Petrol panic buying

[RichJF]

I actually resorted to filling up at 1am this morning.
My Fiat was flashing at me so I watched the Esso tanker arrive at 00:30 & then darted out as soon as it left. E5 Super or limited diesel. All the garages in my town seem to have been restocked within 30 mins as the Jet was open too.

Hopefully between my motorbike & car I now have 2/3 weeks before needing a refill!

 

[GusB]

I posted this on Friday in this thread https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/brexit-matters.211154

When I was watching BBC News earlier today, I had to chuckle when I heard the "don't panic" message, because that's exactly what will happen.

Of course, broadcasting news reports from filling stations where they show queues of cars is hardly going to reassure people.

I don't think there's any point in baying for blood as far as the "mainstream" media is concerned. They're simply reporting on what is actually happening. If the media had said nothing at all, I'm fairly certain that word would have spread through the likes of Facebook and Twitter fairly quickly. All it needs is for person A to be waiting in a queue at a filling station, while they receive a ping that person B in their friends list is also doing the same at another filling station. Ten minutes later, friend C pipes up saying "I'm at this filling station and there are queues here too". There's no need for "the media" to be involved - it's just good old-fashioned word of mouth, but with the added benefit of internet speed.

Totally agree.

We need a law which makes it an offense to incite panic and fear, with impact on national infrastructure an aggravating factor. Just as its already an offence to incite violence.

The original story in this case would probably not been so damaging if the headline had properly reflected the article content rather than being clickbait.

We also should be regulating social media just same as other media.

With the privilege of free speech comes a responsibility not to use it to do harm.

TPO

How do you propose that we regulate social media just the same as other media? Social media platforms don't generate the content; rather they just provide the means for individuals to voice their opinions. Is BT/Openreach responsible for everything that happens to be said on their phone lines?

 

[birchesgreen]

How ironic, i was able to fill up my car no problem (although a couple of hours later there was a queue at that station) on friday but today i discovered my car has a small fuel leak so now can't really use it until i get that fixed next week.

I half expect a queue of people with flat trays and blotting paper to start searching under my car...

 

[DelayRepay]

Yes I've seen plenty suggest electric car users must be watching all this and laughing. As someone who cycles and/or uses trains and doesn't own a car I feel in a similar camp

I wouldn't laugh.

My sister is a domestic care worker for the elderly and vulnerable. She spent over an hour yesterday afternoon (of her own time) trying to make sure she had enough fuel to do last night's round. She did, but she was rationed to £30 worth so unless she can get more today, she won't be able to attend to her clients tonight.

When we had the fuel supply issues in 1999 (and I know they were different), I recall there being concerns about the NHS due to staff being unable to get to work. This is probably the last thing the NHS need right now.

 

[DelW]

I wouldn't laugh.

My sister is a domestic care worker for the elderly and vulnerable. She spent over an hour yesterday afternoon (of her own time) trying to make sure she had enough fuel to do last night's round. She did, but she was rationed to £30 worth so unless she can get more today, she won't be able to attend to her clients tonight.

£30 worth of petrol at current prices would take a reasonably economical car (40mpg) almost 200 miles. Even allowing for stop/start driving reducing that figure, it seems a lot to use visiting local clients in a single evening.

 

[Trackman]

My mate cannot to go to work today (self employed) as he cannot find any diesel anywhere. He’s monitoring local social media to see if he can source some as he only has about 10 miles left and it’s too risky driving about and getting stuck. He will give it until lunchtime then see me in the pub.

 

[chorleyjeff]

No but I think its an appropriate description, the local independent garage at the top of my street closed at 3 this afternoon when they ran out.

Just been past the big Asda a Pudsey, all pumps closed, although if they are anything like Sainsbury's they will be keeping a reserve for their delivery vans.

The Industry generally appears to be saying that there isn't a shortage of Tanker drivers, and certainly when my mother ran a garage I remember her telling me how well paid they were because of the hazard of the load they carry, ok that was a few years ago but I carn't imagine it will have changed that much.

Anyway I have enough fuel to last until the end of the week, and hopefully I am getting my electric car on Thursday so I'm not fussed.

Their pay has gone down. Companies were very happy to recruit drivers from low wage countries who accepted low pay.

 

[DelayRepay]

£30 worth of petrol at current prices would take a reasonably economical car (40mpg) almost 200 miles. Even allowing for stop/start driving reducing that figure, it seems a lot to use visiting local clients in a single evening.

You are right and I was perhaps exaggerating, but not by much.

You may have noticed that, like lorry drivers, care workers are also in short supply. Particularly ones who are willing to work nights driving from client to client. As a result, the 'round' has grown (both in terms of the number of clients, and the geographical area it covers). Some of the clients need their visits at specific times, so the route is not always very efficient. And sometimes she'll be called during the round and asked if she can squeeze a few extras in. This might happen because another carer didn't turn up to work, they've broken down, or they've found a client ill (or deceased) and are therefore waiting for an ambulance.

