This morning there was gas at the Hot Spot and BP station on Sweeten Creek Rd or 25A in Asheville NC or at least there was a line of cars going into those stations. Apparently, the gas shortage is effecting the entire Southeast. The news is saying that the shortages should be over anywhere from 5 days and up. In reading various blogs around the country on this issue, I came across one posting saying that they lived in Texas and they had plenty of gas and it was below 4 dollars a gallon. Another posting blame the politicians for creating this shortage in order to get our votes. Yet another posting blamed the oil companies for trying to get more money out of the consumer. People are getting into fights. The tension is rising. Police are present at some gas stations to help deter trouble. UNCA sent a email to all students advising them to take the bus, rent a bike, carpool or use the campus shuttle for transportation. Don’t fill up gas cans either cause that is just contributing to the problem. If you don’t have to absolutely go somewhere, then stay home.

I went to UNCA via I-240 today and taking the Merrimon Ave. exit near downtown Asheville NC. I had just heard on the radio that traffic was backing up here. Gas lines were forming as the Exxon station had gas. I was lucky I got there before it backed up onto I-240 and I wasn’t late for class. Anyway, on the way home, 3 hours later, there was no lines there cause the station had run out of gas. However, the gas station next to the First Citizens Bank on Hendersonville Rd. had gas. The police was there to prevent any trouble cause fights are breaking out at gas stations as tensions rise. (Many people have waited a long time in line just to be turned away cause the gas had just run out.) Traffic was backing up and causing a bottleneck up to the CVS drug store when I passed at noon today. There have been a lot of wrecks due to the gas lines spilling over into the highways. I heard that this shortage should be over by Friday. I sure hope so, cause my gas will just make it to then.

Today, I took my son to work. As I was coming back, I saw a lady filling up gas cans apparently to stockup. So, I pulled in to fill my car up thinking there was gas there. There was no line. Anyway, as I got out of my car, a few other cars pulled in and pulled out. There was no gas at the other pumps. Meanwhile, this lady is still filling up a gas can, I am guessing, but I’d say she had filled up more than one. This is the very reason we have no gas here in Asheville. Not only does it contribute to the gas shortage, it also is a potential hazard. If a car carrying many filled gas cans is hit by another car, it most likely will cause an explosion. If a person in the car, lights a cigarette, it too could cause an explosion, too. Anyway, back to the gas shortage. There are fights breaking out over gas. This morning a man got in a fight with another over gas in West Asheville. The radio said that police are now keeping the peace at that gas station. My son went to Clemson SC last night. They filled up in South Carolina. He told me, gas was $3.60 a gallon and there was plenty of it. So, all you hoarders, go to South Carolina, so you can save a buck, and leave our gas pumps alone so we can get gas to go to work.