I think any hotel price gouging is terrible and that really is taking advantage of others' misfortune. But gas prices, I don't know. They are volatile, they shift every day due to supply and demand. We all know this. How can anyone expect them to stay low, when the international news reports oil reserves peaking, relationships with oil-producing nations being strained, hidden costs of consumption (pollution) becoming more visible? I don't think that seeing a spike in prices of a volatile and supply-sensitive good counts as "price gouging." Would you prefer that the gov't step in and ration cheap gas?
I guess also I am just not too sympathetic to price increases on gas because as I see it, so much of US gasoline consumption is unnecessary. Most people could make some lifestyle adjustments and cut back on driving dramatically. If they choose not too, fine, but they should have to pay for that luxury.