Panic Petrol Buying

Lol at the news.

The government is pleading with everyone not to panic buy, then Cameron says something along the lines of "If you see an oppertunity to top up then go for it."
 
Just had a look down the bottom of my road, I was thinking of popping down to top up with fuel. Really big queue to get to the pumps, so I was thinking of leaving it till early morning. But at this rate there wont be any fuel left :(

I am not panick buying, it's just I am low on fuel !
 
boyfalldown said:
yes the PM is suggesting those sensible precautions include storing it in the garage. Which is a stupid (unless you fancy setting the street on fire), and b illegal. He's a halfwit
Click to expand...

Agree! A 24 carat plonker! IMHO
 
boyfalldown said:
yes the PM is suggesting those sensible precautions include storing it in the garage. Which is a stupid (unless you fancy setting the street on fire), and b illegal. He's a halfwit
Click to expand...

Perfectly legal and safe to store fuel in an appropriate container.
 
Yet more Union bashing by the Tories by the back door, damn those tanker drivers putting lives at risk. Lets give some squadie 4 hours training and he can be a hazardous content HGV driver. There is a reason why these drivers are paid 45k, same reason train a tube drivers are paid a decent wage.
How many people would not be ****ed off with a 9k pay cut and drastic changes to their T&C?
Everyone should have the right to withhold their labour, its not as if they are getting paid to be on strike, and we all have feet or the great public transport that every government has invested heavily in over the last 4 decades.....
 
onomatopoeia said:
Perfectly legal and safe to store fuel in an appropriate container.
Click to expand...

OK! You maybe right and Hugh may be wrong ? But nonetheless, it's still stupid advice dontcha think?
 
srichards said:
Not noticed it here yet. Filled up extra on Sunday as I was going out today.

If the schedules are genuinely a problem then they need some proper proof of it. There are clear H & S guidelines which state employers have a duty of care not to impose driving schedules that encourage illegal or dangerous behaviour eg speeding or aggressive driving.

At £45k a year they ain't going to get much sympathy though. If they have half a brain they'll accept a small pay cut in return for loosening schedules to an agreed level with proper slack built into them.
Click to expand...

LOL, Why should they volunteer a pay cut, would you take a voluntary pay cut? Take a pay cut so that some petrol company can make more money? Really? That comment just takes the biscuit!
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Oh, and by the way, public sector worker here :wave: that you wont see complaining, and hasn't seen a meaningful pay rise in the last ten years, and has had a pay freeze over the last two, and will have one next year, and is about to have my pension grabbed by the greedy governments that let bankers take million pound bonuses for making a right royal c*ck up of everything. Sorry! Just don't get me started. I'll walk the six miles to work and the six miles back before complaining about tanker drivers. There's not enough people like them these days. Too many sitting behind there desks sharpening pencils and moaning about hard working public sector workers for my liking.

Rant not quite over but I will take a breath for a cuppa. :p
 
Last edited:
I guess it depends just how skeptical or cynical you are...


I see that the economic growth of the UK has been revised down to 0.3%... not good news of course. But how better to boost the short term income to the exchequer by promoting panic buying of fuel of which duty and VAT amount to around 60%? You could use anything to kick this off, perhaps getting Cabinet Minister Francis Maude to suggest that :-


“As and when, when it makes sense, a bit of extra fuel in a jerry can in the garage is a sensible precaution to take. We want people to have the chance, at their own time, when it makes sense to them, in their own arrangements, to deal with things in a sensible way.”


Of course you would immediately refute this as being somewhat silly advice wouldn't you?
 
Last edited:
How many people have petrol lawn mowers? are we supposed to drive/take one to a petrol station to fill up? Just goes to show how thick politicians are. Of course we keep fuel in jerry cans in the garage, I have a petrol lawn tractor as it would take too long to cut 2 acres of grass with a pair of scissors.

Realspeed
 
NigelPaul said:
OK! You maybe right and Hugh may be wrong ? But nonetheless, it's still stupid advice dontcha think?
Click to expand...

An individual is only supposed to be served (and store) a maximum of 10ltrs of fuel in a container.
Unless things have changed since I shut my forecourt down to make way for car sales.
I do know that my fire officer was very strict on it. It was always difficult when landscape gardeners etc came in with cans to be filled.
I used my discretion. In that they were filling ride on mowers with the fuel. Not intending to store at home in the shed.


Kev.
 
On a different note:
We are showing the government we will pay any price for petrol, even though it is so expensive we are prepared to go out at night in search of it, then we are prepared to queue up and wait for it!

Cameras are getting so expensive we are prepared to wait, then pay expensive prices for them!

