Gas Crisis Continues In Charlotte; National Media Ignores
**WELCOME INSTAPUNDIT READERS!**
As of Saturday morning, most of Charlotte-area gas stations still have plastic bags over their pumps and gas hunting cars zipping in, around, and out of their parking lots. WBT-AM reports than only 7 of 80 gas stations surveyed in the Charlotte metro area have gasoline this morning.
Many parts of the Southeast are in a Gas Shortage Crisis, and the National Mainstream Media continues to ignore it.
Anderson Cooper…. where are you, man?
Gas lines remain today; deliveries still promised – Charlotte.com
It appears to be more of the same at gas stations across the Charlotte metro region, with only a fraction of stations selling fuel and long lines forming — despite promises that shipments of gas are on the way.
Lines began forming in the pre-dawn hours Saturday at a number of stations in the Charlotte area.
But officials from AAA Carolinas, government leaders and gasoline distributors say the tanker trucks are coming. A large shipment of fuel was reported to have been sent to Charlotte on Friday. However, some of those experts warned that the shortage won’t end quickly.
This week’s shortage is a result of hurricanes Ike and Gustav, which hit the Gulf Coast earlier this month, disrupting refinery production. Refineries had enough fuel in reserve to stock Southeastern pumps for about a week, but many stations ran out before the refineries could resume full production.
Four of the 17 Houston-area refineries remain closed, with most others in partial or full operation, AAA said.
Charlotte isn’t the only place grappling with a short gas supply, though the area saw the most serious disruptions in the state, with little or no shortages reported in eastern North Carolina, Crosby said. Stations were running out of fuel this week in Florida, Tennessee, Virginia and elsewhere, with the Atlanta area feeling particular pressure, the Associated Press reported.
Just this morning, I canvassed five gas stations in the South Charlotte area and all still had dry fuel tanks. I’m staying home now until I know for sure there will be gas somewhere. I’m running on fumes.
Remember folks, Charlotte is now the 20th largest city in the USA, the 2nd largest banking center in the USA (sorry, San Francisco)Â and North Carolina is the 10th largest state by population in the USA (sorry, New Jersey).
So where is the media focus and questions that a similar crisis in New York or Washington, DC would have attracted as soon as it started?
And Senator McCain — you’d be VERY wise to have you or Sarah come to Charlotte and talk about Energy Independence. You would be very popular right now with that message!
UPDATE: 1:30pm – Finally got gas at my local place. The tanker truck was still there as I pulled up. The wait was shorter than I expected — about 20 minutes. Unlike reports from other parts of Charlotte, my fellow gas-starved residents were orderly and no fights broke out. In fact, there were a couple pumps open for a few minutes — unlike last night when people were cutting each other off and getting into accidents to get to any open pump.
-Bruce (GayPatriot)
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unlike last night when people were cutting each other off and getting into accidents to get to any open pump.
In other words, any normal day in the DC area.
Comment by V the K — September 27, 2008 @ 2:31 pm - September 27, 2008
Western NC is heavy Republican (and no, Charlotte is NOT in WNC!) and the Dem gov doesn’t even vacation up here. It’ll be a long time before it gets better for the mountains of NC.
Comment by rusty shackleford — September 27, 2008 @ 4:02 pm - September 27, 2008
It continues – only 2 gas stations in the south Charlotte now have gas left. I do not understand when the media says there will be deliveries there still are none.
Gay Patriot is right we need Sarah Palin, NOW!!!!!!
Comment by PatriotMom — September 27, 2008 @ 5:06 pm - September 27, 2008
prices here in Texas as silly
I’m in the DFW area. In MAnsfield the Conoco station had fuel. . . at $4.05.9 a gal!!!
Here in Burleson, I havent gotten any yet, but the higher priced places are at $3.59.9 and in town at the Exxon I’m guessing under $3.45.
Diesel is dropping as well, and I’ve seen under $4 at several places.
Comment by JP — September 27, 2008 @ 5:49 pm - September 27, 2008
You should get a tune-up and inflate your tires.
Comment by heliotrope — September 27, 2008 @ 6:05 pm - September 27, 2008
Holy Shit, Michigan’s winning.
Comment by V the K — September 27, 2008 @ 6:41 pm - September 27, 2008
Neal Boortz’s theory is that it is a mistake for government to put price controls in place when there are shortages such as this. I bet you’d have gotten gas MUCH sooner if they could have sold it for $10/gal. Heck, there might even been competition that brought the price lower than $10. So waddaya think, no gas @ $4 or all you want @ $10? Of course, people would tend to buy only what they need instead of stocking up, but…
Same with water, generators, etc. Why bother renting a truck to haul generators to New Orleans if you can’t make a killing? Yet many would be willing–happy–to pay the higher prices, just to get a little normalcy in their lives.
(Charity might do it, but profit does it better and quicker. And charity don’t do gas.)
Comment by Polly — September 27, 2008 @ 7:18 pm - September 27, 2008
Don’t you know that cars are bad for the environment? You should be walking or bicycling, haven’t you read “An Inconvenient Truth”?
Anderson Cooper will not report on this because it does not fit into the MSM desire to see the Great Black Hope elected President
Comment by LCRW — September 27, 2008 @ 7:38 pm - September 27, 2008
Drillhere drillnow. This is a massive failure of the Democrat Congress who were elected with a promise to lower gas prices from the then high of $2.80. So how’s that working out for Nancy?
Comment by Gene in Pennsylvania — September 27, 2008 @ 8:16 pm - September 27, 2008
“Remember folks, Charlotte is now the 20th largest city in the USA, the 2nd largest banking center in the USA … So where is the media focus and questions …”
As a native Charlottean who left several years ago, it has ALWAYS astonished me how much Charlotte is ignored by the national media. It’s bizarre, frankly, because Charlotte is far bigger than many, many cities that get a lot more press play.
I mean, the AP stylebook still calls for the “N.C.” in stories with a Charlotte dateline! It’s just kind of weird.
Comment by Thomas — September 27, 2008 @ 8:26 pm - September 27, 2008
Whoops, sorry about that dangling modifier. Let’s try again:
As a native Charlottean who left several years ago, I have ALWAYS been astonished…
Comment by Thomas — September 27, 2008 @ 8:27 pm - September 27, 2008
McCain should challenge Obama to sign a pledge not to re-enact the presidential moratorium on off-shore drilling.
Comment by V the K — September 27, 2008 @ 8:29 pm - September 27, 2008
Look to the demographics to find your answer. Charlotte’s 34% African American compared to New Orleans’ 67%. “Well, there it is”.
Is that pronounced the same as charlitan?
Comment by ThatGayConservative — September 28, 2008 @ 12:46 am - September 28, 2008
If you’re Jim or Tammy Bakker, yes.
Comment by Thomas — September 28, 2008 @ 11:53 am - September 28, 2008