Is It Price Gouging? Many Questioning Gas Price Spike
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Gas Prices Spike In Tri-Cities In Anticipation...
Gas Prices Spike In Tri-Cities In Anticipation Of Ike?s Impact
Josh Smith, News Channel 11
Related Links
Methods To Report Possible Price Gouging
http://www.tricities.com/tri/news/local/article/methods_to_report_possible_price_gouging/13882/
Bredesen: TN Will Have Adequate Supply of Gasoline
http://www.tricities.com/tri/news/local/article/bredesen_tn_will_have_adequate_supply_of_gasoline/13887/
Is It Price Gouging? Many Questioning Gas Price Spike
http://www.tricities.com/tri/news/local/article/breaking_news_panic_at_the_pumps/13867/
Hurricane Ike Sends Spikes At Gas Pumps
http://www.tricities.com/tri/news/local/consumer/article/hurricane_ike_sends_spikes_at_gas_pumps/13862/
2:45 pm:
Governor Phil Bredesen’s office says the Environmental Protection Agency has provided Tennessee with a waiver to help ensure an adequate supply of gasoline is available in the state. According to a news release from the Governor’s office, Bredesen requested the waiver on September 5th in an effort to “minimize price increases and ensure an adequate supply of gasoline is available in the wake of Hurricane Gustav”.
The release goes on to say, “We’re doing all that we can to make sure Tennesseans have gas that is available and affordable,” said Bredesen. “We will continue to take steps like this to help Tennesseans deal with the impacts of the Gulf area storms and these difficult economic times.”
“Thursday, EPA announced that in coordination with the U.S. Department of Energy it would allow the early use of winter fuel in Tennessee and eight other Southeast states.
“Specific fuel standards are imposed during summer months for counties not attaining the federal ozone standard to help control emissions from motor vehicles. The EPA waiver provides for the temporary suspension of these standards and allows for the sale of available supplies of conventional gasoline that have higher volatility limits. “
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2:37pm:
If you spot what you believe to be price gouging, there are several ways to make reports to the state and national agencies that investigate these claims.
To report possible price gouging to the U.S. Department of Energy, visit this site: http://gaswatch.energy.gov/
In Tennessee, reports can be directed to the Tennessee State Attorney’s Office Consumer Protection Division at 615-741-1671.
In Virginia, call the Virginia Office of Consumer Affairs at 1-800-552-9963 or 804-786-2476.
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2:15pm
If messages posted on Tricities.com and calls in to News Channel 11 are any indication, many Tri-Cities residents are questioning the spike in gas prices today, wondering whether price hikes are for legitimate reasons, gouging on the part of gas station owners or being fueled by a rush to fill up by consumers.
The rush has prompted Tennessee-based gas station chain Pilot Travel Centers to urge customers to fill up as “they normally would”. AAA East Tennessee spokesman Don Lindsey told a Knoxville news organization that there was a run Thursday on gas stations in the area fueled by speculation about the impact of Hurricane Ike on gas supplies and refineries in the Gulf Coast. That prompted the release fo a statement by Pilot Travel Centers CEO Jimmy Haslam today stating that all stores are operating normally and they are working to keep an adequate supply of fuel available. According to Pilot’s Web site, gas prices in Tennessee were about $3.99 for regular unleaded on Friday morning.
Lindsey said some stations in East Tennessee were overrun with customers and ran out of the cheapest unleaded gas, but said customers should not panic.
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It’s been a frustrating day for many drivers who were trying to get gas this morning.
News Channel Eleven’s Bill Christian says there were longs lines at several places like the Chevron on North Roan Street in Johnson City as people were driving around trying to find stations whose prices were still fairly low.
The Food City in Boones Creek was out of gas late this morning, and more are expected to run out throughout the day as more and more people rush to fill their tanks.
News Channel Eleven’s Josh Smith and Bill Christian agree the panic at the pumps reminded them of what happened around the time Hurricane Katrina hit, and gas prices spiked to above 3 dollars a gallon.
