As Hurricane Ike took aim at the heart of the U.S. refining industry, cars lined up eight and 10 deep at each pump at the Herrin Kroger station Thursday evening as rumors circulated throughout the region that gas might hit $5 per gallon by this morning.

But whether the run on pumps was panic or plain smart, it was sporadic. In some towns, there was little activity, while in others, there were long steady lines at gas pumps.

As the workday came to a close Thursday evening, the price of gas at all Herrin stations was $3.68.

In Marion, the price was $3.79 at Kroger, BP, Huck's and Phillips 66. Large lines formed on the east end of town, but there were only small lines on the west end.

In Carterville, gas was considerably higher at $3.99 at both Moto Mart and Citgo in Carterville. Both stores showed long lines.

In Carbondale between 7 and 8 p.m., traffic was unremarkable or even slow at the Shell station on Walnut Street and at the BP station on West Main Street near Oakland Avenue.

Regular unleaded was going for $3.75 about 7 p.m. at Shell, and at 8 p.m. it was priced at $4.09 at BP.

"My wife was watching TV and she said gas prices were going to go up and that I had better get my tank filled up," said Kenneth Vick of rural Marion. "I drove through Marion and saw that gas was $3.79 and thought I'd take a chance on coming over here to Herrin Kroger and saw that the price was $3.68."

Vick said he can recall waiting in long lines in the early 1970s when there was an energy crisis, but at least the prices were low.

"I think it's ridiculous what we have to pay now. Someone needs to do something about these prices. People can hardly afford it. If the oil prices go up, gas goes up, and if oil prices go down, gas prices don't come down that much."

Jennifer Thompson of Herrin said she got a text message from a friend that prices would soon spike, so she hustled over to Kroger in her Honda SUV.

"I don't want to pay $5 a gallon for gas," she said. "It's already crazy at $3.68."

Carol Baldi of Herrin said she heard at work that the prices were going to escalate, so she made a beeline to Kroger.

"My tank was almost on 'E' anyway," she said. "I figured if the price could go up a dollar a gallon overnight, I had better get it now. It's just so aggravating. I have a pretty good job, but it seems like we never have enough money anymore."

Krupa Patel is part-owner of the Citgo in Carterville, formerly known as Veach. She said rumors that her station had run out of gas were false.

"We've been busy for hours," she said. "People are scared the prices are going up, so they've come here to fill up."

Patel said the reason prices are higher in Carterville is simply based on the wholesale price.

"It's what they're selling it to us for," she said.

- The Southern's Blackwell Thomas contributed to this story.

john.homan@thesouthern.com / 351-5805