I have about an hour each way commute into work and back home everyday. Today that commute coming home took about 2 hours. Why? It definitely wasn't traffic, as that's been a little lighter since gas prices spiked.
I was running out of gas. And couldn't find a gas station that had any. I tried 3 gas stations in Antioch (about 10 minutes southeast of Nashville) they were all out. The 4th in Antioch only had premium only. And I'm sorry folks. But if I'm paying over $4 a gallon for gas, all gas should be premium. Don't tell me I'm paying $4.29 for the "cheap stuff". Because it is not that. Its not "cheap gas" anyway you slice it. So I said screw it. I'll get it downtown.
Well as I'm coasting on fumes I find a truck stop inside Nashville that has gas, but I had to wait in line. I was 7 cars deep in my gas pump lane at a station that had 10 lines. At this point in my commute I was getting a little on the pissed side. But what could I do? I was on fumes and couldn't risk the next exit being out.
So I wait forever and finally get my gas. This was at about 6 Central. I make it home (about 30 minutes north of Nashville) and my wife comes in telling me about how the Kroger and another gas station here in my small town is sold out. So now I'm starting to get concerned.
About 10 minutes ago my mom called and said that Brentwood (the wealthy suburb of Nashville, about 5-10 minutes south of Nashville) was completely out. She couldn't find a station that had gas of any type whatsoever.
So I guess the point of this diary (if I can find one) is to ask if anyone else out there is having this problem anywhere else, and does anyone have any idea on how long it may last.
Also completely unrelated to this post, but its my diary damn it, this bailout that Paulson is thinking about for the financials, sounds like a complete scam to me. Sounds like something completely illegal if it were a private company doing it. Plus its going to be bailing out the rich at the expense of us middle class suckers. Who knows how much deeper this will plunge our country into debt. I heard one analyst on CNN say atleast a trillion dollars. Well that just sounds lovely doesn't it?