Gas prices are soaring today in the Tri-Cities Region as Hurricane Ike moves toward the Texas Coast.
News Channel 11 crews are tracking the price spike, and we’ll have updates throughout the day on News Channel 11.
Prices this morning were in the $3.50 to $3.60 range. By the lunch hour, prices for regular gas had spiked to over $3.95 a gallon.
A Bristol Herald Courier reporter spotted gas on the Volunteer Parkway in Bristol at more than $4 for a gallon of regular gas.
Callers tell us some stations are limiting gas sales at 10 gallons. Other stations reportedly are out of gas.
Pump Patrol in Tricities.com’s Wallet Watch blog is your means to track gas price trends here and across the country. Click here for details.
Stay with TriCities.Com and News Channel 11 for more on this developing story throughout the day.
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Reader Reactions
Price Gouging? Seems to me in a later news report government officials couldn’t even answer questions about what is considered price gouging. As for the local station so called Owners, there prices are set by big companys that only give them a set percentage of sales. The normal Owner/Operator makes on average .04-.06 a gallon if it is 2.00/a gal. or 5.00/a gal. In most cases these stores or owned by Company’s from outside this area. It’s no secret that government deregulated these Company’s giving them the power to do what they want, government also let big Company’s buy out alot of the smaller ones giving a few major oil companies control over us all. And who owns stock in most of these companies our top elected officials. Least we not forget our leader and chief himself made most of his money coming from Texas from Oil. As for the pricings changing so quickly it was brought on by the media making a scare, causing people to run out to fill up most stations ran out. Everyone know’s that comsumer goods is priced by supply and demand. And yesterday the demand was high and the supply low causing most to run out and prices to go up.
This very apparent of the price gouging when a store clerk tells you on Thursday about 5:30pm that gas will go up by 40 cents or more per gallon the day before. Gouging was evident when the store knows the day before the spike hits at the pumps. Go ask the clerk and the manager at the APPCO on Boones Creek Road. These are the folks who relayed the information on Thursday about the increase.
If you go to Tennessee Consumer affairs website, the information requested is only for only station only at a time. How do you report the entire region. This website is not for the actions of the gas stations now.
THIS ACT IS GOUGING!!!! The government can say whatever they want, however we are the people who pays the price.
We can only blame this panic and price gouging on ourselves! We panic and we go purchase gas at the dealers that are gouging. How dumb can we be? We elect the do nothing local and state politicians that do nothing about situations like this. How dumb can we be? Where are the Sarah Palin’s of Tennessee. Where are the honest people that want to run for office that are sick and tired of the corruption and unfair politics? Take a hard look at what Palin has done for Alaska. Forget her party affiliations and look at the person. Her dedication to serving her people is why she was picked for VP. We could learn a lot from her philosophy and her attitude to make our state and local governments better. Lets get rid of this corruption and do nothing politicians that only line their pockets. Do you for one minute think Palin would have allowed these gas gouging stations to gouge her people like our local administrators have done around here? When we get to the bottom line we can only blame ourselves for this present nonsense. We all know that this was price gouging don’t we? There is no doubt about it and it was widespread around our area. Now lets see what kind of action is taken against these owners! Bottom line - it is up to each and every one of us to demand action on this issue. If we don’t get action that is appropriate then we need to replace those elements that are do nothings and find the right people that will fight for us the citizens of this community. If we sit back and allow a lackadaisical attitude to prevail then when you are pointing that finger at a specific person remember that there are three fingers pointing back at yourself. Try it and see for yourself. Those three fingers pointing back at yourself is an excellent indicator where the main problem lies. It is up to each and every one of us to take action and stop pointing fingers at others. Blame begins with each of us so isn’t it about time to take responsibility and do something about the situation? Look at the people of Alaska - they took responsibility and got the right person in power that was for the people and not the crooks and do nothings. Lets all learn from that situation. IT can be done!
