Nashville is Panic City
by Bryce Martin

Sex and Gasoline. That's what makes the world go around. Here in Music City, that is how singer/songwriter Rodney Crowell sums up man's effort to keep the show going on the big globe.

With the slightest hint or mention of a possible snowflake from Channel 4's Snowbird, citizens of Nashville are legendary in their scramble as they routinely crowd grocery stores for America's lifestream of bread, milk and toilet paper.

If you become snowbound, you are stranded.

If you have no gasoline, you are stranded.

Channel 4 needs to introduce a Gasbird.

In the wake of Hurricane Ike, most of the rest of the country got back to normal gaswise in about a week, save for Nashville where people doubled up gas purchases in a delayed panic mode and created a shortage.

News stories about Nashville's mad grab for gas did, at least, bring to the fore some interesting facts:

... a fuel tanker holds 9,000 gallons

... Nashville gets it gas from a spur of the Colonial Pipeline.

... gasoline travels the pipeline at an average speed of 3 to 5 miles per hour.

... Memphis gets it gasoline from the Capline Pipeline, starting in St. James, La., and, unlike Nashville, Memphis refines much of its own gasoline.

... The Colonial Pipeline trumps tanker trunks and barges for delivery since it has the capacity to deliver more than 100 million gallons of refined gasoline a day.

... About 120 taxis roam Nashville on weekend nights (needing mucho petro).

... Sex is so popular because it's centrally located (I close with a joke if possible).

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