(CHARLOTTE) -- It's been a rough few weeks for many in North Carolina trying to fill up their gas tanks. Observers say there are some lessons from this gas crunch. Supply disruptions caused when Hurricane Ike shut down refineries and pipelines in Texas rippled through the western half of North Carolina. Carol Gifford with Triple A Carolinas says some methods that were used to ease the shortage may be worth considering in the longer term, to avoid similar problems in the future.