The great gas shortage and hoarding

[MaineDolFan]

The pipeline ransomware thing is a precursor for (maybe) some larger things at play with gas issues coming; the industry has a massive labor shortage (something like 20-25% fewer drivers - and it is a very specialized field).  I think we could be in for a little bit of a rocky path with fuels (if nothing else, price spikes).  I think you Florida peeps (and some of you in the south) are experiencing some of the "shortages" now (due to the pipe line being down).

This brings me to my question, on hoarding.  I get how someone could hoard an item like toilet paper, or a food item, to the best of the ability (within their means).  I'm seeing all over Twitter, leaders pleading for folks not to hoard.  How the hell do you hoard gas?

[ArtieChokePhin]

You fill up your tanks.  Then you buy as many of those plastic red containers with the yellow nozzles as you can and fill them all up as well.

[CF DolFan]

What Artiechoke said. Floridians hoard fuel during every hurricane.

[dolphins4life]

You fill up your tanks.  Then you buy as many of those plastic red containers with the yellow nozzles as you can and fill them all up as well.

  Sounds dangerous

[ArtieChokePhin]

  Sounds dangerous

Not if you store the containers properly.  They need to be in a cool and well ventilated area. 

[Phishfan]

CF nailed it. Floridians make a run on gas several times a year. It pisses me off.

[pondwater]

Surprised no one has manufactured a way to blame it on Trump. YET!!!!! lmfao.............

[Dave Gray]

I don't think filling your tank is hoarding gas.

I did that today.  That's just preparation.  I do that before every hurricane or whenever there are events that may lead to not having the supplies I need.

Hoarding is otherwise taking more than you need -- filling up additional containers, essentially.

[Tenshot13]

I fill up my tank every time I go to the pump, so it was business as usual for me.

[Dave Gray]

Maybe I'm part of the problem.

I definitely got up this morning, saw that there was a shortage on gas and that some pumps were dry, realized I have half a talk and thought "oh, shit.  I don't want to get stuck without gas."  So, I went and filled up this morning.

The first station I drove past was out of gas.  There was a small line at the 2nd place.

I realize that I'm contributing to the shortage by moving the demand of my half-a-tank up by about a week, when I'd normally get the gas.  I just didn't want to risk it.

I was the same with TP, back when it was hard to get.  I normally buy a package, but when you know it's super scarce, I would buy two so that I didn't run out.  And even then, things got a little iffy for a while and I had to share or borrow with family and friends.

Panic increases demand, but some of it is justified.

[ArtieChokePhin]

Maybe I'm part of the problem.

I definitely got up this morning, saw that there was a shortage on gas and that some pumps were dry, realized I have half a talk and thought "oh, shit.  I don't want to get stuck without gas."  So, I went and filled up this morning.

The first station I drove past was out of gas.  There was a small line at the 2nd place.

I realize that I'm contributing to the shortage by moving the demand of my half-a-tank up by about a week, when I'd normally get the gas.  I just didn't want to risk it.

I was the same with TP, back when it was hard to get.  I normally buy a package, but when you know it's super scarce, I would buy two so that I didn't run out.  And even then, things got a little iffy for a while and I had to share or borrow with family and friends.

Panic increases demand, but some of it is justified.

Turns out the panic is overblown because Florida doesn't get its gas from the pipeline in question.   We got played like fiddles and now gas will go up.

[Phishfan]

Turns out the panic is overblown because Florida doesn't get its gas from the pipeline in question.   We got played like fiddles and now gas will go up.

Who did the playing? News sources were saying a day ago there was no need for concern. People created their own panic it seems. No help was needed.

[Phishfan]

Damn, you Florida folks.  I mean, I get hurricanes are no joke.  Blizzards aren't either, losing your power in mid-January with temps in the day topping out in the 20's, lows maybe at 5 and losing power for 10-20 days at a time.  We don't do that in Maine.

Dave, I don't see what you did as "hoarding," you topped off your tank.  Hoarding = taking more than you need.

There is a difference though. Da e recognized he wasn't hoarding but pushing gas purchases up a week sooner than normal, when there was no shortage except for  buying gas that wasn't needed, is the exact problem we experienced. Gas stations only hold so much at a time and that was our only shortage. The supply chain is fine.

[masterfins]

If everyone stops driving for two weeks we can flatten the curve...

[Dave Gray]

I see all of these posts on Facebook making fun and blaming hoarding, but I think it's overblown.  I can't imagine very many people are filling up buckets with gas.  I think it's people like me, who don't want to be put in a position not to have gas later in the week, so they're not confident to let their tank drop to the normal level before re-filling.

And I'm seeing some friends say that they had to drive to 7 gas stations before they could find gas to get to work.

I wouldn't call it hoarding, but I am not comfortable waiting for my gas tank to empty before starting to look for gas again.  I can definitely see myself driving less until this cools a bit, though.