Actually there were 2 gasoline shortages in the 70s and I remember both well.

1973 was the first but there was another in 1979. And neither of us is ancient!

I sure do remember.  We had alternate days to get gas based upon odd and even numbers of license plates. 

I remember it but not the exact year... wasn't Jimmy Carter President? Although it was a national problem I do not ever remember there being lines in Fargo ND where I lived at the time Barbara Todaro 

1978? My first guess was 73 but I think that was too soon.

The Summer of '73 is when it began. I could fill up my Karmann Ghia and get a hot dog and a soda if I had 5 bucks. Fast forward a year and $38.00 was the new norm. Luckily I could squeeze 42mpg's out of those 36hp.

I can't remember the exact year but I know it was in the 1970s.  

I think it was 1973 or 1974

It was around 1973-74-ish...

It was the end of '72 beginning of '73. I remember running out of gas waiting in the gas station line. And that same week our car was stolen. I was really upset about it having a full tank of gas!

1974. Energy crisis. Odd/even.
My first year as a driver. LOL

And this is the roaring "20's.  Those were the 70's.  maybe.  10 bucks would fill the tank and let me buy my date a pizza.  

I remember. If you found a gas station that had gas you stopped because the next one might not have gas. Some stations limited how much you could buy. 5 gallons, 10 gallons etc. And those cars used a lot more gas than today’s cars.

Barbara,

1973, and we had alternate days that you could fill up based on even or odd license plate last number.    With all the electric and hybrid cars, I don't think this will happen again...A

I remember it being in 1973. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1973_oil_crisis

The embargo...1973 is correct.

I don't know, Im sorry I wasn't here yet, but I love reading the answers. 

1973.  It was a Government contrived stunt, followed by the 55-be-damned national speed limit.

Oh yes, I remember coasting on fumes!

I thought it might be 1973 and see that is the case. And YES, I do remember. Incredible lines and long waits.

I think you have your answer.  I was really young when those lines existed in 73.  

Yes, I do remember the one in the late 1970's. Fortunately, at that time I was in the corporate world in a senior executive position and had a company car... our headquarters were adjacent to our distribution facilities which had gas tanks for our trucks and the company filled up my car for me and paid for it as they did when I tanked up for gas in any gas station.

As for the one in 1973... I was living and working in NYC and did not have a car... no issues with public transport.

Late 70's, oil crisis caused by the Iranian revolution.

I dont recall the 73 embargo, too young to drive at that time.

Yes, it was 1973! My HS sweetheart's Dad owned the gas station near the school (full-service at the time - we knew none other than full-service)! I remember the lines there every day, all day long. 

If I recall correctly, it was in 1973. I was just learning to drive and spent way too much time waiting in gas lines. And I had to be sure I was in line on the correct day. I also remember gas being 25 cents a gallon.

I remember thinking and even saying ...I will remember when this is over

Mid 70s- Odd - even tags , but many times stations ran out of gas. There would be  line of 30 cars waiting, and the attendent would walk back and put a " last car" sign on the 8th or 9th car , then ran back to station. People waiting in line were furious.

It was not the gov and it was not opec that caused the shortage. There were tankers anchored offshore that the oil companies would not let unload. The shortage was created by the oil companies to force the gov to allow the alaska pipeline which never brought any oil to the US. The alaskan oil went straight to japan.

In the early 70s - maybe 73? I was in 3rd grade. You could only buy gas on even days when your license plate was even and on odd days when your license plate was odd. Math genius that I was realized that odd license plates had a slight advantage (the 31st of the month).

Odd and even license numbers to get gas or not (ding ding across the hose) ... remember the two gas shortages. My 1978 Pinto did not use much and later on we learned it was dangerous to run Pinto's fully gassed if you got rear ended. It was better to drive on or near empty. What do we all get for fuel mileage and drive now on the AR playground to list and sell I wonder Barbara Todaro ? Had two Pintos way back, then Dodge Omni before turning to jeep after jeep.

Yep, I lived through them in 1972-73 era. CA

I remember. It was about 1977 or 1978 I think. I had a car that still took unleaded gas so I didn't have a bad wait. 

Do you mean Odd Even Days?  Yes, clearly, we had a gas station owned by Palestinions.  It was a Mobil Station.  We just needed to drop off our cars to have work on them and they could fill it up on any day.  Wink Wink

I am so glad that I don't have to go to gas stations any longer, haha.  I have not purchased gas since August of 2019.

Get an electric car. No oil change, no waiting line. No radiator. Cheaper than your white BMEr. 

Yes oil embargo around 1974, then 2nd one in 1979 ..... Gas went up to 34 cents. Then 1 buck.  What else you want to know? Did you own two tags one was odd the other was even....

I remember the first one was 1972- 1973 and the second was the summer of 1979.  I was living in Houston and it was not that bad there.

I was little so sometime in the 70s.  Our parents were also instructed to have us dress warm for school; dresses/skirts were discouraged for girls while the thermostat was lowered.  

1973 comes to mind. I was working for a Savings and Loan and parked my car by the pumps at the station across the street. They would fill my tank daily. Had to be a regular.

I lived in small town America and we didn't have lines.  I do remember we went to Florida to see my Aunt and Uncle and experienced some lines to and from New Symerna, but left there with a full tank because my Uncle owned a gulf station.

In CA, we had lines in '79. I remember waiting in line wtih our babysitter. I was just a kid but it seemed to take FOREVER to get up to the gas pump. Your fill up date was based on the first (or maybe last) digit of your license plate being odd or even.

In the 70s and remember turning off the car while waiting in line...