little people. If we do not stop this soon we will be the third world country that relies on other countries to take care us. That is just the cold hard fact.

That is a sucky situation indeed. This really should be a big deal and if the Feds aren’t doing anything to help, I hope the states themselves would be neighborly and share some of their supplies until the refineries are up and running. I inderstand that there are some tighter emission laws up there, but I can’t see why those laws can’t be laxed for the duraton of this crisis.

I live in Charlotte and I was one of the people who did not panic and run to the pump. We just filled up today and I heard there would be more gas on the way in a couple of days. I had a plan B. I told my husband if we could not find gas we would just have to catch the bus. He told me that even the bus system is having problems with the gas issue. That scared me a little.

I too believe the storms are an excuse. I remeber when Katrina hit. We were out of gas for about 2 days, but it kicked in after that. The price gauging needs to stop. I saw a station increase their price from $3.89 $4.19 in one day. It’s ridiculous. I also feel that we have only ourselves to blame. Too many of us elected people into office that do nothing for us. Unfortunately, we all have to suffer for other’s lack of common sense.

I’m pretty sure that four years ago there was a gas crisis just before election time, and people got all hot and bothered under the collar, and then forgot about it by the time the polls rolled around. Short fuses, short memories, and the South will again vote Republican. Please, this time learn from your mistakes! As for actual knowledge about the crisis, it is getting some coverage in Orlando on News Channel 13, but not anything in-depth. I guess they’re too focused on the economic crisis as a whole (go figure) or pretending that Caylee Anthony is still alive.

The gas crisis is being ignored because no one can (or in a few cases, is willing) do anything about it. As a society, we have stuck our heads in the sand, ignored science, ignored the leaders who tried to warn us, and refused to see that there is a limit on what we can take from the earth without consequences.

Get ready for the consequences.

Funny to hear all of you complaining about not having any gas to fill up you 10MPG moster trucks. Imagine the people LIVING in american without a regular supply of food… a roof over their head… or the ability to see a doctor when they are sick. There are a lot of people far worse off than us sitting at our desks in front of our PCs under a roof in. Count your blessings and try WALKING or BIKING somewhere for once.

I live in Atlanta now, and lived in New Orleans during Katrina and Houston during Rita. I agree with Katie, but it’s not just about gas. In our current system (federal or local), the infrastructure and the people who use it – whose lives are directly affected by it or lack thereof – have somehow moved down the priority list.

David W, your own state of Florida was the key lynchpin in installing the current administration. Don’t act like you live in a blue state.

Gas seems to be getting even MORE scarce here (Atlanta) and the AJC is predicting two more weeks before things get back to normal. For a city with the longest average commute in the nation I can’t think of anything that could be more crippling.

Perdue claims that the situation is self-induced due to our own panic and that there is ample gas for all drivers in the Atlanta area………

8 more years! 8 more years!

It is amazing that I sit here and see people in states with ZERO refineries complaining about gas shortages. Well do you want to know why you have shortages in TN and GA and these other states, it is because the majority of your gasoline is made in Texas and Louisiana and if I am not mistaken, most of those refineries were hit by not one but 2 Major Hurricanes. Now if we had been building refining capacity closer to where we have been finding the oil or maybe in some other towns that could support taker offloading we would not have this problem, however it comes down to NIMBY( Not in my back yard). You want more gas, the get your state legislators to allow refinery and terminal construction and contact Congress and tell them you want a faster permitting process for the same.

As far as the refineries taking steps to protect their facilities, 90% of the refineries that were shut down by the hurricanes were done so because they did not have 2 critical components, power and staff to run them.

