Stations out of Gas TX

audreyh1

audreyh1

Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Joined
Jan 18, 2006
Messages
38,267
Location
Rio Grande Valley
A neighbor reported this morning that she visited six gas stations before she finally found one with gas. As it happened we were below 1/4 tank and planning to fill up at Costco tomorrow, but that’s kind of far, so I went to the close place she found, not wanting to take my chances.

I suppose it’s just locals frightened by headlines and stocking up? There’s nothing except that pipeline ransomware shutdown which is now back up.

I don’t see anything about any TX gas shortage.

Locals may be trigger happy because we did have long gas lines during the big Deep Freeze this Feb. Our car was mostly full back then so we were able to wait.
 
I think it is a knee-jerk reaction to what folks are seeing on the news. Absolutely no impact to the gasoline/diesel supply in TX due to the Colonial pipeline shutdown.

We're about to drive into town for lunch. Curious as to what I will see at our local gas stations.
 
Just filled up this morning, 30-40 minutes north of Austin. Seems all the gas stations are open here. Regular running between $2.59 and $2.69 (didn't pass by Costco - Randall's was $2.49). No lines.
 
REWahoo said:
I think it is a knee-jerk reaction to what folks are seeing on the news. Absolutely no impact to the gasoline/diesel supply in TX due to the Colonial pipeline shutdown.

We're about to drive into town for lunch. Curious as to what I will see at our local gas stations.
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I was pretty shocked that the neighbor reported finding 6 stations out of gas before finally finding one with gas.

According to KSAT there is no gas shortage in TX. I guess folks here decided to make one?
https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2021/05/11/there-is-no-gas-shortage-in-texas-experts-say/
 
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Love how the media calls it panic buying.. because that blames us...


If you filled up your car
yesterday instead of Friday how is that panic buying?





How do you panic buy gas, you can't stick in your basement like you do TP?


You would think after Covid people would realize how "just in time" this country runs for essentials. This hap[ens somewhere every year when they forecast hurricanes.
 
Well, if you are dragging a bunch of containers to the gas station to fill them up with fuel that probably counts. The article about the Southeast describes that.

But in our case we (mostly) filled up today instead of tomorrow......
 
audreyh1 said:
Well, if you are dragging a bunch of containers to the gas station to fill them up with fuel that probably counts.

But in our case we (mostly) filled up today instead of tomorrow......
Click to expand...




It more likely that families have 2 or 3 cars and are filling them all up at the same time. Thinking about this people who have to count every dollar are in a bad spot here. They don't have the option to go pump an extra 100 dollars worth of gas on a whim.
 
Had to fill my minivan last night in Virginia. First station was out of gas, and the second one was out of premium. Not a problem for me, but the guy next to me was filling his Porsche with the "cheap stuff" and not happy about that. Then I come home, and watch Sec'y Granholm say that there is no shortage. Well maybe not for her, but in my neighborhood there certainly is a shortage.

I don't think the governor did Virginia any favors by declaring an emergency, because that's when everyone went into a buying frenzy.
 
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As usual, we ignore panics till it's too late. We have half a tank, but didn't fill up yesterday when we should have. Some fellows working on the kitchen told me they were late because they waited 45 minutes for gas.

FL governor has declared a state of emergency telling gas stations not to gouge prices.

Also, Gasbuddy is down.
 
ivinsfan said:
Love how the media calls it panic buying.. because that blames us...

How do you panic buy gas, you can't stick in your basement like you do TP?
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I think the media got it right this time as far as panic buying being the collective our fault.
Panic buying of gasoline can happen when everyone decides they need a full tank at or near the same time. Such as when the media keeps telling us there is a crisis (like now). "This too shall pass, don't panic" would be a better message.

The average car on the road today has a tank that is half full to 5/8ths full. I assume this by the very nature of the word "average". If the typical tank is 16 gallons, and everyone decides to go out and buy (on average) 3/8ths of a tank or 6 gallons at or near the same time - voila - shortage! The supply chain in place for gasoline relies on steady demand. Put in a 37.5% (3/8ths) panic buy increase in demand overnight and you get stations out of gas.

200 +/- million cars in the USA, times 6 gallons = 1.2B gallons of unforeseen demand. That is about 120,000 tanker trucks full of gas.
 
I figured we had until June to fill our little gas can (that's when hurricane gas buying begins). I was wrong!

audreyh1 said:
Well, if you are dragging a bunch of containers to the gas station to fill them up with fuel that probably counts. The article about the Southeast describes that.

