'Its Getting Ridiculous' Drivers Complain About Increase In Gas Prices
TOWSON, Md. (WJZ) -- Lines stretched around the Wawa parking lot on Joppa Road.
"We have to wait in line for a long time," said Lisa Moore. I'm 53 years old and I have never seen this before."
Many drivers are complaining of increased prices at the pump.
Moore said, "Its getting ridiculous, its almost $4 that's ridiculous." Carter Bandiere said as he was driving around yesterday he saw gas prices well over $3.00. "We saw 4 gas stations at $3.10-$3.11, something like that."
Tow truck driver Charles Hance said he was up in Pennsylvania for work and saw prices closer to $4. "$3.00 to $3.80 was the highest."
Shania Alfred spoke to WJZ as she filled up. "Right now, me paying $3.00 is a lot." She was grateful to find a gas station stocked with fuel. "My dad lives in Columbia and he said they ran out of gas. I know people in Georgia and South Carolina they have issues with gas."
Price gouging is not illegal in Maryland, because of a lapse in legislation. "Our authority to enforce the law against price gouging expired on April 30th," said Attorney General Brian Frosh.
Frosh said most callers are complaining of a 20-40 cent increase in a gallon of gas. "We take that seriously but this does not look like this is going to a crippling problem to the economy or to individuals."
AAA reports Maryland's gas prices jumped 7 cents overnight. The state average is now $3 a gallon - the highest it has been in 7 years.
Officials said this is not a supply issue, many people are panic buying gas because of the disruption in the Colonial Pipeline.
"Yesterday my roommate and I drove to 3 different gas stations on York road and they had no gas, " said Caitlin Webster. "I went to Royal Farms, no gas, so I had to come up here, to Wawa."
The Pipeline issues have been resolved and things should be back to normal in the coming days, but for now, people sit in line to fill up at the pump