<p>We are flying in this week for family weekend and plan to rent a car. I’ve been reading that the southeast is experiencing gas shortages. Is this a severe problem right now in the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area, or is the media overstating the problem?</p>
<p>None that I have encountered in Raleigh - Durham area. You will not have a problem around the airport. Asheville and Charlotte are the main areas that have been hit by the shortage.</p>
<p>Yes, Charlotte and western NC have been hit much harder. My son in Chapel Hill and d. in Raleigh say that they have seen a few stations without gas, but most are open and lines not long (may wait for 3 or 4 cars). </p>
<p>Where I am in western NC, for the last couple weeks, if a station receives a shipment, the lines are immediately backed into the road and they are sold out in a couple hours.</p>
<p>Friends just went to Raleigh for parent’s day and said once they got as far east as Burlington, NC, they had no problem finding gas.</p>
<p>Read the DTH.</p>
<p>Well, thanks for the info. I read the article in the Daily Tar Heel. It’s not very encouraging. We are renting a car and don’t expect to use more than a tank of gas. However, we’ve got to fill it up before we return it and we’re not thrilled at the idea of having to hunt for gas stations as we don’t really know the area that well. This is a weird situation, to say the least.</p>
<p>Just talked to son this evening. He went out to buy groceries and said that there were 8 stations with gas within a mile of his apartment. All had cars getting gas, but no lines.</p>
<p>yes, there is, but it’s worse in charlotte i hear. i could not get gas today in my area, and did not want to go searching in durham for fear that i might run out. it’s supposed to be spotty for the next several weeks. this is all due to the populist/redneck control in this state (and others) which has resulted in strict price gouging laws that screw up the markets–the same sort of governance that shoved off all the tuition increases on out-of-state students last year because they have no representation in this state, and can’t call their local, state reps. to gripe about it.</p>
<p>my suggestion is that you rent bikes (you will find the triangle very biker friendly, given that the only links from city to city are major interstates) or that you avoid this area and state like THE PLAGUE. upon second thought, i urge you to do the latter if you have any sense of taste.</p>
<p>I would check with AAA or the rental car company about availability of gas.</p>
<p>The tank will be full when you pick it up at most major rental car companies and you can always opt for the refill option if you are concerned about finding gas. It may be 20% or so higher but it also means you aren’t scrambling for gas all along I-40 on the way to the airport.</p>
<p>Enjoy family weekend.</p>
<p>Thanks, everyone. Sounds like we’ll be okay for the weekend.</p>
<p>was there last weekend and the only place that was out was on I -40 at 54. Other than that I saw gas…coming from atlanta when i stopped in charlotte on way up i got nervous but that was unusual. Atlanta is having very hard time with gas particularly in some northern subs where the population is dense. People are carpooling (gasp) and taking public transportation B^O. I havent’ had an issue. You will be ok, remember the fillup rate I just got on a rental was 4.95 a gallon and that isn’t too bad is it?</p>
<p>Just wanted to post an update that I had no problems getting gas this weekend. I saw ONE gas station in Chapel Hill with no gas, but it was a little Mom and Pop convenience store. All big gas chains had gas, and I saw no lines anywhere we went.</p>
<p>Son reports that he had to go to 4 places in Carrboro before he found gas…</p>