It was just more than a year ago when panic buying emptied store shelves of things like toilet paper, bottled water, household cleaners and other essential products.
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted many Americans to stock up before feared shortages. And as people did, they made sure the shortages did indeed come to pass.
Now we are seeing the same thing again, only with gasoline.
Prices are up at the pump and a lot of people think they are going higher - or that gasoline may become scarce - due to the recent cyberattack on the Colonial, the largest U.S. pipeline. Experts say supply disruption was mostly in the Southeast and those fears are unfounded in most of the country - including Arkansas and Texas - but that panic buying is making them a reality.
You can't look at social media these days without photos of long lines at gas stations and patrons filling all sorts of containers with the stuff. It's become a joke - but still they buy and buy, causing shortages not only in directly affected areas but in other parts of the country.
The Colonial Pipeline resumed operations Wednesday, and it may take some time before the fuel flows at pre-attack levels. But panic buying will delay the recovery and only makes things worse for everyone.