"Panic" buying in Atlanta was rampant today in many stations. The radio talk show host on 750AM was talking about a rumour was started yesterday or today that caused the "panic". The rumour that they were calling an "urban legend" was that gas stations in Atlanta would be shutting down tomorrow due to shortages. The host was saying that it was all a myth and the gas price increases at some stations (price gauging), the Colonial gas pipeline pump breakdown, and the Governor declaring a state of emergency to stop price gauging, caused the panic. Also, an email was going around for 2 weeks or so (before the Hurricane) to "boycott" buying gas tomorrow to protest high prices and a caller that called in was saying that he thought that started the "panic".
Reports from people travelling thru Orlando and other places said that pumps or stations were closed. I petro tanker driver called in and said that there was plenty of gas at the storage facilities but that because everyone in Atlanta raced to fill up or top off all at once that it cause too much demand for what was available or they could not truck it in fast enough.
So, I do not know what to believe.