“Ridiculous”.
i’ve heard that word all week here in Atlanta. I’m one of many Atlantans that did not panic and didn’t stock up on gas. however, that doesn’t help me at the start of another work week, and reports that this situation will last another 2 weeks. Sonny Perdue does nothing about the issue of public transit and traffic besides paving more roads. His lack of vision in public transit is one of many reasons i did not vote for him.

since when is it the government’s responsibility to take care of us????? We are all adults, at least most people claim to be. What happen to being prepared or having alternate means in case of what if? I do not and have never cried to the government, mom and dad or anyone else when a hurricane destroyed my house and car, was with out power for weeks. I learned from the experience. Fixed my stuff myself. Put together a plan incase something like that a happened agian and moved on. I now live in Atlanta and either walk, ride my bike or take mass transit to save gas. I planned a head. I think all you folks that are crying need to reach down and grow some and quit looking for someone to help you and help yourselves!!!!!

I currently have family down in ATL affected by the shortage. I think I have figured out where the gas has gone – our muslim Democratic candidate for President (yes, the same one that refuses to wear an American flag pin for fear of offending those who hate and despise our country) is hoarding it to use in his jihad attempt on the White House!

You all have my sympathies, but isn’t this the free market at work? The free market will guarantee adaquate supply and infrastructure in order to meet demand and maximize sales and profits, right? Or is that all just a line used to convince people not to regulate and let business do as it may? Maybe some regulation might have helped insure a more robust supply chain? Ah, but we can’t have government interfere with the markets!

Seriously…consider this gas mess, the financial markets, and what would have become of Social Security if it had been privatized. Government has a role, and should be made to work for us. To do that, it must *listen* to us, but we must think for ourselves!

That said, I hope this situation get resolved for everyone soon…

This is worse than 1979 and Katrina…At least in 1979 in Florida, they let odd numbered license plates in the gas stations on odd numbered days and even plates on even numbered dates, so the “competition” to find some gas was less! Since the 14th in Atlanta, I have only found one station I could make it to the pump before they ran out…they limited us to $20 and that’s a little over 41/2 gals @ $4.29 a gallon. The only driving I’m doing is going to work and an occasional trip to find gas…

Why do the southern states that could allow off shore drilling are the only group impacted by the gas shortage? Maybe to get you to vote for offshore drilling or to encourage us to solve a problem started in the 1970’s.

I would say to get us to support offshore drill. Please tell me I am not right cause I want to be wrong so bad.

Please note, NY, Washington DC, and NJ all have gas. Their gas comes from Texas and passes through GA and most of the southern states that are out of gas.

To those who have essentially told us gas starved citizens to “suck it up”-we have been. We have carpooled, reduced trips, and reduced our gas purchases. It is not about people panicking and hoarding gas-it is about people being on empty and not being able to find any. It is about people not getting to work, families not being able to do activities, businesses suffering from lack of sales. This situation is not days old-it is weeks old. Our frustration is amplified because it is a localized problem that can be fixed, but has not been. None of the leaders at the local, state or federal level have adequately addressed the problem-there is blame to go around for everyone.
To those that have expressed sympathy-thanks for your understanding. To those that do not-you should be ashamed.

On my daily commute, I drive thru the largest concentration of petro-chem plants in the western hemisphere. These refineries have the capability (and are actually required by law) to shut down completely in less than 10 minutes. It’s not nearly so easy to turn the spigot back on. As I sat in total darkness without power, water or even food, I could see the glow of these refinieries…they were back up and running as soon as they could.

These men and women left their homes full of water and mud to bring production back up as soon as possible. It didn’t matter to them where it was going (Texas/Georgia/California).

Now, we had shortages here a few days before and several days after Ike struck. Things are almost back to normal with regards to fuel…

Unfortunately, whatever boutique fuel you guys are required to burn in the Southeast, is in short supply. There is no conspiracy…too many people after too few gallons. Now, perhaps if ya’ll didn’t suffer from the “anywhere but my backyard” syndrome, you’d have access to more fuel. Maybe not.

With regards to why no more refineries have been built in the past 30 years, check “crack spread” – see if you’d wanna invest your money on those razor thin margins with the federal government breathing down your neck everyday. I think not. The crack spread was acutally pretty darn good for about 18 months…not so much these days.

