Fuel strikes

s_b

its a very volatile situation

pineapple

masonn wrote: »

Of course the Govt. make more money. If a garage hikes its prices the amount of VAT also rises and the Govt. makes more money.

I did say 'except where garages have raised their prices'. The point needs to be made as certain media are counting all of the increased sales as a jamboree for the government.

pineapple

Sgt_Pepper wrote: »

They'll still get the VAT.

The temporary increase in sales will be balanced by lower sales later as over a period, motorists will be doing the same mileage they would have done.
The only increase to the government will be where greedy garages have hiked their prices to capitalise on the situation (with the excuse they are just trying to curb buying - yeah right). However that increase will probably be partly offset by slightly more cautious driving while the outcome is uncertain.

Strider590

masonn wrote: »

Of course the Govt. make more money. If a garage hikes its prices the amount of VAT also rises and the Govt. makes more money.

Think about it

People are panic buying petrol, they're NOT using any more petrol than they normally would...... In fact we're probably using less, as some of us may have run out already.

Govt is making a loss here, because once the panic is over, fuel sales will drop until people use up all the extra they had stored away and income from fuel tax will dip sharply in the next few weeks.

This whole idea that this is making money for the govt, it's nothing but mindless gossip.

Mr_Toad

pineapple wrote: »

I did say 'except where garages have raised their prices'. The point needs to be made as certain media are counting all of the increased sales as a jamboree for the government.

Yes you did, I apologize, I misread your post.

Of course there are those that think the Govt. engineered the panic buying, not through incompetence, but by design.

Increased fuel sales and stockpiling may just improve the end of year 'sales' figures. Last quarters growth was 0% and then downgraded to -ve. Another 0% or -ve growth month and we are officially in recession. :eek:

This late flurry of fuel sales may just be enough to give slight +ve growth this quarter and thus enable the Govt. to claim we aren't in recession.

Cynical, me :A

Mr_Toad

Strider590 wrote: »

People are panic buying petrol, they're NOT using any more petrol than they normally would...... In fact we're probably using less, as some of us may have run out already.

Govt is making a loss here, because once the panic is over, fuel sales will drop until people use up all the extra they had stored away and income from fuel tax will dip sharply in the next few weeks.

This whole idea that this is making money for the govt, it's nothing but mindless gossip.

The point was that some garages are hiking their prices, supply and demand. Something they can't usually do as customers would just go elsewhere but today some people will pay anything for a tank of fuel.

Raising prices raises the VAT paid thus making more for the treasury. Obviously doesn't apply where fuel was sold at the original price but hardly mindless gossip just a fact of simple mathematics.

Notmyrealname

HAHA - just been on the news that Unite have said there will be no strikes until after Easter at the earliest if there are any at all.

All those stupid people have been made to look even more stupid.

As an aside, apparently a woman in York set fire to herself moving fuel from one container to another in her garage.

Mr_Toad

Notmyrealname wrote: »

HAHA - just been on the news that Unite have said there will be no strikes until after Easter at the earliest if there are any at all.

Of course not. It would be silly to go on strike when there are a couple of bank holidays that can be worked as overtime to get fuel to those places that have run out due to panic buying. :rotfl:

Strider590

Notmyrealname wrote: »

HAHA - just been on the news that Unite have said there will be no strikes until after Easter at the earliest if there are any at all.

All those stupid people have been made to look even more stupid.

As an aside, apparently a woman in York set fire to herself moving fuel from one container to another in her garage.

They don't need to strike, they simply need to utter those words within earshot of a tabloid reporter and the idiotic general public will do the rest!

tight_scotsman

im a coach driver and as usual i went into a BP station and was filling the coach it takes around 920 litres this nosey parker came over and accused me of panic buying shouting her mouth off then a few others joined in saying i dont need that amount of fuel. this is the amount i put in most of the time one women even went into the shop and demanded that the assistant turned the pump off i had only put in 500 litres at this time.
He refused and told her to mind her own buisness but she was still going on like a demented budgie. The best bit was the assistant refused to serve this woman saying she was abusive to him so she ended up with no fuel after queing for around 45 mins. Her face was a picture as she sheepishly walked with her head bowed back to her car.

my coach gets around 11mpg thats why they have such big fuel tanks