Why are people scrambling for petrol?

user1977

facade said:

Freecall said:

I have to agree.  Give the Johnson government it's credit though, not many could preside over such a failure of national management and then successfully blame their electorate for the consequences. 

I don't normally comment on politics, but I have to wonder just how staggeringly useless the opposition must be if this lot are still the most popular.....

56% of votes were for other parties, all they've managed to be is the least unpopular option...

[Deleted User]

Thing is, this going to hit the fan anyway. Doesn't matter what someone said in the press, the solids were flying around looking for a fan, this has just highlighted serious issues in our supply chain and the trust that seems to be in the government. The deflection campaign from No10 to divert attention is going well it seems though. But their box of sticking pilasters is well past its use by date.
Last time I saw so many stations closed or limited yesterday was the 2000 farce.

motorguy

Reginald74 said:

The worst side of human nature is people reading tabloid headlines about people filling up when they don't need to, supported by isolated case studies, and generalising that to 'panic buying' idiots'.

I look forward to the deafening silence if this goes on and those people are needing fuel and get caught in a queue themselves. 

Yeah yeah Reg, you said that already some pages back.

Why repeat yourself?

And if people DO end up needing fuel and get caught in the queue, it'll almost certainly be because of panic buying idiots.

motorguy

molerat said:

Spoilt for choice, Asda, Tesco, Esso all with no queues - didn't go near the other 3 Esso's.  Tesco had a tanker in, Asda had theirs yesterday.  Heard the Esso in the next town ran out on Saturday but was filled up Sat evening.  Maybe a shortage of idiots being over prepared round here means everyone is able to fill up as necessary and get around.

No issues here in Northern Ireland either but i see the Belfast Telegraph ran this headline "Fuel crisis: Asda imposes £30 cap at 11 NI filling stations"

 "https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/fuel-crisis-asda-imposes-30-cap-at-11-ni-filling-stations-40896405.html

A bit of a non story really, but a few more like that could spook the herd.

Thrugelmir

Reginald74 said:

They prepare because they have heard about a fuel shortage which would affect them disproportionately. They wouldn't have needed to otherwise. Doesn't make them idiots.

If any of you needed fuel for something critical, you'd do exactly the same.

Expecting people to 'behave' and put their livelihoods and wellbeing of their families at risk when they hear messages of this type is ridiculous.

There was no fuel shortage. That's how pathetic this whole situation is. Yet some people spout away endlessly. 

molerat

jimjames said:

Because the lack of HGV drivers is a direct consequence of government policy

Which UK government policy is causing the shortage of HGV drivers in mainland Europe ?

20%+ of vacancies unfilled in Poland, Spain & the Czech republic. Germany and France are in a similar situation, the UK is only marginally worse. Brexit is a relatively minor factor in the problem. Europe is now looking outside to the Russian states for drivers as they are now the only ones willing to put up with the conditions.  One of the big problems making the job unattractive is the inflexible driving hours rules.  My son in law leaves home at 5am Monday and comes back at 5pm Friday.  Many nights he is very close to home but cannot drive that extra hour so spends the night in his cab.

Sea_Shell

It's like the line from Jaws..."you yell Barracuda and people go "eh", you yell Shark and we've got a panic on our hands..."


People seem very skittish still with everything that's gone on (and still going on).  FOMO is real!!  Doesn't take much to "spook the horses".

Herzlos

molerat said:

jimjames said:

Because the lack of HGV drivers is a direct consequence of government policy

Which UK government policy is causing the shortage of HGV drivers in mainland Europe ?

20%+ of vacancies unfilled in Poland, Spain & the Czech republic. Germany and France are in a similar situation, the UK is only marginally worse. Brexit is a relatively minor factor in the problem. Europe is now looking outside to the Russian states for drivers as they are now the only ones willing to put up with the conditions.  One of the big problems making the job unattractive is the inflexible driving hours rules.  My son in law leaves home at 5am Monday and comes back at 5pm Friday.  Many nights he is very close to home but cannot drive that extra hour so spends the night in his cab.

Europe has a bigger pool of drivers though. A shortage in Poland can be filled from anywhere else in the EU. A shortage in the UK can be filled from the UK only.

Vegastare

Just to say both my local and the next town over have Morrisons Fuel, understand that the Asda also has .....so think maybe supermarkets are bucking the trend.

Grumpy_chap

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