MetaChat - Today would be a good day to fill up your tank

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29 August 2005

Today would be a good day to fill up your tank I just got a message from a friend who works for a fuel management company (the people who supply gas to gas stations). She says that her suppliers have stopped filling orders. That means that if you do not fill up your tank today you may not be able to later in the week, or at least will have to wait in line for the privilege. →[More:]

post by: cali at: 16:21 | 31 comments

I also hear that Stephen King died last night, or something

posted by matteo 29 August | 16:22

The company she works for supplies Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, Pensylvania and WV, but if it's affecting her region I would imagine other regions will be affected as well.

Supplies should be back on target in 10 days or so assuming the refineries in Louisiana start right back up. The refineries are the bottleneck, federal reserve are in crude oil and will need to be processed so that's not helpful in the short term.

Just an FYI.

posted by cali 29 August | 16:22

Reminds me of Flash Gordon, with the meteorological mayhem of Ming the Merciless.

"...is no cause for alarm."

posted by Hugh Janus 29 August | 16:24

I didn't mean to go all doomsday on you, it's not a permanent problem. But gas shortages suck.

posted by cali 29 August | 16:26

On a scale of 1 to 10 for reliability here, what would you rate your friend? No disrespect intended--I am actually traveling to Indiana in a couple of days and was going to be driving all over the state.

So basically I'm wondering if I shit my pants now or later . . . or if maybe (hopefully for me) your friend is given to exaggeration.

posted by sirmissalot 29 August | 16:42

I heard that there was a high-ranking shareholder of a certain Fortune 500 company who attended a benefit fundraiser. This happened a week ago. The shareholder had been introduced to a number of community leaders and labor representatives, and was in the middle of telling an anecedote when someone dropped a fork by accident.

Three days later, 9,000 people were either fired, relocated, or laid off from their jobs.

posted by Smart Dalek 29 August | 16:46

Sirmissalot, I recommend immediate, prolonged pants-shitting, now and later. Cover all the bases, you know?

posted by Hugh Janus 29 August | 16:48

I'm willing to bet on an initial price jump in average gas price to be at least $.25 per gallon. It'll go way up from there, of course.

posted by puke & cry 29 August | 16:53

someone dropped a fork by accident

Are you sure some dude didn't drop a spoon? And then the ninja flipped out and killed the whole town?

posted by gramschmidt 29 August | 16:56

I trust that she is telling the truth about not being able to supply her accounts. But I don't know (and she doesn't know) how temporary the problem will be or how many markets it will affect. And her company is not the only fuel supplier for the region either, but I consider her problem to be indicative of a general problem. She's never experienced this before, but she's only worked there for a couple years.

I'm not saying you should panic or start stockpiling, I'm just saying that it could be an expensive royal pain in the neck to fill your tank later in the week.

posted by cali 29 August | 16:57

No, gramschmidt. He fired the ninja too.

posted by Smart Dalek 29 August | 17:00

As if gas prices weren't already making me happy I own a Prius.

posted by me3dia 29 August | 17:01

I can handle a stiff increase in gas prices. I can handle a run on gas. What I cannot handle is no gas. Gaslessness is not an option. I wonder if one can rent a moped at Hertz. Or possibly a recombinant bicycle?

Good lord, I'm going to get stuck in fucking Indiana.

What.
The.
Fuck.
Gaia?

(Thanks for the additional details, cali. Unfortunately it sounds as if your friend is fairly reasonable.)

posted by sirmissalot 29 August | 17:03

an expensive royal pain in the neck to fill your tank later in the week.

I arrive on Thursday evening. Wunderbar.

I guess I shouldn't complain too much. It's not like my house just disappeared . . .

posted by sirmissalot 29 August | 17:05

a recombinant bicycle?

a genetically engineered schwinn?

posted by quonsar 29 August | 17:12

*searches for her bicycle's gas tank*

posted by mudpuppie 29 August | 17:13

Remember that if you get into a tight spot, you can always siphon petrol out of your neighbour's tank.

posted by cmonkey 29 August | 17:22

this is like going back to the 70s. will there be alt days for fillups and stuff like back then?

posted by amberglow 29 August | 17:27

sirmissalot, no gas is a worst-case scenario. More likely is that some stations will run out and there will be lines and high prices at the others. And it's also possible that my friend Kim is overreacting and you won't run into a problem at all. If that's the case then I will happily admit my foolishness in posting this and never listen to her again. :)

posted by cali 29 August | 17:27

recombinant bicycle

Recumbent. I'm an idiot. An idiot headed straight into the vast gassless plains of Indiana . . .

posted by sirmissalot 29 August | 17:31

That's okay sirmissalot, I got a package of socks yesterday that said it had "reciprocated heels and toes" and "no-raval edges".

posted by Specklet 29 August | 17:38

Luckily I'm only taking two classes this semester and their both online. I'm gonna to grow a beard.

posted by puke & cry 29 August | 17:38

Well at least one thing is looking up: Ass, Grass ~~or Gas~~, nobody rides for free.

posted by verdant 29 August | 17:42

Is this how urban legends get started?

posted by Marxchivist 29 August | 17:59

gonna to

posted by puke & cry 29 August | 18:00

Had to move my vehicle (which has been about as reliable as MetaFilter lately) for the urban street sweeper, and made a quick stop at the ARCO/BP/AMPM to top it off at $2.67.9, a price I expect to never see again...

posted by wendell 29 August | 18:16

*laughs while charging his electric scooter, polishing his 500cc road racing single and caresses the five gallon jerry can of premium stashed safely away.*

posted by warbaby 29 August | 18:19

puke and cry-
~~their~~ they're
;D

posted by Wedge 29 August | 18:21

The intelligent design folks are looking for you after that comment, sirmissalot. You got some 'splainin to do.

Oh, and there already has been some gas-stealing going on here in Colorado. Apparently people drill into gas tanks to get the gas since many folks have taken to using locking gas caps.

posted by eekacat 29 August | 18:52

Sure am glad I don't know how to drive.

posted by interrobang 29 August | 19:13

puke and cry-
their they're
;D

Blast!

posted by puke & cry 29 August | 19:25

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