Panic at the Pumps in the UK.

`I must admit it is actually quite funny seeing everyone panic , driving about like idiots trying to get fuel. I need fuel to get to work and im not worrying about it, i always keep a Gerry can for my petrol lawnmower so il use that if it really gets bad.

the thing is everyone is panicking but the unions legally have to give 7 days notice before a strike and there's all the organising and such so realisticly there wouldn't be one for a couple of weeks anyway.

its amazing how people just follow the MSM, politicians etc believe every word that is spoken, we live in a county full of sheep , no one can think for themselves now days.

I went and put £15 in my daily runner yesterday after work and people were looking at me like i was crazy because i wasn't filling my tank or filling 10 Gerry cans.

i dread top think what would;d happen in this county if there was a genuine serious problem.

Originally posted by Brad-H
I'm sorry but I find this mass panic thing absolutely hilarious. Where I live, fuel shortages are a daily occurrence, we all live with it and carry on. Some people are just not well equipped for, ahem, "a crisis?" Its really funny watching how the large majority of the first-world population deal with petty things...epic fail.

edit on 29-3-2012 by Brad-H because: (no reason given)

edit on 29-3-2012 by Brad-H because: (no reason given)

It depends on where you live, and how big the Country is. Some places People commute hours. There is no choice. It just how Society is structured. In these cases fuel running out would be catastrophic for long periods of time. In some places such as Russia, Canada, Australia, and the US, driving is a necessity in todays World. Which i despise by the way as I am a believer in a simpler life, with roots in the land.

I think what is hilarious is people surety of Society, and the foundation in which it is laid. This circumstance proves that all is fragile in society, and complacency by anyone is foolish and absurd. Saying to themselves "this will always be here for us".

The attitude is more like a disease. A disease primarily of the first World.

The fall is coming, but it will no be hilarious. I care not for the fate of the adults, just the young. It will be a time of great sorrow and tears for the young.

reply to post by Gridrebel


a kia rio 1.5l diesel.
it doesnt matter so much how i drive it, it still is good on fuel economy

Well I for one have not 'panic bought' a single drop, and don't intend to do anything out of the ordinary until strike action is continued, many of you express the same opinion obviously.


But I am rather worried on the new tax on Greggs' sausage rolls and other miscellaneous pastries that will go up in price. I shall be panic buying those for sure!

Originally posted by diddy1234
reply to post by Gridrebel

 

a kia rio 1.5l diesel.
it doesnt matter so much how i drive it, it still is good on fuel economy

Brits have very good taste when it comes to cars... they know how to make them, how to drive them, and how to have fun with them - they know exactly what a car is - what are you!? O.o

Thats not a car mate, thats a frigo bar with windows!! You call yerself a brit? A real brit has a driver's car...!

Our local petrol station played a bit of psychology yesterday. Its owned by and part of a large Tesco store. Like others you have to drive past it when going into the car park. At 3.30 yesterday I was parked up waiting on my other half coming out the store. There were 3 cars filling up from 12 pumps available when 2 staff members from the store wearing luminous yellow jackets started directing the odd car that was indicating left to enter for petrol. Very quickly everyone driving past changed plans, they saw the yellow jackets and every car then turned in for petrol. Within a minute there were lines of traffic 30 deep.

The whole situation was manipulated quite cleverly.

Respects.

reply to post by FraternitasSaturni


Its a mere 'budgie' car.

Cheap, cheerful and surprisingly reliable.
Plus the road tax is only £30 a year.
Insurance is cheap as well.
A puny 42L fuel tank means to fill from empty is around £61 (cheap compared to other cars) and it lasts 460 miles if i drive it like I stole it.

Is it a drivers car ?
Nope not at all, however its very quick for a diesel and out pulls 2.0L petrol cars easily.

reply to post by Predator90


know what you mean. i myself put £20 a time in the tank which lasts 4/5 days normally. not interested in filling it up to the top, just enough to run around for a few days, rinse and repeat.

sadly this means the voluntary work i do (free, no charge, no expenses, just assistance) has ceased. luckily one gentleman is recovering in icu at the moment after finding him nearly dead in his home approx 3 weeks ago. the other had a major fall and is housebound. i guess they will have to use the authorities for any assistance from now on as it is logistically near impossible for me to travel.

what an absolute joke. i also don't see cameron in the camera eye at the moment, i guess he's in his bunker deciding whether to tax (added value!) the private dinner engagements with the real policymakers.

f.

reply to post by woodwardjnr


You have to admit that it takes a rather moronic individual to a) believe the government b) panic buy fuel c) panic buy fuel when there isn't even a strike on.

I have been laughing so hard since I started reading these stories. When I run out of fuel and can't find any, you know what.. I won't be panicking. It's called being prepared. Duh!

