The SouthCoast Isn’t Hoarding Gas Yet – Let’s Keep It That Way

Since the pandemic started just over a year ago, we've seen a shortage in a number of things, from toilet paper and cleaning supplies to ketchup. Although the latest "shortage" isn't COVID-related, it's causing some Americans to go into full panic-mode.

Last week's cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline, which, according to NPR, provides about 45 percent of the East Coast's fuel, led to a multiple-day shutdown. As of Thursday morning, though, the Pipeline projected that every market it services would be receiving gas again by mid-day.

Although there wasn't concern that the U.S. was running out of gas, per se, Americans put the pedal to the metal, racing to gas stations, causing backups like this in North Carolina.

Many people even showed up with cars full of gas cans, plastic bags and other containers, hoping to stockpile as much fuel as possible.

Luckily, gas stations here on the SouthCoast have remained pretty calm, and I've yet to see anyone filling up like there's no tomorrow. Here's a look at the Mobil station on Bridge Street in Fairhaven. Seems about normal, right?

Let's keep it that way. There is not, and never really was, a reason to panic about the so-called gas "shortage." And remember how frustrating it was to hop from grocery store to grocery store last year trying to find an overpriced package of toilet paper when you knew of people who had closets full of the stuff? Don't be that person. Sharing is caring, and we could all use a little bit of both nowadays.