She estimates that she uses £10 - £15 per shift so the £30 ration would last at best three shifts, assuming she didn't need to use her car for anything else.

So the question is, is it reasonable for her to spend an hour or more every other day looking for fuel? And is it reasonable to ask a young female who works alone to go out late at night not knowing if they've got enough petrol to get home?

 

[DelW]

You are right and I was perhaps exaggerating, but not by much.

You may have noticed that, like lorry drivers, care workers are also in short supply. Particularly ones who are willing to work nights driving from client to client. As a result, the 'round' has grown (both in terms of the number of clients, and the geographical area it covers). Some of the clients need their visits at specific times, so the route is not always very efficient. And sometimes she'll be called during the round and asked if she can squeeze a few extras in. This might happen because another carer didn't turn up to work, they've broken down, or they've found a client ill (or deceased) and are therefore waiting for an ambulance.

She estimates that she uses £10 - £15 per shift so the £30 ration would last at best three shifts, assuming she didn't need to use her car for anything else.

So the question is, is it reasonable for her to spend an hour or more every other day looking for fuel? And is it reasonable to ask a young female who works alone to go out late at night not knowing if they've got enough petrol to get home?

It was just my engineer's brain feeling the need to validate the numbers! I didn't intend to imply any criticism of your sister.

I do sympathise with her predicament, and that of anyone who needs fuel for their work. I came back from a holiday a week ago with a low tank and hadn't got around to refilling it before the rush ensued. I've declined to join in, since being retired I don't *have* to use my car for everyday needs, and non-essential trips can be (and have been) postponed. So at least I'm avoiding making the problem worse for those who really do need the fuel.

 

[py_megapixel]

Part of the problem is the fact that people at least where I live seem to have given up on the idea that they should buy a car that actually fits their needs. The default now seems to be that if you can afford to, or sometimes even if you can't, you buy one of those ridiculous SUV things, no matter how impractical or inefficient it is. And of course they burn more fuel.

On Friday I was working in a room which overlooks a road with a petrol station and it was quite amusing whenever I glanced out of the window to see these huge hunks of metal all getting in each others' way because of the sheer stupidity of their size. By about lunchtime it got to the point where they were queuing out onto the road and impeding traffic flow. If they had been medium-sized hatchbacks instead, this would have been less of an issue as they would have taken up significantly less road space.

There were plenty of tradesmen's vans trying to fill up too, though I don't care so much about their size because tradesmen tend to actually need the space to store their equipment!

 

[deltic]

The only petrol station I passed this morning in South London had well over 20 cars queuing down the road to fill up before 8am causing problems for buses trying to get past.

The last petrol shortage saw quite a few people switching to rail and reporting they were pleasantly surprised how good the service was - then Hatfield came along and set back rail growth for a couple of years.

 

[duncanp]

The Daily Mail is reporting that the police were queue jumping at a petrol station in Hackney, East London.

Their excuse was that they didn't have enough petrol to get back to their base in Romford.

I can't imagine that making the police very popular, especially given the rather poor image that the public have of the police at the moment.

 

[LowLevel]

The Daily Mail is reporting that the police were queue jumping at a petrol station in Hackney, East London.

Their excuse was that they didn't have enough petrol to get back to their base in Romford.

I can't imagine that making the police very popular, especially given the rather poor image that the public have of the police at the moment.

And if those cars are needed to respond to an emergency they should say "sorry boss, I am sat in the queue for diesel", clearly. Common sense, that.

 

[Peter Sarf]

..........

The last petrol shortage saw quite a few people switching to rail and reporting they were pleasantly surprised how good the service was - then Hatfield came along and set back rail growth for a couple of years.

You may well have a point there, it could be a conspiract to get people back into public transport !. Plus. It has occured to me that in the lead up to a real supply problem it would be prudent to get people to stock up - albeit uncontrollably. That way everyones car will be almost full all the time if a real supply problem comes along.

For me I am just waiting on the assumption that the panic will be over before I really have to use my car. But my deadline is mid October when I want to visit my step son in Cardiff, we missed his 40th birthday last year and ended up not visiting for 50 weeks (July-July Covid). I cannot rely on a tank full getting me there and back so even if I am full leaving Croydon I do not want a surprise on the day I leave Cardiff !.

The £30 limit is a reasonable idea but that would not work if I needed to visit Cardiff.

 

[GB]

The Daily Mail is reporting that the police were queue jumping at a petrol station in Hackney, East London.

Their excuse was that they didn't have enough petrol to get back to their base in Romford.

I can't imagine that making the police very popular, especially given the rather poor image that the public have of the police at the moment.

Not sure what the problem is there. All emergency services should be able to jump ahead.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Not sure what the problem is there. All emergency services should be able to jump ahead.

