panic buying of petrol.....idiocy, or what?

alastairq

For all those on here who felt the public at large have behaved in a mindless, stupid manner over the recent Government [mindless, stupid?} announcements regarding fuel.

Take a look at the link below....at what Mr Stott, a psychologist [and obvious expert]...has to say about the driving public's behaviour?

Far from being mindless, easily-led fools, it actually appears that the driving public were, in truth, behaving an a totally rational and logical manner regarding fuel.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17570627

vax2002

Just like the idiots that jumped in the first lifeboats of the titanic, or the idiots that abandoned the Concordia first sign of trouble.
I have followed advice no to be an idiot and "panic buy"
They will get some deliveries before Monday morning wont they, as everywhere is sold out of diesel within driving range of my fuel light.
At least I am not an idiot though !

vikingaero

Internet keyboard warriors and The MSE Motoring Polis are quick to deride people for their motoring actions without knowing the facts.

The petrol panic doesn't affect me as I work from home, but I know several people with long commutes and need to fill up several times a week. So these people queuing for fuel are castigated by the Little Big Men behind their monitors.

mikey72

vax2002 wrote: »

Just like the idiots that jumped in the first lifeboats of the titanic, or the idiots that abandoned the Concordia first sign of trouble.
I have followed advice no to be an idiot and "panic buy"
They will get some deliveries before Monday morning wont they, as everywhere is sold out of diesel within driving range of my fuel light.
At least I am not an idiot though !

Hmmm.

So you didn't "panic buy", but watched others queue and empty the petrol stations even though you actually need diesel.
I filled up a day or two before I would have done so anyway, shortly after the news, but before all the queues appeared.
But still early.
(Normally I run to empty, and fill up again, so I went in around a quarter full in whatever I was driving at the time).
Now I've full tanks in all the cars, and the van, and like you, all the local stations are out.
Now I also have the cans in the garage I do keep full, mainly for the generator chain saw, and kit car, at least I didn't have to fill those as well. But I happily would have done if they were empty.

"Just like the idiots that jumped in the first lifeboats of the titanic, or the idiots that abandoned the Concordia first sign of trouble."


I'd prefer the word "survivors" tbh.

alastairq

I hate queueing!

For anything!

But when I do have to queue, I don't see it as a competition, to see who [can fill up??] first or quickest.

So the recent fuel issue actually filled me with dread.

Because I fill up routinely every end-of-week, more or less.

As my work actually has me being driven around the countryside all day long, I eye-balled those fuel retailers who were blatantly profiteering [close to 150 a litre, U/L, at some rural places]....and those who were packed solid, or closed.

Instead of my usual habit of using a cheap supermarket petrol spot.....and potentially queuing for ever...I opted for a quiet rural place, paying about 3 p a litre more..... [also because it was close to home.]

True, they had run out of diseasel and posh petrol...but I use boggo unleaded mixed with gin, so I could use the one pump they had left! [it was Shell, after all]...



But what if a tanker strike took place [cannot say I blame them at all....]......??

Well, if I ran low/out of fuel, I would ring into work to say, I cannot get in!

And why!


I do not expect to receive the sack for that.....indeed, in past tanker strikes, my place of work has actually closed down [out of deference to public perceptions really....we use an awful lot of fuel doing our work......if perceptions noted on this forum are anything to go by, such work would be seen as aimless and pointless.

I still get paid.

Whoooptidoo!

If others' jobs don't have that sort of flexibility, and employers' concerns and sympathies for a worker's plight, then either move nearer work.......or get B&B for a night or two?

There are ways around situations like this.....and as the psychologist points out, the solution lies in a social response, not a selfish one.


In other words, care a little bit more about each other? Whether as co-workers, or employers...

redux

I usually drive from full to nearly empty, and I filled up 2 days ago with only a few litres remaining in the car, so no change at all in my behaviour, just coincident timing.

Maybe that is a little unusual though, as a few weeks ago someone at a payment booth did remark that I was paying almost £100, as though many other people only partly fill their tanks.

