Gas panic attacks

Sometime this afternoon, Atlanta went into a panic attack about gasoline. No signs of it at lunch, but as I tried to drive home I found one street after another clogged with people lined up trying to get into gas stations. Prices weren't that high everywhere--$2.79, $2.99, one $3.09. B, my brother, saw one station with a sign that said $3.99 and still had people lined up for gas.

I have a little over a half a tank at the moment, and that should last me through the long weekend, I think.

I was thinking the panic was precipitated by the news in the morning paper that two of the pipelines that serve Atlanta are not operating (though the article said we generally have an 8-days supply and the pipelines have only been down 2). B speculated that it was a rumor that "the gas stations are going to close"--apparently a similar rumor caused problems in Florida yesterday. He also said he's passed one station that was indeed closed today, probably out of gas.

But anyway, the clogged streets kept me from getting home in time to get to Jazzercise, so I think I'll make a sandwich, do the exercise DVD, then try to go out to the grocery store. If I should spot a gas station with short lines, I'll stop and fill up, just in case...