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Post by 65cuda on Jun 14, 2008 9:30:26 GMT -5
in the 70s gas shortage, gas was rationed, went by your plate number when you could get gas their was odd of even number days, gas stations actually ran out of gas, gas spiked from something like 48 cents to 80 cents. It just seemed like gas was held back, and gas stations only had a limited supply. Today, we seem to have the supply of gas, but the price is going out of sight
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Post by 69olds442 on Jun 14, 2008 9:39:52 GMT -5
I know, it doesn't make sense. I have heard a lot of people talking about the gas rationing of the 70's lately. It makes you wonder doesn't it?
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Post by benny on Jun 14, 2008 10:39:33 GMT -5
Big oil and the saudi's are sleeping together.....don't get Me going again....lol
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Post by swi66 on Jun 16, 2008 5:46:35 GMT -5
The gas "shortage" was an urban legend created to justify the rising cost of gas. I worked at a Sunoco station at the time. The distributor put us on allocation meaning we could only get 80% of the gas we purchased the year before. We were told to ration gas by selling 5 gallons at a time to make it last through the month. In other words, pay your attendant to pump a limited amount of gas, and make less money doing it. My boss didn't think so........ We spent 2 weeks, normal hours and sold as much as anyone wanted.........then when we ran out. Shut down the pumps till next month. Distributor was PO'd because we did not "play the game". And people came walking in while we were out. Ran out of gas because the cost was so high they ran until they were on fumes, then couldn't find a station with gas...............
After 2 months we discovered we could buy as much gas as we wanted from the texaco distributor as a new customer. So we did. And while others were rationing, we were doing a booming business. Again our Sunoco distributor got really PO'd when they found we were buying from another distributor as well. There really was no shortage...........
Gas was being stored in tanks in closed down stations, kind of an investment. Purchase, then hold until the price goes up again.
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Post by 65cuda on Jun 16, 2008 9:40:25 GMT -5
Remember this song by the kinks?,
I've been waiting for years to buy a brand new cadillac But now that I've got one I want to send it right back I can't afford the gas to fill my luxury limousine But even if I had the dough no one's got no gasoline
I went to my local dealer to see if he could set me straight He said there's a little gas going but I'd have to wait But he offered some red hot speed and some really high grade hash But a gallon of gas can't be purchased anywhere for any amount of cash
I can score you some coke and some grade one grass But I can't get a gallon of gas I've got some downers some speed all the drugs that you need But I can't get a gallon of gas There's no more left to buy or sell There's no more oil left in the well A gallon of gas can't be purchased anywhere For any amount of cash
two extra verses from long version: I love your body-work, but you're really no use How can I drive you when I got no juice? Because it's stuck in neutral and my engine's got no speed And the highways are deserted and the air smells unnaturally clean.
It's got power-assisted overdrive and carpets on the floor, but it's parked out front just like a dead dinosaur. And I'll be paying off the bank for 45 years or more. It should go 100 miles an hour, but it's never moved away from my door.
Who needs a car and a seven-forty-seven When you can't buy a gallon of gas Who needs a highway, an airport or a jet When you can't get a gallon of gas There's no more left to buy or sell There's no more oil left in the well A gallon of gas can't be purchased anywhere For any amount of cash You can't buy a gallon of gas
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Post by OneTreedCat on Jun 16, 2008 9:51:28 GMT -5
I recall waiting in some terribly long lines and occasionally behind someone who had to push their car up to the pump because they ran out. It was tough on older folks who found themselves in that situation. People would get out of their cars and help push. It was also tough if you ran out of gasoline on the wrong day and couldn't get to work - I know someone that happened to - he went begging for a ride.
Swi66 is absolutely right about gasoline being stored at closed stations. There was a long-abandoned facility near my place. I caught a tanker truck sneaking in early one morning (around 3:00 AM) and watched as he dumped gasoline into the station's underground tanks (only to eventually have the gasoline retrieved). As far as I know, there was no real shortage only an artificially generated one.
The only shortage was the money in your pocket as prices headed up. That and the aggravation was not helpfull.
Then and now, the folks in Big Oil just rake in the money and couldn't care less about you or me. Live in poverty or die, it apparently makes no difference to oil's major stockholders and those who might help regulate the situation.
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Post by swi66 on Jun 16, 2008 11:22:03 GMT -5
One of the closed stations that had gas stored in the tanks. Another truck came along and pumped it out. something like 6-8 thousand gallons stolen................. A lot of people at the time said it served them right. Didn't get any sympathy at all. As far as I know, no one ever got caught either........................
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