Sandy aftermath, I need gas for my car...

devani

those who are in NJ and other affected areas...good luck at getting gas for your car...there are only handful of gas stations in NJ that are open right now...

Serendipity

Devani,

I can relate. Ran out of gas today several miles away from the gas station with no way of getting home. Pushed the car onto a side road and got in line for the longest gas station wait, 11 hours. Had to keep key in the ignition and in the On position so the steering wheel wouldn't lock.

Approximately 1/2 a mile down the road, a wonderful couple asked if I needed help and offered to bring me some gas. Figured that the gas station was at least another mile away, and I was pushing uphill. Arms were getting sore at this point so took their offer and gave the man [a total stranger] some $$$ for the gas. At first he did not accept payment, but eventually accepted. Whoever you are, thank you *so* much for the gas today. Otherwise, I would still be pushing uphill instead of writing this post.

[Continued on 2nd post]

Serendipity

The gas station wait was the longest line I have ever seen. Pictures don't do it justice but I snapped a few pics to show how crazy the situation was. About 7 hours into the wait, someone cut the line and people jumped out of their cars cursing and screaming at the driver. Police were called, and the matter was *somehow* settled.

I ran the engine for 5 minute intervals to keep warm, then turned the engine off for the next 30 minutes. Even doing so, it got really COLD as the darkness set in. Figured I could only be on the line for another few hours or so, so what else could go wrong?

Sometime in the evening the gas station ran out of gas and police were telling people they wouldn't have delivery for another few hours. At this point I was *dying* to go to the bathroom, the cold was setting in, and I hadn't eaten since about 7AM (but that didn't matter to me, the cold plus the soreness from pushing the car was worse).

At this point the gas station still does not have gas and I don't know when they will have gas.

Here's the pedestrian line from when the day *started*, it's now worse.

Attachment not found.

Serendipity

Well, it looks like this station ran out of gas. Not good as there are doctors and janitors and cleanup people on the line waiting to get gas. Saw an ambulance try to get past, it literally had to force it's way through traffic as traffic was backed up for miles. There were fire trucks trying to get through, police vehicles blaring their sirens, and emergency personnel all trying to get through this crowded section of road.

Here's another pic I took before it got really dark.

amulford

Thank Sunoco and ConocoPhillips for closing four refineries within 75 miles of you...

tonyb

amulford wrote: »

Thank Sunoco and ConocoPhillips for closing four refineries within 75 miles of you...

I'm sure they woke up and decided what the heck, lets close refineries today for no good reason and really put the squeeze on people.:rolleyes:

Call Fema and see where the tankers from other states are.....see what answer you get.

maximillian

Is power back? I thought most gas stations were down because no power. Without pumps there's no way to get the gas out, and no way to run credit card terminals.

Hope all of you there try to find some comfort in this situation.

Face

Face

maximillian wrote: »

Is power back? I thought most gas stations were down because no power. Without pumps there's no way to get the gas out, and no way to run credit card terminals.

Hope all of you there try to find some comfort in this situation.

Still half a million households without power on Long Island.

oldmodman

I really feel for you about the long gas lines.

I remember both gas crises from the 70's

I would ride my little motorcycle to work in the morning and the rest of the day would be spent filling up my bosses cars with gas.
But I had a trick. I would take the company truck to the little out of the way station that I knew about. It's line was generally only about 45 minutes long. And I would fill up both of the truck's saddle tanks. About 90 gallons total. Then drive back to the office and transfer gas into the cars. Then do the same thing the next day. Each day I would fill up cars belonging to people a little lower down the totem pole. Naturally, My motorcycle was always topped off. And each night I would siphon out all but a gallon and put it into my mom or dads car so they always had plenty of gas. This went on for several months. maybe even longer.

And that memory has lasted until today. I keep eight 5 gallon gas cans filled at all times. Once a month I pour the oldest one into my tank and refill it. Probably a waste of time, but even paranoids are right once in a while.

jbooker82

I think I would walk or ride a bike before I waited 11 hrs to fill up.

Serendipity

jbooker82 wrote: »

I think I would walk or ride a bike before I waited 11 hrs to fill up.

