Gas Station Issues Arise after Sandy’s Wrath

By Ally Lashley

Gas Liners waiting for blocks to deliever gas on Union Ave in Holbrook

Hurricane Sandy has left thousands of people on Long Island cold, powerless, and now without gasoline for their car tanks. This storm alone has devastated the island in many towns with floods, down trees, and electricity gone for more than a week.

The gasoline shortage is adding to the already major problems Long Islanders have to go through resulting from Sandy. Drivers must wait hours to retrieve gas for their cars, when usually this process lasts no more than 5 minutes; people are beginning to feel afraid without any gas for their cars.

Considering the crazed gas station lines, what are Suffolk students doing to prepare themselves for the new arising problem? Journalism major at the Selden Campus, Mike Monti has witnessed first-hand the outrageous lines of cars waiting for gas to fill their tanks. “I waited two and a half hours online for gas the other day, and it took me an hour to move from the spot I first started at.”

Waiting for gas can be a huge burden on Selden Campus students, especially when commuting from further towns. Monti goes on to add how ridiculous the lines for gas around his neighborhood are, “My friend lives five houses up from mine and it took him 45 minutes to drive up to my house, which is a 20 second walk.”

All types of cars are waiting online for gas, from hearses to school buses, but with only regular gas available it may be harder to find more expensive types of gasoline for luxury vehicles. It shouldn’t be hard to find a gas station with the correct type of gas, but this inconvenience is what frightens long islanders. People are panicking because of these conditions, and students have to experience this madness, due to a hurricane, for the first times in their lives.

Art Major Maggie Brown is feeling calm when it comes to waiting online for gasoline for her car. “If you are feeling anxious about the lines, you can take your car to the gas stations at 3 A.M. when there is no one online. I only waited five minutes online for gas when I went at that time, and the gas station was nearly empty.”

Students feeling nervous about waiting on the long lines for gas should take Brown’s advice. Waking up early may be a hassle, but waking early is better than waiting online for hours to fill your tank.  If getting gas in the daylight is what you have to do, be aware of your surroundings and be careful.

Selden Campus Student Alicia Page has to commute from Holbrook to the campus, and witness plenty of cars online for gas on her way to the college. “People are pushing their cars because they ran out of gas online, and the lines go on for miles and miles.”

This panic over gasoline will sure run its course, but students have to remain positive and rational. The end of the world is not coming, and we will all survive through this gasoline shortage.

Liberal Arts Major Nicholas Maida realizes this panic is nonsense, and spreads his insight with me on the gasoline issues. “The media has put everyone into a panic over gas. If everyone just continued their routines normally, and didn’t wait on lines to stockpile gas there would never have been a problem.”

Maida has the most logical answer when it comes to this gas craze. People need to calm down, and take a deep breath. The gas tankers will make their routes, and come to your town.  Patience is what all these humans waiting online for gas need to do, before they park their car and decide to wait online for hours.

Criminal Justice Major Shannon Malone is also another intelligent student who sees the light through all this gasoline madness. “I think that the reason there is so many lines is because people are panicking and getting gas when they normally wouldn’t. But some lines aren’t that bad, I only waited for 25mins the other day!”

If people stay calm, and begin to continue their regular routines, the gas lines are sure to lose momentum. Stray away from gas stations illegally charging more than $3.99 for regular gasoline, any station charging more needs to be reported. People won’t have to hold their breath for any longer, the tankers are soon on their way.