Why are people scrambling for petrol?

Advocado

Herzlos said:

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.

Could you explain this further?

How come a shortage in Poland can be filled from other EU countries, but a shortage in the UK cannot?

The UK government are saying they'll allow EU drivers to come and work here.  The EU also has a shortage of HGV drivers,  so it comes down to countries/firms encouraging drivers to work for them.

Poland can't just march into France and demand that drivers go and work in Poland.  

Jenni_D

As I'd mentioned previously I've got a 300+ miles round trip this weekend so I've just been out to get diesel.

* My local Sainsburys is closed - no fuel.
* The local independent has a sign saying Max. Spend £25, but all the pumps are blocked off anyway.
* I managed to get diesel at the Esso in the next town along (~4 miles away) but fuel spend was restricted to £35. Fortunately with what I already had in the tank that spend gives me 7/8 full (according to the fuel gauge) and that'll do me fine.  

BOWFER

Jenni_D said:

As I'd mentioned previously I've got a 300+ miles round trip this weekend so I've just been out to get diesel.

* My local Sainsburys is closed - no fuel.
* The local independent has a sign saying Max. Spend £25, but all the pumps are blocked off anyway.
* I managed to get diesel at the Esso in the next town along (~4 miles away) but fuel spend was restricted to £35. Fortunately with what I already had in the tank that spend gives me 7/8 full (according to the fuel gauge) and that'll do me fine.  

Am I right you're in Aberdeen?
So the Esso you went to was the 5-mile towards Westhill?
Wee tip for you, the airport petrol station has been quiet all week - it's like the public forget it's there.

(the above will make no sense to you at all if I've got your location wrong)

MrsStepford

There wasn't any fuel at Maidstone Services Jct 8 M20 yesterday. Husband queued for 40 mins to get into Stop24 near Folkestone because although he had a quarter of a tank, he didn't have enough fuel for all the work journeys he has to do this week. He was able to fill car right up, which was good. However Stop24 (Esso) charges 8p per litre more than Sainsbury's, which he uses normally. 

In 2000 when there were some shortages because of strikes IIRC my father and husband were able to take a catamaran to Boulogne (55 mins) and fill up there. They also did a supermarket schlep at Auchan, 

I think people buy fuel (a) because they don't want to get caught out miles from home without it (happened to husband a couple of times) and also because no-one trusts this government. 

Jenni_D

BOWFER said:

Jenni_D said:

As I'd mentioned previously I've got a 300+ miles round trip this weekend so I've just been out to get diesel.

* My local Sainsburys is closed - no fuel.
* The local independent has a sign saying Max. Spend £25, but all the pumps are blocked off anyway.
* I managed to get diesel at the Esso in the next town along (~4 miles away) but fuel spend was restricted to £35. Fortunately with what I already had in the tank that spend gives me 7/8 full (according to the fuel gauge) and that'll do me fine.  

Am I right you're in Aberdeen?
So the Esso you went to was the 5-mile towards Westhill?
Wee tip for you, the airport petrol station has been quiet all week - it's like the public forget it's there.

(the above will make no sense to you at all if I've got your location wrong)

Nope - much further south than that. Central belt area. I just happen to have been to Aberdeen a few times previously so know various bits of it.

Grumpy_chap

Jenni_D said:

* My local Sainsburys is closed - no fuel.

Local Sainsbury's to me is running a little trick.  The sign outside says "no fuel - closed" but if you go in to get shopping (like I was), you are directed into the car park right by the shop on the way in and out right around the perimeter on the way out where the garage is open with no queue.  Not that I needed any as I filled up in July.

Jenni_D

Grumpy_chap said:

Jenni_D said:

* My local Sainsburys is closed - no fuel.

Local Sainsbury's to me is running a little trick.  The sign outside says "no fuel - closed" but if you go in to get shopping (like I was), you are directed into the car park right by the shop on the way in and out right around the perimeter on the way out where the garage is open with no queue.  Not that I needed any as I filled up in July.

My local Sainsburys had signs up blocking access to the filling station - and there's no other way in (unless you enter via the exit).  

[Deleted User]

Advocado said:

Herzlos said:

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.

Could you explain this further?

How come a shortage in Poland can be filled from other EU countries, but a shortage in the UK cannot?

The UK government are saying they'll allow EU drivers to come and work here.  The EU also has a shortage of HGV drivers,  so it comes down to countries/firms encouraging drivers to work for them.

Poland can't just march into France and demand that drivers go and work in Poland.  

I would imagine that it being easier to ply your trade on the continent, that overrides working in the UK where you are booted out once Priti gets wind of you past your usefulness and you fight through red tape to get here.

motorguy

motorguy said:

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.

Bel Tel having another go at generating a reaction.  This time going for the fuel prices about to rocket angle to get panic buying going...

"Panic at the pumps: How NI missed out on fuel crisis – but could now see petrol prices rocket"

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/panic-at-the-pumps-how-ni-missed-out-on-fuel-crisis-but-could-now-see-petrol-prices-rocket-40900878.html

ontheroad1970

The 3 month time limit of the visas will put off most of those that might have been tempted.  It's a case of the Tories offering a fake option and then saying - "told you it wouldn't work"