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AAA official: Fear of gasoline shortage perpetuates problem Published 09/12/2008 By Kevin Castle
An official with AAA East Tennessee said a perfect storm erupted Friday around the state, and there wasn’t a hurricane in sight.
Consumers lining up for a perceived “last run” on gasoline in fears of shortages from Hurricane Ike’s impact on Gulf Coast refineries has probably done more harm than good, AAA public affairs specialist Don Lindsey said.
Published reports around Tennessee Friday told of long lines of drivers filling up their tanks because they feared gasoline shortages. The situation was spawned by Internet reports of dwindling gas supplies and the threat of weeks without refined gasoline coming from the Gulf.
“Panic buying brings this on, and that has hurt us, the consumer, and has worsened the situation,” said Lindsey.
“Fuel supplies have been tight for a while, and certainly a little tighter than we would like to see, but there is not a shortage. A shortage means gas stations close or you would have to go up a grade to just get gasoline.
Tennessee AAAAn official with AAA East Tennessee said a perfect storm erupted Friday around the state, and there wasn’t a hurricane in sight.
Consumers lining up for a perceived “last run” on gasoline in fears of shortages from Hurricane Ike’s impact on Gulf Coast refineries has probably done more harm than good, AAA public affairs specialist Don Lindsey said.
Published reports around Tennessee Friday told of long lines of drivers filling up their tanks because they feared gasoline shortages. The situation was spawned by Internet reports of dwindling gas supplies and the threat of weeks without refined gasoline coming from the Gulf.
“Panic buying brings this on, and that has hurt us, the consumer, and has worsened the situation,” said Lindsey.
“Fuel supplies have been tight for a while, and certainly a little tighter than we would like to see, but there is not a shortage. A shortage means gas stations close or you would have to go up a grade to just get gasoline.
A blog "thinker" opines:
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Yes, gas prices jumped as much as 60 cents in less than 12 hours on Friday. And yes, that should be criminal, and it makes me madder than you can know. (How can the price of something jump that much on the PROSPECT of damage–prior to any actual damage happening–and not be illegal?) But the nation is not in a gas shortage crisis… okay? We may have to pay over $4 a gallon right now, but we are not, as a nation, out of gas.
This weekend was a nice little example of why I’m worried about all this media talk of a recession or an economic crisis. You say it enough, we’ll believe it. And once we believe it… you better believe we’ll make it happen just by worrying and freaking out over it. It makes me wonder if these TV financial analysts are actually trying to cause the downfall of our nation’s economy–the way they continue pushing the panic buttons and sensationalizing it. “Is the next Great Depression about to hit America any second now? Tune in to News 2 at 6:00 to find out!”
link.This weekend was a nice little example of why I’m worried about all this media talk of a recession or an economic crisis. You say it enough, we’ll believe it. And once we believe it… you better believe we’ll make it happen just by worrying and freaking out over it. It makes me wonder if these TV financial analysts are actually trying to cause the downfall of our nation’s economy–the way they continue pushing the panic buttons and sensationalizing it. “Is the next Great Depression about to hit America any second now? Tune in to News 2 at 6:00 to find out!”
The thinking frightens me more than the shortages! America's Happy Think Express is on a roll!