This morning, I topped off my tank on the way back from taking my son to school and was DISGUSTED to see that 5 gallons of gas cost me $15. "For God's sake!" I thought."This is getting to be like Europe." And went home.
Later that afternoon, on my way back to pick up my son from school, I noticed that the price of gasoline at that same station was up to $3.69 per gallon! EEEEEEEK! I was in shock! Last Sunday it was $2.69. I can remember last year at this time being $1.89.
But the gasoline mayhem continued...
After picking up my son, I began to notice that there were lines of cars piled up around gas stations. I couldn't figure out what was going on. Then, the radio announcer mentioned '...the rumors of the pumps being shut off at 5pm are just that--rumors! Don't go out and stockpile or fill up unless you really need gasoline." Looking around as I drove, I saw several gas staions with "SOLD OUT" signs on their pumps. ALL GAS, NOT JUST THE CHEAP GAS.
What had happened was a stupid rumor somehow started, saying that 'gas pumps would be shut off at 5pm.' People panicked. People began to realize that the big holiday weekend is almost here and they don't have gas. PLUS, it's a military payday. So hysteria ensued. Lines ran aound the block at all stations. All the base gas stations sold out. I was told, TO MY FACE, that there was NO MORE GAS COMING ALL WEEKEND. (This was by a hairdresser who is pretty damn stupid, so I just smiled and said nothing.)
Puh-leeze. We'll get gasoline. It may be more expensive, but we'll get it. American's don't know how to ration. They guzzle and consume with gusto, even in times of crisis. All those people sat hysterically in line, waiting to fill up, and probably wasted as much gas waiting as what they put in their tanks.
I am angered at the price hikes, though. I'm sure they're worse out west. How are gas prices where YOU live? Are you getting goudged? Are you PISSED OFF???
8 comments:
Gas is $3.19 here this morning and it was $2.00 last night. It has jumped twenty cents in one evening???? You can't tell me that this is necessary....
At to people and rumors: to quote the movie "Men in Black"...
Jay: Why the big secret? People are smart, they can handle it.
Kay: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, panicky, dangerous animals and you know it.
Infomatrix, remember here some years ago when there was that big power outage all up the west coast, and people were fighting at the supermarkets to buy WATER?? Exactly WHY do you need WATER if the power is out?? People are just dumb and crazy.
I've found it's better for my own mental health if I just don't look at the prices at the gas station any more.
I refuse to drive around like a crazy person to save a few cents per gallon. How much am I really going to save in the big picture by spending time/energy/and...GAS to save a couple of cents per gallon??
Gas is expensive right now. Period. Prices are huge in my area, but they're huge everywhere now. Am I pissed off? Damn straight. Is there anything I can do about it? Not that I know of.
So, as XCircMan will confirm, when we pass a gas station, I just say, "It's best not to look."
I really do wonder what gas prices are like in England. Somebody from England/UK, please let me know, I'm curious!
People 'round these parts are a bit angry. They understand the crisis. What they don't understand is why gas shoots up at the first sign of crisis but takes weeks and months to slide back down. The story is always that the gas in production has to be sold at the price it was produced. Fair enough. But why doesn't that work in reverse.
Oh, FYI...I've asked my sister in Alaska to update me on prices up there. When the Exxon Valdez spill happened, prices in Missouri went up...even though there were no Exxon or Mobile stations here. I suspect that even though Alaska has their own source of crude, and that their oil is refined and shipped back from the Pacific coast, that they are seeing price hikes there, too.
Did you ever guess my ID?
Give me hints, Anonymous! Are you bigger than a breadbox? Strong enough to leap tall buildings in a single bound? A LIBRARIAN? An employed librarian? A librarian working for a library system in MO? Hints, please!
I finally got word from my sister in Alaska. Gas prices didn't top $3.00 there, but did edge up a bit.
I AM a librarian.
I have been working at the same public library in Missouri since graduating SLIS in 1991.
I know a little about the Beatles, but not as much as Walter (that one should do the trick).
HA! Could your initials be SP or TC? Hmmm. Both of you more or less fit the above description. RE: Beatles...You can't be DK because DK hasn't been working at the same publib since 1991--he's been around... Hmmm. I'll go with SP! Am I correct? You'll need to pick a nifty name-- "Anonymous" is so vague!
Very good. It is SP. Visit www.thepotters.net and drop me an email message. I will get an account so I have a better ID in the future.
P.S. -- I really like the blog. I do visit periodically. So does TC. I keep forgetting to send the url to Jeanne, but keep forgetting.
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