gas prices!

Last night, on our way home from dinner, there was an incredible traffic jam on our street leading up to the gas station. We were flabberghasted! What on earth could be going on? We racked our brains for possible scenarios, an imminent attack by Iran, a coming storm, some sort of pandemic? Worriedly we put our local guards to question and they informed us that gas prices were going to double overnight, going from .40 manat per litre (about $1.50 per gallon) to .75 manat per litre (almost $3.00 per gallon)! What a leap, and over night too! The guards said that people were filling up all their cars, all the gas cans, bathtubs, and whatever else they could fill as well. I'm a little concerned with what this will do to the local economy. People are already just scraping by. I can't imagine what doubling transportation costs will do to their lifestyles. For instance, right now, Taxis are at a flat rate of 2 manat per ride, that will probably have to double, which will mean that fewer people will be able to ride taxis, and the prices will have to increase, or taxis will have to drop out of the business. Either that or they are going to try a lot harder to gouge foreigners at every turn. I know it shouldn't bother me, what's five dollars to me? Right? But it really does. I don't know why, but it does. Something about principle.
I'm glad I'll be gone in a week while the gas increase settles itself out. I'd hate to have to argue with every cab driver, and every vegetable stand owner about the prices of goods and services. Everything here is done by car so increasing the gas costs is going to increase the cost of just about everything. And for awhile while it sorts itself out, it's probably going to be a little crazy and frustrating.