Oh no they're not

Dinahmo that is fine if you are not utterly dependent on your car, but, as I said, many people, are and cannot afford not to be able to get petrol when they need it, so they will keep topping up. It is sensible behaviour.

If people keep topping up their car, that will mean less for others to get any fuel, some of whom will also be utterly dependent on their car. When my midwife niece has to get the bus to go do a home delivery, it will be good if she doesn't encounter a 2 hour jam like the bus my grandson was on today did because of queues for petrol stations gridlocking the roads. She's got less than 1/8 th of a tank of petrol, that won't last long and she doesn't have time to queue for 2 hours before work.

Well. it was before the disruption set in. She was on her way home after a day on a course and was tired and just decided to leave refilling until another time.

2 cars isn’t a queue Monica so why would your DD do that?

Dinahmo that is fine if you are not utterly dependent on your car, but, as I said, many people, are and cannot afford not to be able to get petrol when they need it, so they will keep topping up. It is sensible behaviour.

DS is away from home at the moment, due back on Wednesday. DDiL went down with COVID earlier this week, she is vaccinated and not too unwell, and 14 year old daughter, an accomplished cook, is in charge, with other relations nearby as well. Today DGD went down with COVID as well, and DS has had to cut and run from a project he is managing and drive 150 miles home. He refilled his car yesterday, to be on the safe side. He is very glad he did.

DD has just reported that the day before this story broke, she went to the petrol station because her tank was nearly empty, saw 2 cars were queuing, so went home deciding to leave it until the weekend.......................................

I don't think that filling up your tank is unreasonable, but filling up jerry cans is selfish. DD ha taken DGD1 up to York university, 200 plus miles to there, she's coming back today, hope she manages to get fuel. Last weekend it was a 600 mile round trip to take DGS to Newcastle university!

A BBC reporter was in Stockton on Friday morning and reported about petrol station closures - I can't remember how many he said. LAter on, someone on J Vine (from Stockport) said that he'd been to 6 - all closed and filled up on the 7th.

M0nica I don't think your reasoning is quite right. Like many people I don't fill up until my petrol tank is quite low. Yesterday it was at 3/4. Normally I wouldn't need to fill up for 2 weeks, but if I topped up yesterday I would be taking fuel that someone else needed. Obviously I would be taking a tank full in 2 weeks but who knows what would have happened by then.

EP You are absolutely right.

But what they are doing is realising that there could be a shortage, and making sure they do not end up with an empty tank and no access to fuel.

Meanwhile the amount of petrol they will be putting in their tanks each fill, will be much less than normal so existing stocks at petrol stations should last as long.

There are many people for whom a car with petrol is essential - to get to work, perhaps they are a carer in a domestic situation, calling on different people daily, or needing to go and help an elderly relation living at a distance at a moments notice. In rural areas without bus services, taxi drivers. For so many people personal transport is essential.

I fail to see why acting strategically when a shortage arises and buying a bit more to make sure you do not run out of an essential product should be defined as 'panic' buying. Leave that description to anyone buying multiple packs of loo paper.