For a person on a limited income who's juggling between the higher food prices and home energy costs, a jump in fuel prices can easily cause a panic situation.
I'm fortunate that I live 50 yards from where I work so I'm not affected much by the obscene fuel costs. But I know people who have to commute 45 minutes (one way) to get to work. If someone has to fill up a 20 gallon tank twice a week and the price of fuel is a $1.00 per gallon than it was last week, then they're paying an additional $40.00 more per week. That's an additional $160.00 per month (give or take). That's HUGE for folks who are trying to feed their families. I can see how many people would panic under those circumstances.
Low grade, regular gas in my area went from around $3.00 to $4.20 in short order. Diesel is at $5.40. I run a retail, industrial tool company. We deliver using a heavy, International box truck. I have no choice but to charge my customers a fuel surcharge just as my vendors are starting to charge me. And I only see things getting worse. About every, other day ... we hear that the "war has been won" while the very next day we hear that we're sending ground troops. So the lies are creating volatility in the markets. But people are starting to see through all the lies. And they have a right to "panic."