No shortage here ….Northern Michigan ……….gas is $3.81

I’m getting really tired of all the snark from the people who don’t have to deal with this problem. Yes, Georgia is unfortunately a red state. Does that mean we all voted Republican? NO. Does that mean Republicans deserve to be “punished” by being ignored, just because they exercised their right to vote? alas, NO.
Yes, alternative fuel should be a priority, as should public transportation. Does that mean everyone who drives a car is just a selfish arse in an SUV? NO. Atlanta is a major international hub. It’s a huge sprawl of a city. Yes, it was poorly planned out with regards to transportation, because it boomed too fast after the Olympics. The fact of the matter is that Atlanta is a worker city. Most of the people who live here are here because of jobs, not because of culture or some great love of the place. Which means we live in the sprawl, because that’s what’s affordable and livable. Which then means we’re required to drive to get places.
I agree that people could increase their carpooling and fuel frugality. But it’s not the immediate catch-all answer, and neither is changing one’s political leanings. I personally absolutely CANNOT carpool for my job. Nor can I walk or ride MARTA or bicycle to work, nor can I telecommute. It’s the life of an independent contractor, and believe me, there are lots of us here. Buy a Prius? Don’t make me laugh. I can’t afford one, or any of the hybrids out there. Even with hybrids and motorcycles, we still have to fuel up. And, oh, I voted blue, btw. See what that got me.
THE POINT of this article, is that we’re supposed to be the UNITED States. Except for the southeast, I guess.

I think this particular shortage, is being made worse by people who are wasting gas foraging around for it. We all know there isn’t going to be an increase in supply for at least another week, so we either need to carpool or use bikes or other alternative transportation. if you use a truck lower the tail gate, if you use an SUV unload it and try to get people to carpool with you if possible. This is a local problem if the locals don’t work to fix it, what exactly is capitol hill supposed to do?

Well, I’m having to cancel things left and right because there is just NO gas. All the stations near me are closed and they have no idea when they will have gas again. I thought I’d wait for things to improve and heard rumors (and read in the paper) that the shortage would be over this past Friday. Now it’s the end of Monday and no gas in sight. What a mess.

You are upset because congress ignored Atlanta’s gas problem? Are you kidding me? There is a financial crisis going on that could make the Great Depression look like a day at the beach, and you think gas lines in Atlanta should be elevated to a national level?

Listen up middle America. You just got your representatives to vote against the bailout, and you are worried about gas? Watch your 401ks, pensions, credit, children’s educations, roads and jobs disappear in the coming months.

When China sells off its Treasury holdings, and the dollar collapses and oil prices double, and farmers are exporting their food to Asia while you stand in a soup line, talk to me about your oil shortage in Atlanta then.

hold it the first thing “gas crisses” is caused by thoose that panic buy and still doing that..
second lets put blame where it belongs that being on the EPA and the enviromental wack-jobs that say no building refineries …. last refinery was built in 75 … since then they have closed down many of them due to the factr they cant be updated …the trouble is here is that the demand is higher now for many reasons one is the diffrent blends of gas in parts of the country.. second the ones that make gas also make heating oil … so you have say 8 refineries now working 24/7 360 days of the yr… of the 50 or so that we once had so you have ton of oil coming in ton in demand and you have a funnel that only can handle 1/3 of that being refined …..

