It's funny how (fuel shortages)

VincentHanna · 27 Sep 2021 at 13:39

To be honest I saw people getting in a frenzy last week on my local towns Facebook group just because BBC reported on the issue of BP having to close a few petrol stations due to a short-term driver shortage.

In this case I don't think the media really are at fault. People went nuts over nothing.

grudas · 27 Sep 2021 at 13:39

ElliorR said:
But they can top up at home where it's not so easy for most of us petrol/diesel car drivers. Except for those who filled up **** loads of fuel containers of course. *****

They can yeah! I'm just waiting for next poo storm to hit.. elec prices?

Chris Wilson · 27 Sep 2021 at 14:11

One thing you can be sure of, the energy giants will not allow a large imbalance in fuel and energy prices, so if gas goes through the roof due to uncontrollable circumstances the electrical companies will want to charge near as much per unit of energy. They'll think of, or create a way to do that

Mittens · 27 Sep 2021 at 14:12

Demnons ?

200sols · 27 Sep 2021 at 14:48

Chris Wilson said:
One thing you can be sure of, the energy giants will not allow a large imbalance in fuel and energy prices, so if gas goes through the roof due to uncontrollable circumstances the electrical companies will want to charge near as much per unit of energy. They'll think of, or create a way to do that

There cant be a large imbalance in prices, we use gas to generate a large percentage of our electricity in the UK.

MagicBoy · 27 Sep 2021 at 14:55

Dis86 said:
I don't think it's either. I just don't think they quite estimated how stupid the average Brit is.

Or is it that the average Brit has little faith in this Government and is therefore looking out for themsevles & their family? This Government have proved time and again in the last 18 months to be utterly useless. Soundbites and George Eustace getting wheeled out for wall to wall interviews won't solve a structural problem that's been brewing for years and got willfully ignored.

doodah · 27 Sep 2021 at 14:58

Hades said:
Me: "I'm not going to mow the lawn this weekend so we can keep the spare can of mower petrol. We might need that for the school run if we can't get any petrol for the car"
Wife: Mows lawn, proudly comes in to tell me she saved me a job
Me: "OK, how are we going to get the kids to school if shortages are still happening when the car is empty?"
Wife: Pikachu face

Sadly a true story

Divorce! Or she's doing all the chores for a week. Hope you find a solution if the problem persists.

Johno please? · 27 Sep 2021 at 15:03

inogen said:
It's different than the toilet roll thing. That was completely people and media driven. There was no problem with toilet paper supply at all.

There are however some problems with petrol supply.

This started with BP saying they were struggling to get petrol to forecourts and meeting with the government to discuss. So there was in fact, a short term shortage in supply no matter how small it was. This was reported in the media and that lit the touch paper.

Despite persistent government denials, there are other medium/longer term problems with fuel supply. Stanlow refinery for instance, which supplies around 1/6th of the country's petrol is on the brink of receivership... https://news.sky.com/story/stanlow-...ancial-crunch-as-hmrc-deadline-looms-12410388

Yea 'some', from BP, which forecourts near me are always empty anyway for obvious reasons.

There still wouldnt have been any major supply issues if people didnt go full retard.

I knew this would happen the moment I opened the BBC news app and saw the sun went with the headline "WE'RE RUNNING ON EMPTY". With a picture of a petrol pump behind it.

Raiden85 · 27 Sep 2021 at 15:04

All of the bosses from every media outlet should be taken to court, even social media bosses. The media are the one's that have caused every panic buying situation not to mention every panic situation with covid as well.

Something really needs to be done about them now as they are causing nothing but issues just for a story. They aren't reporting on issues anymore their making them.

neocon · 27 Sep 2021 at 15:24

It's not going to help the return to work my company has planned for October. :cry:

robj20 · 27 Sep 2021 at 15:27

neocon said:
It's not going to help the return to work my company has planned for October.

Same here, one poor bloke travels from Wales to Manchester in his land rover £200+ a week in fuel. We laugh when he says everytime he fills up he has to twice anyway as always goes over the £99 limit.

