A sign spotted at a Shell gas station in Austin, Texas, is causing thousands on the internet to be quite concerned about what it means. Shared to r/pics by Reddit user Much_Ad3106, the sign read “NO Shortage of Gas,” which could imply several things. The post has since gained over 15K upvotes, with hundreds debating the photo in the comments.
It should be noted that Much_Ad3106 didn’t share any additional context beyond their picture, but a gas shortage is actually happening in the country. CBS Miami has reported that multiple gas stations in Florida are running out of gas due to the Iran War. As for Texas, one Redditor on r/oil alleges gas stations in Midland and Odessa have been running out of gasoline “on the regular.”
A top comment with almost 7K upvotes claims that this Austin gas station is doing this to convince people that there’s no need to “stock up” on gas and hoard it. “Like toilet paper during the pandemic. They’re going to cause their own problems,” they explained. Though, many others argue the heightened prices recently say otherwise. “If there is no shortage, then presumably they are selling at pre-war prices?” argues a user.
Hundreds of Redditors Warn Others, Calling Out Signs Like This As a Marketing Ploy
Many Redditors also claim signs like “NO Shortage of Gas” only sparks “confusion and chaos” among the populace. “If people believe there’s a shortage, they can create a panic that people rush to buy which becomes self fulfilling,” points out a commenter. That said, some are confident it’s all nothing more than a marketing scheme by gas companies. “Please ignore these signs. I drive by these gas stations all the time. They are just capitalizing on fears surrounding fuel prices,” writes a Redditor.
Even if people did start buying more gasoline because of the alleged shortages, it’s objectively not a good time, especially in Texas. CultureMap Austin shared that the state ranks in the Top 5 of the biggest surges in gas prices across the country since last year.
Unfortunately, it’s definitely a hard issue to ignore, since countless individuals drive cars or use other forms of transportation that require gas. Everyone has been affected by these shortages and rising prices.
