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The average price of gas in Hampton Roads began to rise this weekend following Hurricane Ike’s arrival in Texas on Saturday.
Gas jumped about 14 cents over the weekend, according to the AAA Web site The average price in Hampton Roads is reported tonight at $3.646 per gallon. That’s an increase from $3.482 on Friday and $3.552 on Saturday.
That average price rose throughout the day today as more stations incrementally reported updated prices on the AAA Web site. Some had not been updated since Friday or Saturday. Shortly before noon, the average price of regular unleaded gasoline in the area was $3.621 per gallon.
In northeastern North Carolina, the average price was $3.886 tonight, according to an average of stations reporting on the AAA Web site, versus $3.616 last week.
Pump prices jumped above $5 a gallon in some parts of the country today as Ike, which caused less destruction than feared, left refineries and pipelines idled and destroyed at least 10 offshore platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.
Far beyond areas struck directly by high winds and flooding, Ike left behind it a bizarre pattern of prices at gas pumps, with disparities of more than $1 a gallon in some states, and even on some blocks.
A station in Knoxville, Tenn., was asking $5.19 for a gallon of regular. In Nashville, about 180 miles away, gas was $3.50.
Governors in both Virginia and North Carolina took steps Friday to protect the gas supply and consumers.
North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley declared a state of “abnormal market disruption” to protect against price-gouging. A spokeswoman for North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper said subpoenas would be mailed beginning Monday to determine if some stations are engaging in price gouging.
Cooper, who himself fielded complaints from upset consumers on Saturday, said his office would take action if it found any instances ofgouging. Spokeswoman Noelle Talley said the consumer protection office had received several hundred telephone calls on Saturday and was stillreceiving calls on Sunday. She did not have an exact number.
In Virginia, the departments of Emergency Management, Transportation and Motor Vehicles issued waivers to facilitate the uninterrupted transportation of gasoline from suppliers to retailers, according to a news release from Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's office Friday. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality also requested a waiver from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on the use of reformulated gas that is normally required to control summer ozone levels.
Anyone who thinks he or she has been the victim of price-gouging is encouraged to call the Virginia Office of Consumer Affairsat 1-800-552-9963 or 804-786-2476.
In North Carolina, the Attorney General's consumer protection number is 1-877-5-NOSCAM.
The Associated Press and Pilot writers Alicia P.Q. Wittmeyer and Lauren King contributed to this report.
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Excuse me?
So just because there is a shortage of gas, does that justify a price increase? No. If they run out of gas, they will be closed and will have no income. So they gouge the consumer now to cover their loss possible. The gas they have on hand now did not cost $5.00 a gallon, and the gas to replace it will not cost $5.00 a gallon. So why else but to cheat, gouge, and rip off the customer would they raise the price like that?
Gouge-O-Rama
Unreal. I thought it was bad enough when the 7-11 "Chavez Terrorist Machine" CITGO on Dominion/Cedar raised gas 10 cents before Ike hit, but I was a bit smitten to say the least when they raised prices another 30 CENTS the next morning. People are seeing 20 cents here, $1.00 there, but no matter the difference, it's all gouging. And the Farm Fresh gas station "magically" raised their price immediately in lockstep minutes later to match CITGO. Prince Charles had recently retrofitted one of his cars to run on wine, believe it or not. I'm ready to "make mine Virginia wine" at this point. In the meantime: drill, baby, drill!
The American Oil Refinery Shortage Myth
Funny how some people want to blame even non-existant problems on the Democrats, including the popular notion that we have a refinery shortage. According to recent statements made by a ConocoPhillips executive vice president of refining, marketing, and transportation to a gathering of market analysts, that just ain't so.
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN0339448420080903?rpc=401&
Gouging like crazy!
Two gas stations on the way to work Firday, prices were $3.33 and $3.42 respectively. Monday morning prices $3.69 and $3.87. Tell me there is no gouging going on there!!! That is not a $0.14 price increase.
ripoff
The Getty Mart near my house went from 3.49 Fri to 3.99 Sat before anything was known about the damage in Texas. If the owner had 50,000 gallons in the ground he just pocketed a cool 25 grand. The State needs to step in and stop this now!!!
What else could you call it?
It IS gouging!!! No other word for it. They raised the prices 'just in case' when in reality if something should have happen we would feel the effects 3-4 weeks down the road.
Someone should have and needs to step in and stop this robbery. That is what it is, they are stealing from us. I'm glad I filled up a few days prior to this and I hope peple did not feed into the media frenzy and run right out to buy gas.
This is a sad state of affairs!
And if this current rip-off isn't
Price gouging, then what is? And if Houston only supplies 25% of what is sold to the foreign markets, then why are we being gouged now, it's not like we'll see the oil? The level of greed in this country knows no bounds and with each passing day becomes more disgusting, obscene and vile.
Dodge's Gas Station
I want the whole WORLD to know that Dodge's Chicken/Gas Station on Jefferson Ave in Newport News jumped over $1/gallon to $4.97/gallon for unleaded the day before Ike hit Texas, yet I got gas at an Exxon three miles away for $3.49 two days later. Dodge's is GREEDY!
Again people!
It's the supply of gasoline NOT OIL that is the problem! In Columbia NC yesterday, 3 stations were out of gas and the other was $5 a gal! I was told that Edenton had supply issues too.
We need more refineries! The democrats will not allow it! You people that keep complaining and also vote democrat, need to be smacked in the back of the head so you'll wake up!
Rip Off
Oil is less that $100 a barrel, so the multi-billion dollar gas company needs a way to continue to rip people off. Last time oil was $100 a barrel, gas was around $2.00 a allon. We are being ripped off, and no one will do anything about it. The congress is funded by gas money for re-election. They could care less how we suffer. And we can't boycott because we need fuel.