However I can imagine that if I'd been to one of those places said to be restricting people to only £15 worth at the moment, that would have been rather tedious, especially if someone wanted to accuse me of buying more than normal or more than my fair share. Only being allowed £15 worth would mean 7 visits to fill up completely, or stop to fill up again every 100 minutes or so on a trip.

andygb

I went out this morning and filled up the missus' car for next week so that she can get to work (no alternative to the car). Luckily there was not a queue, so I was OK, but the other day a couple of stations were closed and there were massive queues outside the others.
Unfortunately some people have to get petrol, and if there is someone to blame for making a crisis out of nothing, then it is the media and politicians for hyping it up, not the ordinary motorist.

mikey72

alastairq wrote: »

..................Well, if I ran low/out of fuel, I would ring into work to say, I cannot get in!

And why!


I do not expect to receive the sack for that.....indeed, in past tanker strikes, my place of work has actually closed down [out of deference to public perceptions really.................

That's ok if you have the sort of job no one will miss.

I'd be more than upset if my local a&e did that, or the ambulance driver, or local fire crew.
Teachers strike was bad enough when everyone lost their childminder for the day, would we be happy to let the school close when the teachers car ran out of petrol.

Would you be happy if you had a burst pipe in the house, and I said I'd be round in a day or two maybe, or showed up on a pushbike with a puncture repair kit and a bike spanner?

alastairq

That's ok if you have the sort of job no one will miss.

I'd be more than upset if my local a&e did that, or the ambulance driver, or local fire crew.
Teachers strike was bad enough when everyone lost their childminder for the day, would we be happy to let the school close when the teachers car ran out of petrol.

Would you be happy if you had a burst pipe in the house, and I said I'd be round in a day or two maybe, or showed up on a pushbike with a puncture repair kit and a bike spanner?

Well...I cannot think of any job existing, that no-one would miss.

Kind of derogatory remark that?

A bit like, saying we can all do without Civil Servants.....yet complaining when we don't get the State services we want, when we want them.

In my case, I cannot be made redundant, with my having to be replaced......no one can, or would, 'take up the slack'...


But I work for an employer who realises that sometimes massive outside influences, beyond one person's ability to reasonably control, occur.

For sure, it is not really an employer's concern whereabouts the employee lives.....as long as they turn up for work when required.

But this is where Social responsibility comes into play.

It really is a sad state of affairs we have arrived at, where tolerance and understanding have been ditched out of the window.

We have come to expect, expect, expect.

Regardless of the how's, where's and why-fores?

So yes, if the plumber couldn't get [because he couldn't get fuel, or there was a lot of snow] I would have to be understanding about it.

The A&E, I would expect their management to work out something, yes.....just as my management are expected to organise things...but it would be unreasonable of me to stamp my feet and demand instant attention, when a crisis situation blatantly exists.

Same with other emergency services.

Perhaps the real problem is, we have, as a society, become more helpless in ourselves, than is safe?

We have come to rely too heavily on the services of others, to the extent we ourselves no longer feel the need to possess even basic survival skills. [No, not Ray Mears stuff...but ordinary everyday stuff that our Grandparents took for granted as knowing?}

We fail to realise there are finite resources......only so many ambulances, nurses, or postmen...

so if all the ambulances are out attending folk, and we need one......what is going to happen?

Should we really blame anyone else for this?

My point?

Well in any crisis, mutual understanding and tolerance helps......on all sides.

mikey72

alastairq wrote: »

Well...I cannot think of any job existing, that no-one would miss.

Kind of derogatory remark that?.......

My apologies, I meant miss in the short term, while the stike had an affect, due to it not being covered by others, or being job that has a long term effect, such a the civil service.

Other jobs will be missed instantly, and no manager could make up for the fact ambulance drivers were not there.
They decide on a number to give them a response time, allowing for them being out attending folk, and then getting back for the next one.
And yes we do expect from others, no aplogies for that, it's a major part of civilisation.

alastairq

Part of a manager's skills involves 'contingency' planning.....and a potential fuel shortage is a crisis that could affect manning levels....just like snow.

And yes we do expect from others, no aplogies for that, it's a major part of civilisation.

Of course mutual expectation is part of our Society....

But hasn't the degree of 'expectation'...or 'reliance' on others gone just a bit too far in our minds?


We seem to 'expect' to the exclusion of any input on our own behalves?