But in our case we (mostly) filled up today instead of tomorrow......
Click to expand...
 
HarveyS said:
I think the media got it right this time as far as panic buying being the collective our fault.
Panic buying of gasoline can happen when everyone decides they need a full tank at or near the same time. Such as when the media keeps telling us there is a crisis (like now). "This too shall pass, don't panic" would be a better message.

The average car on the road today has a tank that is half full to 5/8ths full. I assume this by the very nature of the word "average". If the typical tank is 16 gallons, and everyone decides to go out and buy (on average) 3/8ths of a tank or 6 gallons at or near the same time - voila - shortage! The supply chain in place for gasoline relies on steady demand. Put in a 37.5% (3/8ths) panic buy increase in demand overnight and you get stations out of gas.

200 +/- million cars in the USA, times 6 gallons = 1.2B gallons of unforeseen demand. That is about 120,000 tanker trucks full of gas.
Click to expand...


You have no way of knowing this, for one thing all 200 million plus are not out filling the gas tanks...it's a regional thing.



Don't blame the public because a huge pipeline company can't secure their website, that was my point.
 
Another contributor to this gas-shortage situation is the lack of tanker drivers. Before covid, there were about 400,000 tanker drivers nationally and now there are only around 200,000. Currently the tankers can't get the gas to the gas stations faster than the stations are being 'drained' by end-consumers in cars and trucks.

And, the Southeast US (area hardest-hit by the cyberattack on Colonial Pipeline) is mostly served by tanker trucks delivering the fuel from those huge holding tank farms (which are filled by the major pipelines). Some other parts of the country have the ability to move fuel by water within their region, thereby being not so dependent on tanker trucks.


omni
 
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I just don't understand this--here in my town in NC all the gas stations are out of gas, no gas to be found anywhere around me. The NC Governor has declared a state of emergency. But yet the news says there is not a real shortage. Is this all panic buying? I have about half a tank full and had hoped to to visit my 90 year old mother who lives about an hour and a half away. I may have to postpone my trip to see my mother.
 
Filled up here yesterday in east/central Texas.... All four stations in town where opened and looked to be operating as normal.
 
Nice not to have to deal with any of these issues.

I've discovered Volta charging stations, which lets you charge for FREE. About 2000 around the country, 350 I believe around me. Been using these the last few months. Free electricity beats charging at home.
 
harllee said:
I just don't understand this--here in my town in NC all the gas stations are out of gas, no gas to be found anywhere around me. The NC Governor has declared a state of emergency. But yet the news says there is not a real shortage. Is this all panic buying? I have about half a tank full and had hoped to to visit my 90 year old mother who lives about an hour and a half away. I may have to postpone my trip to see my mother.
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Not that it really matters since you can't get the gas, but it's not a gas shortage, it's a distribution problem. Plenty of gas, just can't get enough of it where it's needed at this time.
 
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Here in NC, about 72% of gas stations are out. Lines are 20-30 min. Planning to go to Costco this weekend as per usual.

One women, tried to cut the line and when she could not get in, she rammed her car into somebody. Which resulted in a altercation.
 
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NYEXPAT said:
Here in NC, about 72% of gas stations are out. Lines are 20-30 min. Planning to go to Costco this weekend as per usual.

One women, tried to cut the line and when she could not get in, she rammed her car into somebody. Which resulted in a altercation.
Click to expand...

Just watched the video of this. She spit on the driver when she couldn't cut the line.
 
People really need to stop watching the news. Someone else mentioned on another site that its fear porn, and people are addicted. Turn the news off. The doom and gloom is bs. News outlets know this attracts viewers, yet people still fall for it...sigh.

There is no shortage on the east coast. Business as normal. Back to buying TP since that will make the world a better place.
 
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We just got in last night from Florida.... filled up in Atlanta, Abingdon, VA, Jonestown, PA and Hoosick, NY... no problems at all.
 
ponyboy said:
People really need to stop watching the news. Someone else mentioned on another site that its fear porn, and people are addicted. Turn the news off. The doom and gloom is bs. News outlets know this attracts viewers, yet people still fall for it...sigh.

There is no shortage on the east coast. Business as normal. Back to buying TP since that will make the world a better place.
Click to expand...

I don't watch the news as it's always about some sensational event or one that really is not. Plenty of gas stations open here and with fuel. I remember 1973 when we had the Arab oil embargo. Now that was something to go through... this is a small event and a temporary inconvenience.

Yes, today is a good day to load up on TP! We are getting low with only about 200 rolls in closet inventory.
 
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