Jeff Brinson fills out paperwork as he fills the tanks at the Bigfoot station on West Hill Avenue Saturday. Brinson brought his load from Bainbridge, the second one of the day, but doubted he would be able to fill up his tanker truck again because of the fuel shortage.

VALDOSTA — Pandemonium at the pumps seemed a distant memory for area residents Saturday. The relative calm of the Azalea City and surrounding cities was a marked contrast from the long lines and frantic scrambling for gas that was the scene for most of Friday afternoon.

Many gas stations across town had empty parking lots Saturday, as their tanks below have been dry since yesterday.

For those that still had gas, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded hovered at $4.39.

Jake’s Pit Stop off Exit 18 did brisk business Saturday morning thanks to the late night arrival of a gas tanker Friday. Operator Jason Radney said he began making calls requesting additional fuel early Friday afternoon and was told not to expect a truck until Monday or Tuesday.

However, shortly after running out of gas Friday around 8:30 p.m. and getting ready to close down for the night, a truck arrived, he said. Radney said he kept the station open an additional hour to help accommodate motel guests worried about getting home and fans leaving the Lowndes High School Vikings football game.

Saturday, he said he doesn’t expect the gas delivered by the tanker to last the rest of the weekend. He doesn’t know when the next truck is set to arrive.

Some gas stations, like the one located at Sam’s Club on Norman Drive, had fuel trucks sitting in their parking lots filling tanks as customers did the same Saturday.

Late Friday night, amidst the panic at the tanks, Gov. Sonny Perdue signed an executive order activating Georgia’s price gouging statute.

The statute protects Georgia consumers from unlawful increases in gas prices and other products. However, it does not prevent price increases that accurately reflect an increase in the cost of goods or services to the retailer, an increase in the cost of transporting the goods or services into the area, or an increase due to the market forces of supply and demand.



• Suspect price gouging? Call the Governor’s Office of Consumer Affairs at (404) 651-8600 or (800) 869-1123.