Trust me, I would so bike to work if I could.

Getting to the other side of NYC would be the challenge. I'd have to cross 3 bridges, ride for 50 miles, then if anything happens I would be (at best) on the other side of Manhattan. Then hotel in Jersey City.

devani

All hotels are booked and NO vacancies left in NJ...thank goodness we lost power for only 3 days....buddy came to my house taking refuge....got a letter saying their power will be back next Friday...

Serendipity

devani wrote: »

All hotels are booked and NO vacancies left in NJ...thank goodness we lost power for only 3 days....buddy came to my house taking refuge....got a letter saying their power will be back next Friday...

So no vacancies at all in NJ? That's exactly what I was trying to avoid, getting stuck in NJ.

Even if there were hotels open in Midtown Manhattan, getting back into NYC would be the problem.

Serendipity

People are still trying to get gas. Some have even camped out overnight.

chumlie

You may want to change your signature for the next week or two. Just sayin.

Serendipity

Haha, arms are so sore right now it hurts to even grab a CD from a bookshelf.

Good thing I wasn't pushing a truck or SUV. I don't think I would've made it past the hill.

amulford

I'm sure they woke up and decided what the heck, lets close refineries today for no good reason and really put the squeeze on people.

I don't know how to take that. They did it because, as the CEO of Sunoco put it, "refining operations are not consistently profitable enough." Take from that what you want. If they were open, you wouldn't be waiting for gas from far off. There are still two in N. Jersey, and one in S. Jeresey, but they had to shut down because of the storm. Quite a few down south did too.

tonyb

amulford wrote: »

There are still two in N. Jersey, and one in S. Jeresey, but they had to shut down because of the storm. Quite a few down south did too.

This Antny.....your other post made it sound like it was the refineries fault people are without gas. Wether or not profitability comes into play is a whole nother thread pal.....which will also teater on politics.

George Grand

There are plenty of open gas stations pumping gas with no lines, and plenty of vacant hotel rooms in Jersey.

I hope your problems up north get squared away ASAP.

Serendipity

George Grand wrote: »

There are plenty of open gas stations pumping gas with no lines, and plenty of vacant hotel rooms in Jersey.

Where exactly? I might be staying overnight in NJ if I can't get back into NYC.

decal

amulford wrote: »

I don't know how to take that. They did it because, as the CEO of Sunoco put it, "refining operations are not consistently profitable enough." Take from that what you want. If they were open, you wouldn't be waiting for gas from far off. There are still two in N. Jersey, and one in S. Jeresey, but they had to shut down because of the storm. Quite a few down south did too.

Sorry guy ,but they are in business to make money, not for the covenience of their end users. Just a fact, nothing more.

shadowlight

Majority of the gas station that we have in the township are on roads going north/south and majority of the intersection have non functioning traffic lights which make it difficult to get out of the house and fill up the gas tank if you need to go east/west to get too those stations. What I plan to do is to make a huge circle where the only turns that I need to make are right hand turns when I need power.

shadowlight

I am not sure if folks are already signed up to Nixle, if not it might be worth it to sign up. The website allows you to sign up for any updates related to your township/state/federal communication. The South Brunswick township is sending updates every couple of hrs related to status on power, open gas stations, grocery stores, roads, etc which has helped. I work in Hoboken and getting Hoboken updates via Nixle also.

Tankman

Man,I wish you guys up in the Big Apple the best.

stretchl

Best of luck up there. You guys are living through what many coastal areas will b in for more and more frequently

Serendipity

For the car guys on the forum, I was wondering if four bottles of 32oz. fuel injector cleaner would work as 1 gallon of gasoline?

32 oz * 4 = 1 gallon

Face

No..

Serendipity

Thanks. I was hoping it would work. Guess the same holds for "Turbo 108 Race Fuel".

There goes that idea...

Face

You can add paint thinner, but do NOT attempt to run it straight: http://www.gencoupe.com/engine/88834-toluene-xylene-fuel-additives-experiences.html

Serendipity

Gas lines went all the way from eastern NYC to Long Island.

Here's a pic I took while sitting on Jericho Turnpike: