Panic spreads, gas prices soar

Gas prices peaked at an average of approximately $3.03 this Wednesday, flooding Milledgeville’s gas stations with suspicious consumers and backing up traffic into the streets.

Governor Sonny Perdue appeared on television Wednesday afternoon to stop rumors of wide-spread gas shortages and ask Georgians not to rush to the pump to fill up their tanks if they didn’t need gas.

However, local gas stations were crowded for hours throughout the afternoon with consumers who didn’t want to take any chances.

Milledgeville police received numerous calls reporting potential fights and traffic from gas station parking lots.

“We’re getting calls of people being mad because traffic is backed up into the roads,” Lt. Judy Theocharides said. “If you listen to the news, they’re saying we are not going to have gas for up to 10 days.”

Prices at Texaco The Market on 441 topped $3.49 Wednesday. Freshman Brittany Easler, 18, waited at the pumps in a line of over 20 cars.

“One of my friends who lives in Perry called me last night and told me that gas prices were going up fast,” Easler said. “I have three-quarters of a tank but my mom told me to go ahead and fill up.”

Although Easler rushed to the pump to fill up before prices increased again, she said her driving habits are unlikely to change as a result of the price hikes.

Alabama resident Andy Nall currently has no power in his home, located 45 minutes outside of Mobile, as a result of Hurricane Katrina. He said the sudden increase is illegal and unethical.

It’s obvious price-gouging. It outrages me,” Nall said. “The price wouldn’t jump that much for it to go to $3.49. It’s obvious taking advantage of a situation.”

Perdue told the Atlanta Journal Constitution that he will not tolerate price-gouging and that reports of gas prices as high as $6 a gallon throughout the state are obvious instances of price-gouging. Perdue said he plans to fine any businesses guilty of price-gouging.

Perdue’s office said they could implement Georgia’s anti-price-gouging law and declare a state of emergency.

Shortly after locals began crowding the pumps, a press release appeared on GC&SU’s InfoPage advising students and staff not to panic and rush to the pumps. The release said university officials will continue to monitor the situation and post necessary updates.

Director of Public Safety Ken Vance said the university shuttle system is running on a normal schedule, and he advises people not to listen to circulating rumors.

“Paranoia feeds itself,” Vance said. “When everybody goes out and gets gas, they create the problem they’re worried about.”

Prior to the price increases that occurred over much of metro-Atlanta and Central Georgia mid-week, President George W. Bush announced that federal petroleum reserves would be utilized to assist refiners affected by Hurricane Katrina. CNN reported that 95 percent of the oil output in the Gulf of Mexico was out of service as of Tuesday.

Perdue said it is important for people not to panic.

“There is plenty of gas on the way,” Perdue said in the interview. “There does appear to be some spot shortages in unbranded, spot-purchasing service stations. We expect that to be a temporary problem.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 2 2005. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry