Petrol queues reported now on BBC news

Yes but if there was no driver shortage and such severe problems with delivery, if the media announce that garages are closing because they’ve run out of petrol they would look rather foolish don’t you think. I know a lot of the population is sheeplike but not quite so stupid surely.

Agree but they would be having the conversation if we had a government that did it’s job.

They're making stuff up to frighten people.

PippaZ

Alegrias1

AA. Petrol companies. Petrol station owners.

I do not blindly agree with the government. I rarely agree with the government. I believe them on this because it is patently the truth.

Some folk just need to use a bit of common sense.

Which you obviously believe you are showing and others are not Alegrais

The problem is people are actually using what is called "common sense". When people talk about "common sense", often what they are referring to is a judgment based on experience alone. Their experience is that what comes out of the mouths of the government in the first, and often the second and third, iteration is a cover for their lack of planning rather than the truth.

"Common sense" is what you do not want as you have said you are wanting people to draw on sufficient information to draw a reliable conclusion.

''There are now very real concerns as the supply chain crisis ripples out across a huge range of industry.
No bodys talking about it because its so sensitive but there are now concerns about getting chemicals to purify our drinking water to the purifying plants. It hasn't happened yet but the fact its a possibility is focusing ministers minds.''

Alegrias1

Whitewavemark2

I think that there is little doubt that the continual crises is as a result of poor strategic planning by the government. All Johnson is doing is reacting and being buffered this way and that, piffling and whiffling his excuses blaming everything but the governments shortcomings.

I can’t see things getting better tbh

Of course the state of this nation is the government's fault, I agree,

But the media pretending there is a national fuel shortage when there isn't, doesn't exactly help matters.

Agree but they would be having the conversation if we had a government that did it’s job.

Whitewavemark2

I think that there is little doubt that the continual crises is as a result of poor strategic planning by the government. All Johnson is doing is reacting and being buffered this way and that, piffling and whiffling his excuses blaming everything but the governments shortcomings.

I can’t see things getting better tbh

Of course the state of this nation is the government's fault, I agree,

But the media pretending there is a national fuel shortage when there isn't, doesn't exactly help matters.

I think that there is little doubt that the continual crises is as a result of poor strategic planning by the government. All Johnson is doing is reacting and being buffered this way and that, piffling and whiffling his excuses blaming everything but the governments shortcomings.

I can’t see things getting better tbh

Willow68

Media hype, without media reporting it constantly before there was a problem, they have created one. Will be the same with food soon…

There was a problem before the media reported it and so on.

The problem is this governments failure to foresee issues, or act on what they are constantly being told by business

Without this initial failure on the governments part * there would be no problem*

Media hype, without media reporting it constantly before there was a problem, they have created one. Will be the same with food soon…

Which you obviously believe you are showing and others are not Alegrais

You might think so but I couldn't possibly comment.

growstuff

GrannyGravy The fact that my two nearest petrol stations have not had fuel for the last two days is not driven by sensational reporting or greedy individuals. It's driven by not having any petrol delivered! That's put pressure on the petrol stations which do have fuel, so of course they've run out more quickly.

If people are topping up their almost-full tanks of petrol, alongside those who are just refuelling as their normal routine, then the topper-uppers are draining the supply at each petrol station.

This in turn means that when the tankers are out delivering, rather than being able to service several sites (I have no idea how many sites a tanker would normally deliver to, each run), they are having to return to refill the tanker more often, meaning that those petrol stations further into their route, need to wait.

And while they are waiting, the "top up just in case" mob are further depleting the supplies of the other petrol stations, further exacerbating the problem.

Honestly, if people would just calm down and stop over-reacting, the situation could return to normal.

(Meanwhile, my husband is strutting around like Smuggy McSmugface of Smugshire, with his electric car .)

Whitewavemark2

tanith

All the garages near me have queuing ? what is wrong with people ?

Nothing wrong with people.

When you have a liar for PM who comes into television and announces no need to panic - what is your immediate reaction?

Panic!

Alegrias1

AA. Petrol companies. Petrol station owners.

I do not blindly agree with the government. I rarely agree with the government. I believe them on this because it is patently the truth.

Some folk just need to use a bit of common sense.

Which you obviously believe you are showing and others are not Alegrais

It's panic buying! Yes, people need petrol to get about but they don't need or usually have a full tank. We have plenty of fuel, deliveries were just slower which had we behaved as we normally do, very few people would have been affected. \No doubt many will blame Brexit, which may be part of the problem, but we haven't been able to train HGV drivers for quite a while due to Covid so the situation is exacerbated.

The point is that blaming the media or those folk queueing is taking the focus away from the real problem, which is a government who has in some cases for years been warned of impending and serious problems which they have consistently failed to address until the crises is chaotic.

HurdyGurdy Hadn't you worked out by now that it's always "others" who are to blame?

PS. I was one of those who genuinely needed petrol. I was seriously worried I would run out while I drove around looking for some petrol.

I have just got back from picking up my DD's dog at South Mimms services. The whole area is totally blocked by people queuing to buy petrol despite the numerous signs on the M1 and M25 saying there is no petrol there!
It took us 30 minutes to get in and park and 30 minutes just to get out again as they selfishly queue nose to tail so you can't get through.

Further up the M1 at Watford Gap I managed to get petrol without queuing. It seems it is different everywhere but unfortunately you cannot rely on getting petrol.

AA. Petrol companies. Petrol station owners.

I do not blindly agree with the government. I rarely agree with the government. I believe them on this because it is patently the truth.

Some folk just need to use a bit of common sense.

Alegrias1

I am no fan of this government, as I'm sure you know. Don't trust them as far as I could throw them.

I don't think anyone in the queue is lying.

Do they believe the AA? Or the fuel companies? Or the people who run petrol stations?

Sorry, lemmings. Greedy lemmings.

^(Usual disclaimer - not those who need fuel to carry on their lives as normal)^

You only have to try and answer why people would or should believe this government and then you can see why people are worried enough to try and do something about it.

Call those who are worried names if you chose. This is all, as far as I am concerned, to be laid at this lying, Never Ready governments door.

DH went to Tesco this morning. They had put a security man on to direct the queue of people waiting for fuel and to allow other shoppers past to get to the shop to buy groceries (which is what he went for).

GrannyGravy13

PippaZ have you actually listened to or read the comments from people in the industry?

There is not a fuel shortage

This is driven by sensationalist reporting and perpetuated by greedy individuals.

Whether or not there is no fuel shortage is not my point.

This is what you get when people believe that the government lies.

People do not believe the government when they say there is no fuel shortage.

They know, from experience not to believe this government. This government has been whatever is the opposite of the boy who cried wolf, chicken licken, etc., The first thing that is out of their mouths is "there isn't a problem" and they have been wrong - through their own unpreparedness - time, after time, after time.

So petrol or no petrol, and knowing there is a shortage of drivers the government has been trying to ignore, people, other than those who blindly agree with this government, do not believe them

Everyone I have seen posting on FB since this nonsense all started have been adamant that they are not panic buying, but only filling up as usual.

Every forum post I read is from people who are adamant that they are not panic buying, but only filling up as usual.

Everywhere you go, people are adamant that they are not panic buying, but only filling up as usual.

So if everyone is only filling up as usual, why are we seeing ridiculous queues (or, guaranteed to set my teeth on edge, "cues" or "ques")? Who ARE these panic buyers?

If the media hadn't reported this as "fuel shortage" but actually reported that BP was experiencing supply problems and had temporarily closed a small number of forecourt, or better still, hadn't reported it at all, then the (apparently invisible) panic buyer wouldn't have caused these queues.

It's so ironic that people are now driving around looking for petrol, or sitting in queues with their engines running, using fuel and causing pollution. All unnecessarily.

I am no fan of this government, as I'm sure you know. Don't trust them as far as I could throw them.

I don't think anyone in the queue is lying.

Do they believe the AA? Or the fuel companies? Or the people who run petrol stations?

Sorry, lemmings. Greedy lemmings.

(Usual disclaimer - not those who need fuel to carry on their lives as normal)

Alegrias1

^Nothing wrong with the people queuing.^

Sorry PippaZ but there is. There is no shortage. Some petrol stations closed temporarily, some people had to drive around a bit, the press got hold of it, loads of people over reacted and the supply chain couldn't hold up.

No excuse.

I disagree Alegrias. People would not be queuing if they could believe their government. The queues are a manifestation of how little people trust the government. As I think this government lies just as much as those in the queues appear to, I am not going to blame them.

growstuff

Alegrias1

Picked one at random.

The Mirror.

^A national fuel shortage is causing petrol stations across the country to close, risking widespread disruption.^

Thank you. I stand corrected. Nevertheless,the issue is that there are shortages where it's needed.

Agreed.

But it's the reaction of the press and the other media that have blown this out of all proportion.

Anyway, this made me smile.