Photo: Video screenshot ABC7 News
Nothing in life is free, they say, and yet this is one thing that people forget quite easily when presented with the opportunity. In face of increasing gas prices, people found a businessman’s offer to fill up their tanks for free very compelling. Not only that, but they flocked to the Chicago area, long lines of cars stretching for blocks.
Willie Wilson, a self-made millionaire who has made repeated runs for local and national office, has been offering free gas to drivers showing up at 21 stations in the Chicago metro area. He gave away $50 worth of gasoline to anyone showing up at select gas stations until Wilson’s tab reached $1 million. Even though Wilson’s offer was pretty transparent, people were willing to spend hours for their turn at the pump.
It's not the first time that Wilson used his money to buy people gasoline since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. On March 17, Wilson conducted a smaller-scale giveaway with a cap of $200,000. Ten stations were involved at the time and, according to Yahoo News, the promotion “led to gridlock, bad tempers, and resident concerns about the environmental cost of idling engines in their neighborhoods.”
To avoid issues, Wilson used a different tactic this time, involving volunteers to hand out numbered stickers to waiting drivers. Policemen were also present throughout the city to help direct traffic and keep the streets from clogging up. Although the Police cautioned drivers not to form lines before 7 am, some circled the stations as early as 2:50. Some even ran out of gas while waiting in line to fill up.
“Ran around, ran around, beating the lines, and we ran out of gas,” one of the drivers told ABC7 News. Police officers helped her push the car to the pump and she was even rewarded by Wilson with more gas and some cash.
Wilson has run for mayor of Chicago, the U.S. Senate, and even president of the United States. According to Yahoo News, he has opened his wallet before, “including to post bail for people at Cook County Jail and to donate money to homeowners to help them pay their property tax bills.” The city faces another mayoral election in 2023 and it's likely that people will remember.
It's not the first time that Wilson used his money to buy people gasoline since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. On March 17, Wilson conducted a smaller-scale giveaway with a cap of $200,000. Ten stations were involved at the time and, according to Yahoo News, the promotion “led to gridlock, bad tempers, and resident concerns about the environmental cost of idling engines in their neighborhoods.”
To avoid issues, Wilson used a different tactic this time, involving volunteers to hand out numbered stickers to waiting drivers. Policemen were also present throughout the city to help direct traffic and keep the streets from clogging up. Although the Police cautioned drivers not to form lines before 7 am, some circled the stations as early as 2:50. Some even ran out of gas while waiting in line to fill up.
“Ran around, ran around, beating the lines, and we ran out of gas,” one of the drivers told ABC7 News. Police officers helped her push the car to the pump and she was even rewarded by Wilson with more gas and some cash.
Wilson has run for mayor of Chicago, the U.S. Senate, and even president of the United States. According to Yahoo News, he has opened his wallet before, “including to post bail for people at Cook County Jail and to donate money to homeowners to help them pay their property tax bills.” The city faces another mayoral election in 2023 and it's likely that people will remember.
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