http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-region-gas-crisis-continues-drivers-waiting-article-1.1196639
Nicholas Fevelo/New York Daily News
Gov. Cuomo and members of the New York State National Guard load necessities on Staten Island for Hurricane Sandy victims on Sunday. Cuomo urged New Yorkers not to hoard gasoline.
The panic at the pump — which has already sent two cops to the hospital — is here to stay for at least a few more days.
Gov. Cuomo said Sunday that the region’s gas crisis is “getting better,” but delivery and distribution problems that left some motorists high and dry won’t be over as the workweek begins.
“We’re not 100% sure when the system will be up and running where you won’t feel any effect whatsoever,” Cuomo said.
PHOTOS: HURRICANE SANDY'S PATH OF DESTRUCTION
LIVE BLOG: THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE SANDY
He begged New Yorkers not to hoard gasoline — because there’s plenty of it that will be available once power is restored — but the thirst for fuel could not be quenched.
Lines stretched for block after block near gas stations that had some to sell — a scene right out of the 1970s gas shortage — and drivers were willing to wait for hours to fill up.
“I’m on ‘E,’” said Joseph Montano, 25, a cook from South Beach, S.I., who had been waiting an hour at a BP station on Hylan Blvd.
“Yesterday I went to three gas stations. I waited like two hours at each gas station, and it was closed. ... I’ve been trying to get gas for two days. This is crazy.”
The frenzy even landed the two cops in Brooklyn’s Lutheran Medical Center.
The two officers from Bay Ridge’s 68th Precinct were struck by a car after a man got into an argument with people in line for gas at a station at 65th St. and Eighth Ave.
The man spat on someone who then called cops, a police source said.
“The guy was in a complete frenzy,” the source said.
The argumentative man took off in his car, going east in the westbound lane of 65th St., police sources said.
The two uniformed cops on Ninth Ave. walked down 65th St. to meet him and gestured for him to stop.
“He just steps on the gas and goes right at them,” a police source said. The driver stayed at the scene and was arrested. The cops’ injuries were minor.
“Although I understand that many are frustrated about the gas situation, I can’t express to you how important it is to drive carefully and to listen to the direction of officers,” Capt. Richard DiBlasio, the commanding officer of the 68th Precinct, wrote in an open letter to the community.
Cuomo said there has been major progress in the past couple of days: More gas tankers and barges are headed to the area, New York Harbor is open and pipelines are “up and running” to some extent.
“That does not mean there will be a total alleviation of the problem in the immediate future,” he said. “But it is getting better.”
In the meantime, he said, “Now is not the time to be using the car if you don’t need to. ... Now is not the time to be hoarding fuel.”
While the crippling blow Sandy dealt to the subway system put more cars on the road last week, causing massive gridlock, the gas shortage means there will be fewer this week.
“You’ll have more people on mass transit,” Cuomo said.
In New Jersey, gas rationing was in effect. Drivers with license plates that end in an even number can buy gas on even-numbered days, and those with plates where the last number is an odd number or with vanity plates can make purchases on odd-numbered days.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he declined the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s offer to give free gas to residents.
“There’s been no free gas given away in New Jersey. FEMA came to me and said that they want to give away free gas and I told them no,” he said, The Star-Ledger of Newark reported.
“I was not going to set up the kind of mayhem in New Jersey that they had across the river.”
With Matthew Lysiak
Gov. Cuomo said Sunday that the region’s gas crisis is “getting better,” but delivery and distribution problems that left some motorists high and dry won’t be over as the workweek begins.
“We’re not 100% sure when the system will be up and running where you won’t feel any effect whatsoever,” Cuomo said.
PHOTOS: HURRICANE SANDY'S PATH OF DESTRUCTION
LIVE BLOG: THE AFTERMATH OF HURRICANE SANDY
He begged New Yorkers not to hoard gasoline — because there’s plenty of it that will be available once power is restored — but the thirst for fuel could not be quenched.
Lines stretched for block after block near gas stations that had some to sell — a scene right out of the 1970s gas shortage — and drivers were willing to wait for hours to fill up.
“I’m on ‘E,’” said Joseph Montano, 25, a cook from South Beach, S.I., who had been waiting an hour at a BP station on Hylan Blvd.
“Yesterday I went to three gas stations. I waited like two hours at each gas station, and it was closed. ... I’ve been trying to get gas for two days. This is crazy.”
The frenzy even landed the two cops in Brooklyn’s Lutheran Medical Center.
The two officers from Bay Ridge’s 68th Precinct were struck by a car after a man got into an argument with people in line for gas at a station at 65th St. and Eighth Ave.
The man spat on someone who then called cops, a police source said.
“The guy was in a complete frenzy,” the source said.
The argumentative man took off in his car, going east in the westbound lane of 65th St., police sources said.
The two uniformed cops on Ninth Ave. walked down 65th St. to meet him and gestured for him to stop.
“He just steps on the gas and goes right at them,” a police source said. The driver stayed at the scene and was arrested. The cops’ injuries were minor.
“Although I understand that many are frustrated about the gas situation, I can’t express to you how important it is to drive carefully and to listen to the direction of officers,” Capt. Richard DiBlasio, the commanding officer of the 68th Precinct, wrote in an open letter to the community.
Nicholas Fevelo/New York Daily News
Gov. Cuomo and the New York State National Guard at Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, on Sunday.
“That does not mean there will be a total alleviation of the problem in the immediate future,” he said. “But it is getting better.”
In the meantime, he said, “Now is not the time to be using the car if you don’t need to. ... Now is not the time to be hoarding fuel.”
While the crippling blow Sandy dealt to the subway system put more cars on the road last week, causing massive gridlock, the gas shortage means there will be fewer this week.
“You’ll have more people on mass transit,” Cuomo said.
In New Jersey, gas rationing was in effect. Drivers with license plates that end in an even number can buy gas on even-numbered days, and those with plates where the last number is an odd number or with vanity plates can make purchases on odd-numbered days.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said he declined the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s offer to give free gas to residents.
“There’s been no free gas given away in New Jersey. FEMA came to me and said that they want to give away free gas and I told them no,” he said, The Star-Ledger of Newark reported.
“I was not going to set up the kind of mayhem in New Jersey that they had across the river.”
With Matthew Lysiak
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-region-gas-crisis-continues-drivers-waiting-article-1.1196639#ixzz2BNBvWF4e
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