Makes sense to me. But then I would be tempted to roll it out to other essentials like delivery services and carers. I would be near the bottom of the list until my missus' long Covid takes another dive and I have to get her in the car to the hospital/tests rather than the bus. But it gets complicated coming up with a valid hierarchy.

Again - I assume it will blow over soon enough.

 

[A Challenge]

Not sure what the problem is there. All emergency services should be able to jump ahead.

I didn't mention this earlier, but my friend who I mentioned is stuck in Nottingham (and still is) said that he'd spoken to some petrol stations that were closed as they were leaving what they had left for the emergency services.

 

[Dent]

The £30 limit is a reasonable idea but that would not work if I needed to visit Cardiff.

How does forcing people to visit more often help reduce the queues and congestion at petrol stations? Surely it does the complete opposite and makes it worse.

 

[Meole]

Essar seeking a government bail out for their Stanlow refinery, a very timely move !

 

[Ianno87]

You may well have a point there, it could be a conspiract to get people back into public transport !. Plus. It has occured to me that in the lead up to a real supply problem it would be prudent to get people to stock up - albeit uncontrollably. That way everyones car will be almost full all the time if a real supply problem comes along.

For me I am just waiting on the assumption that the panic will be over before I really have to use my car. But my deadline is mid October when I want to visit my step son in Cardiff, we missed his 40th birthday last year and ended up not visiting for 50 weeks (July-July Covid). I cannot rely on a tank full getting me there and back so even if I am full leaving Croydon I do not want a surprise on the day I leave Cardiff !.

The £30 limit is a reasonable idea but that would not work if I needed to visit Cardiff.

Croydon to Cardiff? If only they were served by main railway lines....

 

[al78]

Nothing compared to the late 2000 shortages !!

That was cause by direct action, not monkey man failing to learn from the analagous collective irrational stupidity of the previous year, as a result causing the phenomenon they are so fearful of which would never happen with a bit of rational thought.

 

[86206]

Filled this morning at the local Tesco no issues...which was then closed by 11am.

The Media sources have to take a lot of flack with regards the so called "shortage". Mention no need to panic & hey presto! What have you got?

 

[al78]

I am unsure how to panic buy petrol/diesel. My car has a certain tank capacity and that's it. I cant stockpile it! What we are actually saying is that people have gone, in larger numbers than usual, to top up.

Yes, and as a result, the demand for fuel at some filling stations is exceeding rate at which the supply can be replenished (partly because of the HGV driver shortage), so they have to ration fuel per customer and/or close pumps to reduce extraction rates and maintain some supply. The worst of the panic buying idiots will be bringing along jerry cans to fill along with their tank. Heaven only knows how people would cope in this country if we had to deal with proper disasters like other countries.

 

[AlterEgo]

The Daily Mail is reporting that the police were queue jumping at a petrol station in Hackney, East London.

Their excuse was that they didn't have enough petrol to get back to their base in Romford.

I can't imagine that making the police very popular, especially given the rather poor image that the public have of the police at the moment.

I think it’s quite important for police cars to have petrol.

 

[MarlowDonkey]

How does forcing people to visit more often help reduce the queues and congestion at petrol stations? Surely it does the complete opposite and makes it worse.

If you follow a strategy of minimising the time spent in petrol stations then you fill the tank and run it down to the warning light. On average then, you are running with about a half full tank. £ 30 is aboyt half a tank's worth, so you refill when down to about half full. That way on average you have a three quarter full tank or perhaps 300 miles range.

 

[SteveM70]

I am unsure how to panic buy petrol/diesel. My car has a certain tank capacity and that's it. I cant stockpile it!

[EDIT - this is meant as a joke]

My local Shell garage on Friday.

 

[43096]

All of this is because of the Media spewing out total crap. If the Media kept it's trap shut then there wouldn't be any panic buying.

Which rather ignores that there must be a significant number of idiots out there who fall for this stuff and go out and panic buy. Probably the same idiots who went out and bought bog rolls at the start of the pandemic.

 

[yorkie]

Just a gentle reminder, if anyone is referring to any external source, please provide both a link to the source, along with a quote of the relevant text (in quote tags using the quote button) please?

And similarly if anyone is posting an image, please include a text alternative (such as a description, summary etc) please?

This will ensure the forum remains accessible to all. Many thanks

 

[Dent]

If you follow a strategy of minimising the time spent in petrol stations then you fill the tank and run it down to the warning light. On average then, you are running with about a half full tank. £ 30 is aboyt half a tank's worth, so you refill when down to about half full. That way on average you have a three quarter full tank or perhaps 300 miles range.

None of that changes the basic maths. Reducing the amount that can be purchased on each visit means that more visits are needed to get the same amount of fuel, leading to more queues and congestion at petrol stations.

 

[GALLANTON]

Which rather ignores that there must be a significant number of idiots out there who fall for this stuff and go out and panic buy. Probably the same idiots who went out and bought bog rolls at the start of the pandemic.

I haven't ignored anything...