What led to long gas lines in the United States during OPEC's oil production cut in 1973?

The long gas lines in the United States during OPEC's oil production cut in 1973 can be attributed to the U.S. government's price ceiling on gasoline. A price ceiling is a government-imposed limit on how high a price can be charged for a product. In this case, the government sought to protect consumers from rising fuel costs by keeping gasoline prices artificially low, despite the significant decrease in supply caused by OPEC's production cuts.

When the supply of gasoline diminished due to the cuts, the demand remained relatively inelastic—people needed fuel for transportation. However, because the price was capped, the lower supply created a shortage. This imbalance between supply and demand led consumers to wait in long lines at gas stations, as stations ran out of fuel more quickly than they could be replenished. The situation highlighted the consequences of price controls, which often lead to unintended results such as shortages and long wait times for consumers.