A week ago projections indicated that Hurrican Ike would hit the North Carolina coast. It took a different path (I hope all in Ike's path are safe) and today some of us in North Carolina are hoping that we're seeing Ike's worst damage at the gas pumps. (Live Blog on Hurricane Ike)
From our local news:
A gas station in Asheboro is selling gas at a whopping $4.95/gallon but one station in Lexington is charging customers $5.35/gallon. The Lexington station says that they purchased 3,000 gallons from their supplier today at a gost of $3.31/gallon.
One gas station (from link above) was still at $3.58 a few hours ago and the wait was about 45 minutes. While one co-worker sat in line for his $3.59/gallon fill-up at lunch time today, the price 2 miles down the road increased by 50 cents per gallon.
Fifty cents per gallon in 45 minutes? Price gouging, anyone?
North Carolina's Attorney General released this statement earlier today:
"People are understandably frustrated that already high gas prices are rising so quickly. I urge the governor to trigger the price gouging law and we stand ready to take consumer complaints. I encourage gas stations to avoid panic price increases and consumers to avoid panic fill-ups."
If you have a complaint of gas gouging, you can contact the Attorney General's office at 1-887-5-NO-SCAM.
About an hour ago, this was posted:
Raleigh, N.C. — Gov. Mike Easley on Friday implemented the state's price-gouging law as gas prices jumped amid fears that Hurricane Ike would cripple U.S. refining capacity.
...
Under North Carolina law, the governor must make a disaster or emergency declaration or proclaim an abnormal market disruption for critical goods and services for the state Attorney General's Office to investigate and prosecute allegations of price gouging. The law applies to all levels of the supply chain, from manufacturers and distributors to retailers.
...
Easley said in a statement. "Wholesale gas prices are up less than 20 cents a gallon over the last few days. Therefore, consumers should not see prices rise substantially more than this rise in the wholesale price."
Some advice from Attorney General Roy Cooper we'd all be wise to consider:
"People are understandably frustrated that already high gas prices are rising so quickly," Cooper said in a statement. "I encourage gas stations to avoid panic price increases and consumers to avoid panic fill-ups."
I think it's good advice, and is essentially what I had planned to do, but my nearest co-worker is trying to decide if he should keep his scheduled raquetball match today after work; it will be about 15 miles round trip and he isn't sure using that much gas "just for recreation" is prudent right now. Working people (middle class, anyone?) shouldn't have to ponder driving 15 miles after a long week of work.
And look: ExxonMobil stock is doing fine today.
1.58(+2.09%) 3:04:38 PM
Where are you and what's happening with gas prices today? (Not just in North Carolina - around the U.S.)