Johnson City, Tennessee -$3.49/gal yesterday, flash forward to 12:00 today - $5.49/gal

[TornadoTN]

I have contacted Governor Phil Bredesen's office as well as the local media - to my surprise the local media has been all over this, characterizing it as "panic buying" and "price gouging".

Governor Bredesen's office is working on a plan to combat this and the staffer that I contacted told me that they are in contact with the Federal Government for their help on this as well. I asked about the strategic petroleum reserve and the staffer told me that it is being brought up in conversations with the government. Also urging that they are activating the Attorney General's office to deal with price gouging.


At least one Governor seems to be taking this seriously.

[fasttense]

1. Oh crap, I'm going to Johnson City for a doctor's appointment today.

I think I'll buy my gas in Greeneville. Thanks for the warning.

[TornadoTN]

2. Good luck out that way

It's apparently pretty bad all around the TRI, but a colleague of mine says its holding at $3.95 in Greenville but places are running out. In Johnson City, the lines are very, very long if the stations have gas at all - and the pricing is all over the place.

[michreject]

17. I'm going to Greeneville Monday

This sux.

[negativenihil]

3. WHAT!?

a $2 hike over a 24hr period? that's flat out insane.

[TornadoTN]

5. Yes - our media is putting out the names of the stations and giving the info to contact DOE

And the TN attorney general. I'm really surprised they are taking this as seriously as they are. They've got a team out just watching gas stations and reporting the price changes and trying to find out why they made the decision to raise them. They've been in contact with the suppliers and apparently they have supply for normal situation, but the panic buying is causing the stations to run out and the price fluctuations are "mind boggling" to the supplier.

Yes, $5.49 - in 24 hours.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

4. Excellent, because gouging is what it is.

Here's the latest NYMEX prices:

PRICE* CHANGE % CHANGE TIME
Nymex Crude Future 101.38 .51 .51 12:39
Dated Brent Spot 95.40 -.49 -.51 13:08
WTI Cushing Spot 101.47 .87 .86 12:03


PETROLEUM (¢/gal)
PRICE* CHANGE % CHANGE TIME
Nymex Heating Oil Future 293.94 2.39 .82 12:39
Nymex RBOB Gasoline Future 278.04 3.16 1.15 12:38<--==


NATURAL GAS ($/MMBtu)
PRICE* CHANGE % CHANGE TIME
Nymex Henry Hub Future 7.48 .23 3.17 12:38
Henry Hub Spot 7.77 .11 1.44 09/11
New York City Gate Spot 8.20 .18 2.24 09/11

These guys are doing whatever they can to screw people. They should be hauling them to jail right now.

[Ghost in the Machine]

6. Someone told me last night that it was $4.79 in Athens...

I haven't been out in 2 days, so I can't say for sure... I'm not seeing it here:
http://www.tennesseegasprices.com/index.aspx?s=Y&fuel=A&area=Athens&tme_limit=48&site=Tennessee&srch=0&list=0 but it seems it hasn't been updated today..

Phil Bredesen is a great Governor, isn't he?

[TornadoTN]

7. I have a lot of respect for Bredesen - we're lucky to have him

I'm glad to hear he's out in front of this thing, because the businesses here in this state will take any opportunity to screw consumers - they've been able to do it so long.

[sarcasmo]

8. Price Gouging, dirt fucking gas station owners.

Can't blame big oil on this one, it's the gas station owners, the fuel is already at the station.

[RB TexLa]

9. No one's ever convicted on these disaster price "gouging" things.

[TornadoTN]

11. That's a shame too

A $2.00 swing in 24 hours is blatantly pathetic. The people are stretched to the limit as it is, I don't think they'll put up with this bullshit. Maybe they'll hold the Government to account.

[Lars39]

20. In the past there has been very heavy fines for price fixing in TN.

The county I used to live in had the price of gas reduced for a few years because of a judgement against the Luthers, who owned several gas stations. Hopefully price gouging will result in major fines and/or prison sentences.

[akwapez]

10. Here in Chattanooga, there were rumors yesterday of this coming overnight

Gas is still at $3.51, only one problem THERE IS NO GAS. All stations between my house and work were out of 87 and 89 octane due to the overreaction. So I assume if there was gas to be had the price would be higher. There was panic last night at rush hour. Lines down the street, I heard of fights actually breaking out at the pumps.

[TornadoTN]

12. The rumors are making things worse

All of the panic buying and rumor mongering is making everyone with an engine run out and suck the pumps dry whether they need it or not. My wife went out today at 1:00 from work to get gas in her car, and she said that she had never seen people behave like this - fighting for location, horns blaring, confrontations - all in 10 minutes at the gas station.

[TornadoTN]

13. *Update* TN Oil Marketers are saying that there is no shortage

In the face of the outages across the state, they have made the statement that there is no shortage.

Reminds me of this guy:

[malaise]

14. Same in South Carolina

Disaster capitalism at work. They should lock up these criminals

[TornadoTN]

16. "Shock Doctrine" at work

Naomi Kline nailed this subject in her book - Disaster Capitalism at its finest. This is country-wide, I don't think many people are going to be forgiving this time.

[SweetieD]

15. Wow that's insane! I haven't seen gas gouging her in NV yet.

[TornadoTN]

18. *UPDATE TWO* Knoxville Hit Hard, Dead-Red Republicans pissed,crying theft!

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/sep/12/knoxville-gas-prices-rising-hurricane-threatens-su/

This is a crisis, no doubt, but people are outraged and might finally be waking up to this bullshit.

[anigbrowl]

19. request for help - photos

I'm actually working (when not posting on DU...erm) on a documentary about the price of gas. If you could email me any links to photos (preferably high res) of gas stations displaying such prices, it would be much appreciated.

[TornadoTN]

22. I'll be glad to help - shoot me a message with your e-mail

Also, Tri-Cities.com has some great imagery of the chaos around here as well.

[nashville_brook]

21. hey Johnson City!

I'm "from" there. Just so cool to log on to DU and see "Johnson City" on the Greatest Page. Just had to say "hello!"

Gas is 3.59 in Orlando right now. Damn right there's gouging going on up there.

[TornadoTN]

23. *UPDATE 3* Gas is almost completely out - prices still rising, some at $6.00

Most are empty - many are unsure if or when they will even get a resupply.