The gas shortages of the 1970s weren’t abstract events—they were daily problems people had to work around. There were two major crises: the 1973 OPEC oil embargo and the 1979 shortage tied to the Iranian Revolution. Both brought fuel supplies to a breaking point.
Lines were everywhere. Cars stretched down streets, engines off, drivers watching the pumps nervously. Gas stations ran out without warning. Rationing followed, often using odd-even license plate rules. If the last digit of your plate didn’t match the day, you waited.
People got creative. Some families borrowed license plates from friends with the “right” number for that day, swapped plates just long enough to fill up, then returned home to switch them back. Others planned entire weeks around gas days.
There were exemptions. Essential workers—like registered nurses—were often allowed to fuel up regardless of plate number. Some used that privilege to fill both family cars, knowing the next opportunity might be days away.
Prices were unforgettable. In Texas, gas hovered around 55 cents a gallon in 1979. In places like San Francisco, prices jumped from about 59 cents to nearly a dollar. The increase felt sudden and shocking. Panic buying made things worse, and gas theft—siphoning from parked cars—was common.
What lingered most wasn’t just the inconvenience, but the anxiety. Gas had always been there. Then suddenly, it wasn’t. For many, that realization changed how they thought about energy, mobility, and preparedness.
If you lived through it, you probably remember your tricks—and exactly how tense those lines felt.