Ahh!!! People drive me crazy sometimes. First of all, the government is not price gouging. The gas companies are solely responsible. For example, Food City chose not to raise its prices at all. The government is actually decreasing summer fuel consumption regulations so that distributors can get more fuel to the consumers as soon as possible. Second, if you actually stopped at a station that was charging 17 bucks a gallon, it’s your own fault for buying it. And just to correct the original article, the Food City in Boones Creek didn’t run out of gas until almost 8:00 PM.
I started calling every state representitive i could since the first storm hit.The Gov.s office could not give me a clear answer and also LT. Gov.Ramsy’s either. All That was told to me was that the Fed.Government set the prices and that the storms was the cause. When I put forth the question of gas that was in the ground and prices raising as much as a $1.10 in a few hours Nothing could be said as to why, by either office.I also contacted rogers petroleum (phone # is 1-800-264-7460) who supply most stations in this area and talked to MR. Yeager who informed me that the supply line from Louisiana was out and now the one from Texas is too.when asked why the prices were going up so much before gas was delivered to the stations He couldn’t or wouldn’t give me an answer. If everyone can recall when katrina hit they said it was because a shortage of oil. Now it is a shortage of gas.If someone can find out how much the distributors have in stock then we will find out who is gouging. Also remember that there has not been any refineries built in this country in many years and many have been closed due to too many regulations placed on us by people who proclaim they are saving the planet. We the people run this country and it is about time we took it back. I say vote them all out and put in the ones who will let us drill and build refineries and put them in places where things like a storm won’t raise the price by 1 or 2 or even 3 dollars a gallon. Oil dropped below one hundred dollars a barrel today before setteling at $100.96 lower than Katrina. So they must find another reason to raise prices. “VOTE”
If you spot what you believe to be price gouging, there are several ways to make reports to the state and national agencies that investigate these claims.
To report possible price gouging to the U.S. Department of Energy, visit this site: http://gaswatch.energy.gov/
In Tennessee, reports can be directed to the Tennessee State Attorney’s Office Consumer Protection Division at 615-741-1671.
In Virginia, call the Virginia Office of Consumer Affairs at 1-800-552-9963 or 804-786-2476.
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I don’t understand how a storm dictates fuel prices. Years upon years, storms have come and gone through the gulf, and gas didn’t skyrocket. This never happened until after Katrina. We as Americans need to stop being motivated by fear and moved to do foolish things. What started this madness…?? Our lovely news media, that’s who. They mentioned it, scared you to death, and here we are. Oil companies are lovin’ every minute of it and laughing all the way to the bank.
Hey Tri Cities!! Just talked to my brother in Shepherd, texas, right in the bullseye of the Hurricane. he bought gas just a little while ago, $3.32 a gallon there in the storm area. So, Who is getting ripped off here??????
My boyfriends dad was getting gas at the Chevron at the corner of Lee Hwy and Valley Dr. today in Bristol Va. He started pumping his gas, and when he got about $2.00 pumped in the pump stopped. The clerk came out and told him that the price was going up.He told them that he would go somewhere else and get his gas. You would think that if you had already started pumping your gas that they would have to sell it to you at whatever it was when you started. It should be illegal to be able to stop the pumps just so they can raise the prices.
IT WAS REPORTED EARLIER ON A INTERNET SITE THAT WHEN THE PRICE OF A BARRELL OF OIL RAISES $1.00 THAT THE PRICE AT THE PUMP RAISES 2.5 CENTS ON A GALLON OF GAS. OIL PRICES HAS DROPPED
$47.OO ON A BARRELL OF GAS.
47 X 2.5 = AROUND $1.17 . WHY HASN’T THE PRICE OF GAS DROPPED ACCORDINGLY
SOUNDS LIKE BIG PRICE GOUGING TO ME.
BY OIL COMPANIES AND GAS STATIONS
Are these not the same poor little store owners that were telling us they were not the crooks over the last couple of years. One store at 4.55 a gallon is the one interviewed by this paper and was going to run the crooks driving off without paying down in her souped up Mustang. Maybe we need to get us a Mustang cause we just found the crook.
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