Yes, we have two refineries, one in Chicago and one in Detroit. Both equal distance from Grand Rapids.
Now here is wher it get really confusing. In Traverse City, farther from the refineries than we are, gas is CHEAPER than here.
My wife andI have a theory, poor neighborhoods have lower gas prices here in town. Tourist towns have high gas prices when it is the tourist season and lower when it is not.
So our theory is that the oil companies fix the gas prices. If you live in a "wealthy" area you get to pay more, if you live in a "poor" area you pay less.
They want to continue to feed our addiction to oil so they price it just enough so that you can buy it wherever you live. If you cant buy it you wont use it then they dont make any money.
That is our non scientific study. Look at your neighborhoods and see if it holds true in your area or not.

 

Houston is a high income place,,,,most people have a least on oil well
in their neighborhood or gas well.

Maybe thats why they have cheap fuel.

 

Can you believe that there's still no gas in McDowell County? I was able to "fill up" (10 gallon maximum) this evening at one of two stations that had gas, and I feel fortunate to have been able to find it. There's something very, very wrong with this picture. I know the refineries closed and all, but they didn't close this time for as long as they did after Katrina, yet we didn't have this kind of shortage after Katrina. What gives? I'm frustrated and pissed.

 

I feel so bad for you guys. That is just uncalled for, its been how many weeks since IKE and still no gas? What gives? How in the hell is FedEx and UPS doing business? Those guys drink gas and diesel like it was free.
I cannot imagine going on vacation and driving though and needing gas and then there isint any. OrOTR truck driver who needs fuel to get to his destination, or home. What a mess if his reefer ran out of fuel and all the ice cream in his trailer melted.

 

Wow that's rough...we're pretty much ok in Raleigh...cept for the gas stations that offer the lower prices.. We've always learned in econ that gas is an inelastic good (not very reactive to demand changes) because everyone needs it despite the price, but all this definitely makes it seem like its perfect supply/demand [:@]

And check out this site..the highest prices pretty much reflect the shortages...Anyone on here from Georgia?
Gas Prices Map

 

That's an interesting map, Wolfpack. Very interesting.

 

Well, I got home today and there s a nice new hole in my Bronco's tank. I just put that thing in 3 years ago.

 

WOW!! How much gas was in there?
What you do now is plug the hole and make it look "new", fill it with water, when they go to drain it again all they get is water.

 

I caught my son about two weeks ago filling it with the garden hose. I haven't drained it yet. Guess I don't have to. The truck has been parked for about a month waiting on a tear down and rebuild. Like to see who is sitting on the side of the road around here. In fact I think I will.

 

I take it your son is real young, you would still want to beat him, but you cant.
That would be GREAT if whoever drained your tank was sitting on the side of the road with a gas tank half full of water.
What I want to know is how are emergency services getting around? Police, Ambulance, Fire trucks...if there is no gas then it has to be total anarchy.