Apparently there was a rumor going around earlier today that Florida was facing a gas shortage because of Hurricane Ike. While this is not true, it didn't stop people from making a run on the gas stations. I just got back from checking this out in Tallahassee, and I could not find a gas station that was either out of gas, or had a line of 40+ cars going into it.

 

Supposedly the same thing is happening in Gainesville, Central Florida, and South Florida. I don't know how bad it is elsewhere, but there is virtually no gas up here right now.

I didn't notice any of it at the stations by me in Miami-Dade.

the prices at gas stations up here are rising by the hour it seems.

 

I left for work this morning & it was 3.48 at one station, I passed it at lunch & it was up to 3.63, then on my way home it was 3.79.

I have heard in the far South East that gas has been going up by the hour. I have not seen it up here in VA.. yet.

Friend in South Carolina said it had jumped over 5 there.

I went by one tonight in Tallahassee and it had jumped from 3.63 earlier today to 4.21

One of many articles

 

This is insane.

gotta love that price gouging.

I drove around a lot of town today in Tallahassee, and I saw maybe one gas station open. That one was charging $5.36 for regular.

 

Other than that, there is NO GAS IN THIS CITY.

As I went through the day, the prices were going up and Up and UP!

I'm sick of hearing this is price gouging, btw. It's people panicking and making a run on the gas stations, causing them to run out of gas, thus having to close up shop and not being able to sell the high profit margin items inside the store like coke, candy, beer etc. etc. Here is a quick business tip - closing your business for the day = not being able to make anymore money for the day = bad.

 

They can't run out of gas so they jack up the prices in order to make enough margin that when they do close up shop, they make some money. These aren't criminals gouging our money.