It's funny how (fuel shortages)

Associate
Joined
9 Jul 2010
Posts
568
Fuel shortage ended in the East Midlands at the start of the week. All the stations I go past are now open. Just filled up when I needed to, don't join the hype.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Feb 2006
Posts
9,576
My local shell garage was completely empty when I drove past this afternoon. I'd have thought the situation would be 100% resolved by now as all the people panic bought fuel they didn't need at the start...
 
Man of Honour
Joined
13 Oct 2006
Posts
91,051
Great now the prices have gone completely nuts - extra £14 for a full tank... or around £35 more than April 2020.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
14 Apr 2017
Posts
3,511
Location
London
I remember the first time I drove to a petrol station in 2003 I paid 76.9p a litre! 35 litres cost £27. Now it’s £48.

My hand to God, I’m not deriding your post in the slightest, I feel your pain as much as the next guy, but it took me back to the late eighties/early nineties, when I was driving a London taxi.
The IRA had planted a few bombs in and around London, and panicked the population by phoning in some false bomb scares, resulting in tourists, particularly Americans, being conspicuous by their absence in London.
Naturally this made a dent in takings for the taxi trade.
Waiting on the rank at Westminster Abbey, another driver said to me, “I checked my books last night, and this week three years ago I took £X, so far this week I’ve taken 40% less than that.”
I nodded sympathetically, but my brain was saying, “3 years ago? Seriously? Get a life why don’t you?”
Allow me to emphasise, I’M NOT SUGGESTING FOR ONE MINUTE THAT YOU NEED TO GET A LIFE.
 
Man of Honour
Joined
26 Dec 2003
Posts
30,879
Location
Shropshire
Yeah I was paying around £30 before, normally fill up. just under a quarter of tank, now Im paying £40+.

I remember 7 or 8 years ago when some garages were selling at 99p litre:(

Meant to quote @Rroff
Last year coming out of lockdown I was brimming my tank for 99p a litre, that was a nice cheap few weeks of commuting.
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Feb 2007
Posts
12,722
Location
London
Are people still panic buying?

I have not been to the etrol station or out really for the last 3-4 weeks

No, things are back to normal. In my area all the stations I went past have fuel and no queues. Just goes to show that the panic buying frenzy was completely pointless. Still these same people will still do it all again when the next media story hits the headlines.
 
Soldato
Joined
16 Aug 2009
Posts
7,740
Most of the cost of fuel is tax, even the tax itself is taxed again. Triple tax, longshanks would be proud.

The fuel tax escalator or whatever it was called used to increase tax each budget, its effectively remained fixed for many a year now due to pressure from motoring groups and govt was afraid it would cost them votes, in relative terms it hasn't increased at all infact its probably decreased relative to wages the only factor now is the cost of oil and like gas I havn't checked the details but I fully expect it be demand from China which seems to hoovering up all lthe global resources right now.

Arguably its too cheap and thats lead to the proliferation of gas guzzling SUV's and current generations of cars being at least 25% larger than previous its fun trying to watch people queeze into supermarket parking spaces not designed for them. Let the price rise even more we might see some return to sanity on the roads!
 
Associate
Joined
9 Feb 2009
Posts
1,419
Location
Up North
Just to bump this.......is this becoming the next situation following the developments in Ukraine?

Seen a couple of news articles, and overheard a chap on his phone earlier while out and about telling his mate to go and fill up all his vehicles.

I might be completely wrong, but once the word starts going round we all know what happens (and it is ironic I might be part of the problem by bumping this thread)

Note - I haven't partaken in doing this.
 
Back
Top Bottom