THANK YOU!!! I have been wondering why there hasn’t been any national news coverage of this CRISIS. Sonny Perdue has the nerve to be in Europe and BLAMES US for the problem before he trots off to his boondoggle. I want the nation to know that we are NOT being greedy, there is simply NO GAS. And when there is gas, the greedy gas station owners limit you to 20 bucks, but then raise the prices – I paid 4.39 for regular on Sunday. So, that only gives you a little over 4 gallons which causes you to hunt for gas in another day or two. Most folks in GA commute and MUST fill up once a week. The ATL news media will have you believe that we are panicking, but that is a LIE. I waited until I was way less than 1/4 a tank and I STILL had to hunt gas for TWO hours. Another game the gas stations owners are playing is forcing us to pay cash. By doing that, they only give you a cash receipt – so there is no evidence of what you paid for the gas. Luckily, I was paying attention and I have my gas receipt, but how many Georgians are in a hurry, rushing or nervous from the violence that has been breaking out at the pumps? I made my complaint this morning and I hope the gas station gets fined!!! I HOPE ALL ARE WATCHING AND VOTE THEIR INTEREST COME NOVEMBER!!!!!!

Jeremy,
I filled up on Boulevard in Atlanta and it was 4.39. These gas station owners jack up their prices and force you to pay cash in hopes that you won’t ask for a gas receipt and that way, you can’t report them for price gouging. This is real. Believe it.

For those of you who are laying the blame on the current administration and the fact that Tennessee, Georgia, and North Carolina are RED states, let me remind you that both the House and Senate have been led by the Democrats for almost two years now. In those two years, no substantial legislation has been passed to help the average American citizen who is working hard to support their famiy. In 2006 the Democrats hailed that change would finally be coming now that they had control of the House and Senate. Empty promises. The only thing I’ve seen accomplished is that they adjourned the Congress for 5 weeks of vacation without passing any energy legislation that was on the table and they certainly ensure they get their pay raise voted in when it comes due.

Quit your crying. Make a few cutbacks on your fuel consumption until distribution levels back out and be glad you live in the greatest country in the world. You don’t believe that? I’ll gladly purchase you a one way ticket to an alternate country. I hear Afghanistan has plenty of fuel.
Cry babies.

Why is everything that matters to the American people being ignored? They say the price of gas is high because the dollar is weak, and the dollar is weak because of the this mortgage meltdown. Hears an Idea, Increase regulation on energy as well as the financial markets, bailout both the American people and the Banks. Shore up the banks risk and Introduce a cap on home loan interest rates for future and existing loans at 6% and lower, and a 12% cap on credit cards. This should strengthen the dollar, keep people in there homes, and get us out spending again. This way the tax payer see some relief up front.

Also,you might not know this, becuase of what the media wants you to hear or not to hear! Yes ,we are busy drilling wells here in Texas but what they don’t tell you how many oil wells are pluged off and or are flow regulated by Legislation our current leaders in congress and the house have created, Yep,thats right ! less than1/2 of the wells get used. I know I drill them!! and plug them! So Prove me wrong ! Why the wells are being capped? WE HAVE TO BUY OIL FROM SOMEONE BECAUSE WE CAN’T USE OURS

Interesting how quick people are to judge and toss out spiteful comments based on the “color” of one’s state.

Tennessee and Georgia may be “red” states, yet Nashville and Atlanta, the areas suffering most from these outages, are “blue” cities.

Such a crybaby… I’m in Atlanta, and I just stopped by gas station downtown, and had to wait all of 5 minutes in line. Yeah there’s a shortage, Yeah you have to wait to get gas, but at least we still have gas! Its not the fed govt’s job to keep everyone from having to wait in line. If it’s that big of a problem, just use public transportation!

If this is not economic terrorism at work,there ain’t a cow in Texas.I wish some intrepid reporter would see if he can find even one politician with no gas.When the Market,Banks,and Corporations wre given free reign,Middle Class Americans were doomed to pay for the excesses of Corporate America’s “C.E.O. Mentality”.With the astounding nuber of tax breaks for big business(read oil companies),the only people left to pay taxes are you and me brother.Refineries cost money to build,which cuts the size of bonuses and dividends.Vote evry one of them out of office.

I live in Houston, TX, and have been without power for two solid weeks following hurricane Ike. As I read about your difficulties in Atlanta, I know how tough it can be. I also can’t help but wonder, as our financial markets continue crashing, with big businesses failing almost daily, with loans increasingly difficult to obtain, how much longer until we wake up and realize we’re actually living in a 3rd world country.