So much for the "Keep Calm and Carry On" motto that Brits love to refer to.

Need I say more?

T

reply to post by torqpoc


"Keep Calm and Carry On", no more like "Don't panic Mr Mainwaring"

reply to post by diddy1234


Haha yes indeed =)

T

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
reply to post by Flavian

 

So why do you believe they are striking, if they have such a cushy job?

Right, after more research it appears that Hoyer (one of companies involved) were discussing ways with Unite to get their working conditions implemented across the board and Unite walked away from the discussions. For the record, Hoyer drivers earn on average £45,000 per year and they have never had a driver injured at work - they have pretty much the best health & Safety record in the industry.

That is not quite the picture that Unite have painted is it? And this is why i do not support THIS strike action.

reply to post by torqpoc


you say it takes a rather moronic individual to believe what the government says. That's why when the government say things like "don't panic". It has the opposite effect.

I agree it's concerning the way people responded to what the government advice was, I'm sure if they would have kept their mouths shut things would have carried on as normal.

There isn't actually a strike on. There wont be a strike for at least a couple of weeks. Yet the government did not make that clear and instead encouraged the stock piling of petrol.

Keep calm and carry on was replaced with "Everybody panic and get out your jerry cans"

reply to post by woodwardjnr


Yes, important distinction. No strike and no possibility of one for a week at the absolute earliest.

I was thinking about this last night and decided it must be a cunning plan to force OPEC to up production! Crazy theory yes but it did make me wonder, especially following the Obama-Cameron love fest. What has happened since? Prices in the US have rocketed and we are having a panic over here.

New story on Sky News....

A woman has suffered 40% burns when petrol ignited as she was transferring it to containers in her kitchen in York, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service has said.
It comes two days after Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude told Sky News that people should avoid petrol shortages by putting extra fuel in a jerry can in the garage.

Sky's North of England correspondent Gerard Tubb said: "The woman was apparently decanting fuel in the kitchen of her home.

"She was pouring petrol from one container to another, but we do not know what those containers were and why she was doing it.

"However, somehow the petrol ignited and set fire to her."

It is unclear whether the woman's actions were the response of advice given by the Government.

Tubb said: "When the Government advised people that they should store some petrol in a jerry can, there was immediate criticism from some fire experts saying it could be very dangerous."

Source: Woman Badly Burned Trying To Store Petrol

This is bound to happen when people start scrambling to store fuel that they are not used to dealing with. Surprised we don't see more of it to be honest.

CX.

I don't think it will be long before there are whole swathes of houses on fire.
Lack of water and the fire service up in arms about people storing fuel at home.

This panic buying spree has so many implications that Mr Maude should be held accountable to.

How long before the Darwin Awards start dishing out medals ?

reply to post by CX


She is a Darwin Award contender - this is about 10 mins walk from where i live. Here is the local link:

local report

ETA:

Hope she recovers but still.........

Originally posted by ComeFindMe
Panic is exactly the right word, though there wasn't any need to do so (unions are obliged to give seven days notice for a strike anyway).

comments by Francis Maude of jerry can stocking are misguided at best and I am waiting for the first 'shed explosion' story with baited breath

Well how about a Kitchen explosion? 40% burns. Woman filling cans of petrol in her kitchen:
news.sky.com...

reply to post by mytheroy


I think that might just be spot on. I remember decades ago in the 70's we had threats of petrol shortages & rationing. (Just for info: I'm in the soon to be Republic of Scotland)

Even then we all knew that you you couldn't legally store more than a couple of gallons in your garage (If you even had a garage)

I am genuinely at a loss to figure this one out. - There is a 7 day period of notice before the drivers can legally go on strike anyway: - No need to panic.

So why do various government spokespersons get their ugly mugs on telly & suggest that we

1/ Break the law by illegally stockpiling quantities of fuel in our houses
2/ Change our (probably based on Years of usage) refuelling habits by "topping up"

When it comes to buying petrol, most people have a routine. Personally, when the petrol warning light in my car comes on, I have an internal debate - Do I prop up (through oppressive taxes) an unelected government that is attacking everything I hold true, - Or do I spend what it takes to get to work. - Well, I brim it - & that'll do me for this month. (Am I the only person that hates being in a petrol station?)

So, after filling my tank, I head off with a tank full of petrol, & a head full of resentment.

I don't believe that politicians these days are so stupid that they can't see this. Therefore, I believe, they are acting maliciously.

Yes, they are trying to figure out what the public will do if they can't get fuel. Thank you David Cameron - You were not elected, you do not represent me, but yes, you are happy to tell me that my tank will run dry any day now.

If that's a conspiracy. then yes. count me in

Fuel strike over easter ruled out:

www.bbc.co.uk...

Don't know if anyone else has posted it somewhere, too much to read...