Nashville is 85% out of gas.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/2008091/NEWS/80919020

Lines two hours long and stretching six blocks around the few remaining stations. Eerie sight to drive by stations that are void of people and have blank signs, only to see cars backed up in every direction blocking all lanes of traffic at the stations which are still open.

"By the way how stupid is not having gasoline storage areas in the southeast part of the country, especially during HURRICANE season!!??"

Damn, I’m soo sorry you have been inconvenienced! I suppose some oil company could build enormous storage facilities. Let’s see, cost of the land, storage tanks, cost of inventory, the interest on that investment, insurance, and taxes on all that land, equipment, and inventory; they would undoubtedly have to charge more for their gasoline. Competition being what it is I am sure it would be easy to undercut the we-have-inventory-for-hurricane-oil company and the public would be more than willing to purchase the cheaper gasoline based on my experience.

The Gulf Coast doesn’t necessarily have hurricanes every year and by restricting where oil can be produced the government has effectively put a lot of eggs in one basket. If the US could produce oil off the Atlantic coast, Pacific coast, ANWAR, as well as the Eastern Gulf the effect of any one hurricane would be much less.

As far as the odd even day thing I’ve been there, done that. I was a wholesale distributor of fuel and lubricants during the Arab Oil Embargo. You still have lines and shortages and if it lasts long enough you get an extra benefit: Hoarding. There is a simple cure for what ails you; let the market determine the price. If you let prices be set by the market than there are no lines, no shortages, and no problems. You will, however, have to pay what they market will bear. Its simple and it works.