Fools.. Caps ultimately cause the shortages (the price being high is what discourages people from driving, if you keep the price artifically low the demand stays the same leading to shortages. It happened to very illeffect in American in the 70s). I know you prolly werent here then, but Carter used price controls, which led to gas rationing. Why.. Cause ultimately gas is not an inelastic good. That means that ultimately people will drive less if the price of gas rises. If the price is artificially low they will continue to take driving vacations and the like. The optimal level is always that which the market in a competitive environment will bear. Economic textbooks teach the basics, but ultimately you can apply them with complex analysis. Having done that for oil, I certainly can verify. Price float is exactly what avoids a shortage. Other examples, every country thats held strict to non float of currency has ultimately collapsed(argentina). The price caps you see on the medical industry in socialized countries has driven out the doctors. The fact is that price controls demand, and any time you artificially or even naturally cut price you don't allow demand to adjust to the given supply.
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Consumers do not have the ability to stockpile gas and store it so
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bs.. They can, and this past week they did. They can't on a year stand point, but they can from a stand point of a months supply by buying gas containers. If everyone buys a months supply of gas its the same effect as you get in the north east when everyone buys supplies before a snow storm.
I feel sorry for you, I didn't realize any place in America was still that stupid. Luckily most of this country lets the gas free ride, while just going after price gaugers.