French strike disrupting oil refineries, causing fuel shortages and rationing

Surprised nobody's posted about this. This has been going on for a few days. Was going to post this the last night but my Comcrap connection went down.

Example stories:
Drivers RATIONED to £23 of fuel as French strikes leave thousands of petrol stations EMPTY:
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/673654/France-strikes-leaves-petrol-stations-empty-drivers-rationed-23-fuel

One in three gas stations in France is running dry:
http://money.cnn.com/2016/05/25/news/france-gas-shortages-strike/

cwerdna said:

Surprised nobody's posted about this. This has been going on for a few days. Was going to post this the last night but my Comcrap connection went down.

Example stories:
Drivers RATIONED to £23 of fuel as French strikes leave thousands of petrol stations EMPTY:
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/673654/France-strikes-leaves-petrol-stations-empty-drivers-rationed-23-fuel

One in three gas stations in France is running dry:
http://money.cnn.com/2016/05/25/news/france-gas-shortages-strike/

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I wonder if people will behave as many Americans did in the '70s oil shocks despite far more expensive gas in France, and sit in line idling. On the positive side, much of France has lots of other good options for getting around, so maybe a fair number of people will decide to switch. Unlikely that it will last beyond the current silliness*, but every little bit helps going into summer.

*A friend of mine once had to make his way through a strike by farmers in a French city that involved dumping truckloads of potatoes in the streets; I no longer remember why for certain, but they were probably protesting low prices/lack of gov't price supports.

Meanwhile, in this country, via ABG:

Memorial Day gas prices will be the lowest in over a decade

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http://www.autoblog.com/2016/05/27/memorial-day-2016-gas-prices-lowest-since-2005/

. . . AAA reports the current national average is $2.28 per gallon. Prices have increased every day for the last 12 days in a row leading to the highest fuel prices Americans have seen all year. Despite the extra pinch drivers are experiencing this month, 2016 is still set to have the lowest Memorial Day weekend fuel prices since 2005.

AAA predicts the lower gas prices will lead to an increase of summer road trippers this holiday weekend, and in the coming months. Memorial Day is traditionally the start of road trip season, and as many as 34 million Americans plan to hit the road this weekend. It's not all sunshine and cheap gas on the open road, however. Drivers are worried about the state of American infrastructure, and the increased travel isn't helping. According to a AAA poll, 70 percent of drivers responded that they are worried about the state of US roads. . . .

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Amazing that we have a majority of the _public_ who are in favor of increasing gas taxes by ca. $0.10/gal. to improve road maintenance, but congress still won't pass an tax hike.

French gas shortages fuel interest in electric cars :
http://money.cnn.com/2016/05/27/news/french-strike-electric-cars-renault-zoe/

"When's the best time to advertise electric cars? The middle of a gas shortage..."

cwerdna said:

French gas shortages fuel interest in electric cars :
http://money.cnn.com/2016/05/27/news/french-strike-electric-cars-renault-zoe/

"When's the best time to advertise electric cars? The middle of a gas shortage..."

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Captain Obvious must be their marketing chief