… if he walks up to you and says: “I told you so.” 

From the Associated Press today:

In the state’s largest city, Charlotte motorists still were confronted
by closed gas stations and lines where fuel is available. The same
problem persists in the state’s mountain region where the shortage hit
first.

From a  press release issued two weeks ago:

Consumers can blame North Carolina’s
price-gouging law for the gas lines and shortages appearing in the wake
of Hurricane Ike. That’s the assessment of a John Locke Foundation
analyst who has studied the unintended consequences of price-gouging
legislation.

“Gas station owners are afraid to raise prices in light of threats of
prosecution from state government,” said Dr. Roy Cordato, JLF Vice
President for Research and Resident Scholar. “Because those owners
refuse to raise prices, consumers continue to flock to the pumps, and
the stations run the risk of running out of gas.”

The current problem with shortages and gas lines is far different from
the situation that followed Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Cordato said.
“North Carolina had no problems with shortages or long lines at the gas
pumps after Katrina because the price system was able to work,” Cordato
said. “The only difference between 2005 and 2008 is the new version of
the state’s price-gouging law.”

Astute observers will note that North Carolina has not yet “deactivated” the price-gouging law.