Interesting times.

Thank you Gary!! Well said.

This is as phony as the gas shortage in the 70s. All the attention is on the bailout, but lack of gas to get to work and school will take down the economy also.

Exactly right about officials seeming unconcerned. They just tell us that large shipments are coming and then say that it will take 2 more days to get delivered to the stations. Lines are longer than before. Could this lack of attention to the problem be because our president is an oilman? Watch for prices to go even higher in Charlotte after the supply is fixed. We are already above the national average.

The stations have gas and most have had it all along.. In NC we have the price gouging law and they will not sell it unless they get triple the price and since the law won’t let them raise it, they are saying Suck it! drivers…so we are. Sen. Heath Shuler came thru for us Friday and had several tankers brought into Asheville from Tennessee. There for awhile we had no gas at all, at least now, you can find it but at a price of $4.29.
The stations in a near by town of Old Fort jacked their prices up on the Wednesday two days before Hurricane Ike even hit…..it was $3.69 and by two o’clock they were at $4.99! Schmucks!

this mess will not be fixed till the people in power go through what we are going through. as americans, we are asleep. we let them get away with corruption and greed. then reward them with big bonuses. it has to end now. they are bringing us and the country to its knees. everybody i talk to is worried about housing, bank accounts, jobs. life is stressful, that is a given. but what is going on is man made. through deceit. i have lost faith in the system. it is not for the people. i speak to newly arrived cubans. they are saying, this is getting no different than communist cuba. only over there, you know how things are. here it is all behind our backs. i have asthma and disabled. it is getting to the point, i have to make the meds last 2 or 3 months as opposed to each month. come on washington. stop with the b.s. speeches. looks like all politicians are used car salesmen. next time i vote, will see who is there. good or not, you are out. only way to clean house. since you all lie anyway. my sons mom is losing her home, my moms cannot afford meds, i cannot afford meds. my sons uncle wants to come here from colombia. i tell him forget it. stay where you are. if this keeps up we will be in worse shape than any third world nation.

I concur with Mr. Tuchman.
I’m thinking one solution is to oust all the established politicians every voting opportunity. We can eradicate the complacency and the apathy that seems to come over folks when they get to DC. They (especially GWB) forget who put them there and what their purpose is…to look out for the citizens of this country.
They stink of corruption and arrogance.
I’m not one to complain unless I can do a better job myself. At this point I think my cat would do a better job than those greedy, demoralized freaks. How did they get so out of touch with our reality? We as citizens really need to be proactive and do a better job of researching those we put into office. Let’s be part of the solution and not part of the problem.

I am going to try to say this as nicely as possible, which will be difficult. I live in Houston and am a native. We have been going through the most diffcult history in our lives, and to read this story and the comments attached to it are pathetic.

2 million people lost power before Ike ever hit, I was one of them. There are still over 100,000 people in this city that do not have power, proper food, water, ice or gas. I myself was without power for 7 days. My family and I had to drive 3 hours, the day after Ike, just to get more food and supplies and yes that includes gas.

We have endured long gas lines, long food lines, long water lines, and long ice lines and NOBODY seems to care. Our own State isn’t helping and FEMA (once again) has done next to nothing. Our beach communities have been wiped out. There are 10’s of thousands of people who don’t have homes, jobs, electricity, water, food, ice or gas, but you don’t get to see it. The national news has found your story to be better than ours.

I think that you all need to do what we did, and start being patient and take care of each other. We have had to endure a situation much worse than yours and it isn’t over for a lot of us.

The reason we have gas now and you don’t, is simply that the power was out in the pipelines that send gas from us to you. 2/3 of the pipelines are back up and they are doing EVERYTHING they can to get you your gas as quickly as possible.

Be patient and stop your crying.