Chris Wilson · 27 Sep 2021 at 15:44

No problems so far round here, I got petrol this morning, no queues, no limits. If the whatsit hits the fan I have diesel in a drum and the wife's car is a diesel, the truck probably still has 70 gallons or so of diesel in its tank I can syphon out, and I have 410 litres of race fuel (high octane petrol), unopened in two barrels, although given the price of it I'd need to be really desperate to dump any in a road car. But so far, no worries...Also got a fair bit of red diesel, but that's a DEFINITE no no on the road, but the tractor can operate on it, as well as the steam cleaner. I rarely go far these days anyway.

inogen · 27 Sep 2021 at 16:14

Johno please? said:
Yea 'some', from BP, which forecourts near me are always empty anyway for obvious reasons.

There still wouldnt have been any major supply issues if people didnt go full retard.

I knew this would happen the moment I opened the BBC news app and saw the sun went with the headline "WE'RE RUNNING ON EMPTY". With a picture of a petrol pump behind it.

"Some" is enough though. Especially at the moment. People are very aware and have first hand experience, or have at least read of real shortages caused by Brexited HGV drivers. Any essential that has a whiff of being shorted is going to get panic bought. That's what people do. It's not because they've gone "full retard" it's because they've lost trust in the market to deliver stuff and have stuff available when they want and need it.

b0rn2sk8 · 27 Sep 2021 at 16:33

We’re constantly being told about shortages to both essentials and non-essentials. A good example of this is the warnings about stock for Christmas and to buy early etc. loads of retailers have put this out there.

In our local supermarket the shelves which have bottled water and fizzy drinks have been pretty sparse for a couple of weeks now.

It’s really obvious in places which stock loads of imported stuff from China, the shelves look full but often they only have a single line of items spread out across the front of the shelf and nothing behind.

It’s not completely unreasonable to expect people to rush out and buy essentials like fuel when there are signs of the supply chain creaking. That said some peoples behaviour is utterly unacceptable like those topping up £10 or filling Jerry cans etc.

the shadow · 27 Sep 2021 at 16:38

Easter eggs on sale yet ?

Doobedoo · 27 Sep 2021 at 17:02

Chris Wilson said:
No problems so far round here, I got petrol this morning, no queues, no limits. If the whatsit hits the fan I have diesel in a drum and the wife's car is a diesel, the truck probably still has 70 gallons or so of diesel in its tank I can syphon out, and I have 410 litres of race fuel (high octane petrol), unopened in two barrels, although given the price of it I'd need to be really desperate to dump any in a road car. But so far, no worries...Also got a fair bit of red diesel, but that's a DEFINITE no no on the road, but the tractor can operate on it, as well as the steam cleaner. I rarely go far these days anyway.

Cool story bro.

Jono8 · 27 Sep 2021 at 17:06

beachBOYken said:
Well it is stupidity really, as a full tank of fuel only gets you so far. That same person who rushed out to panic buy fuel will likely have to do it all again queuing 2 miles up the road for some fuel.

The situation could have been avoided if everyone was sensible and only filled up when they needed. Now the situation is 10 fold and we all will be queuing up for petrol until things get back to normal. Why do we do this to ourselves, it's like a self inflicted wound.

Because people are terrible.

If I can't get any tomorrow then I'm officially *****.

Paradiso · 27 Sep 2021 at 17:15

It's basically the media at fault, if they hadn't had to break a non issue story, no one would be any the wiser and things would have carried on as normal.

neocon · 27 Sep 2021 at 17:35

I get the feeling this will take a long time to return to normal, because people will now be spooked and probably be constantly topping up for fear that this might happen again.

I normally let my tank get down to empty before I refill which is obviously not a great idea as now I have none. Not sure how much people tend to have in their tanks at any one moment.

Rroff · 27 Sep 2021 at 17:40

neocon said:
I get the feeling this will take a long time to return to normal, because people will now be spooked and probably be constantly topping up for fear that this might happen again.

I normally let my tank get down to empty before I refill which is obviously not a great idea as now I have none. Not sure how much people tend to have in their tanks at any one moment.

From what I can see the people panicking the most are the ones who rarely have more than a tenner in the tank max normally so once they have a full tank and a shed full of cans we should get some respite for awhile :s