But at the end of the day we need petrol to function, do we really need to keep chasing that camera upgrade?
 
Bambi72 said:
Yet more Union bashing by the Tories by the back door, damn those tanker drivers putting lives at risk. Lets give some squadie 4 hours training and he can be a hazardous content HGV driver. There is a reason why these drivers are paid 45k, same reason train a tube drivers are paid a decent wage.
How many people would not be ****ed off with a 9k pay cut and drastic changes to their T&C?
Everyone should have the right to withhold their labour, its not as if they are getting paid to be on strike, and we all have feet or the great public transport that every government has invested heavily in over the last 4 decades.....
Click to expand...

The army do have large trucks you know, and their own fuel tankers...im pretty sure driving a truck with bridge building equipment is no different to driving a fuel tanker.

Apparently, if you listen to Comrade Unite, its not about the money

ding76uk said:
The thing is NO STRKE ACTION HAS BEEN CONFIRMED AND NEEDS 7 DAYS NOTICE!

The government has demonised them, before the even strike! This is just causing a panic and hate towards people who dare to ask for decent pay and conditions.
Click to expand...

it was the media that kicked it off with headlines about fuel strikes, the government then suggested people should top up if they can, and then all the morons panicked, lemming-like.
 
Doog said:
Perfectly legal if all health & safety requirements have been followed you mean?
Click to expand...

"The Law

Storage of fuel at home or the workplace (unless specifically licensed) is restricted by law to either metal containers with a maximum capacity of 10 litres or approved plastic containers of a maximum 5 litres capacity. These containers should be designed for the purpose and must be fitted with a screw cap or closure to prevent leakage of liquid or vapour.

Petrol and diesel fuel should be stored in no more than two 10 litre metal containers or two 5 litre plastic containers. They should be clearly labeled as to their contents.

Petrol filling stations operate under license conditions, which do not allow drivers to dispense fuel into other types of container.

At home, fuel containers must not be stored in living accommodation such as kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms or under staircases. Any storage place should be well away from living areas in case of fire and it should be secured, to protect against the possibility of vandalism or arson."
 
Doog said:
LOL, Why should they volunteer a pay cut, would you take a voluntary pay cut? Take a pay cut so that some petrol company can make more money? Really? That comment just takes the biscuit!
............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Oh, and by the way, public sector worker here :wave: that you wont see complaining, and hasn't seen a meaningful pay rise in the last ten years, and has had a pay freeze over the last two, and will have one next year, and is about to have my pension grabbed by the greedy governments that let bankers take million pound bonuses for making a right royal c*ck up of everything. Sorry! Just don't get me started. I'll walk the six miles to work and the six miles back before complaining about tanker drivers. There's not enough people like them these days. Too many sitting behind there desks sharpening pencils and moaning about hard working public sector workers for my liking.

Rant not quite over but I will take a breath for a cuppa. :p
Click to expand...

The report in the paper the other day showed that public sector workers receive on averge 8% more than private sector workers (and have better pensions and less hours) so you are not too badly off.
 
cambsno said:
The report in the paper the other day showed that public sector workers receive on averge 8% more than private sector workers (and have better pensions and less hours) so you are not too badly off.
Click to expand...

Actually don't cause I've just found the ONS report. There's a lot of caveats in that aren't there? ....... Purely based on my own experience I was a lot better off working in the private sector then the NHS
 
Last edited:
Lots of people have taken pay cuts to keep their jobs at all. They need to get real. They'll just be replaced with other EU tanker drivers on a fraction of what they used to earn. If I were a fuel haulier that's exactly what I'd be doing to keep my business running.

If they currently earn £45k and drop to just below the 40% threshold they won't be monetarily that much worse off anyway.

National average wage is £26k or thereabouts. They're very well paid.
 
neil_g said:
"The Law

Storage of fuel at home or the workplace (unless specifically licensed) is restricted by law to either metal containers with a maximum capacity of 10 litres or approved plastic containers of a maximum 5 litres capacity. These containers should be designed for the purpose and must be fitted with a screw cap or closure to prevent leakage of liquid or vapour.

Petrol and diesel fuel should be stored in no more than two 10 litre metal containers or two 5 litre plastic containers. They should be clearly labeled as to their contents.
Click to expand...

as I recall, the restrictions on quantity came in not due to safety concerns but to stop hoarding after a previous tanker drivers strike (circa 1974 I think). If I want to store extra fuel I put it into the tanks of my circuit competition vehicles, can store about 25 gallons between them.

Of course, at my old house I could store over 1000 litres of fuel that could have been used in an older diesel vehicle without too much difficulty and it was in a forty year old rusty single skin metal tank in the back garden. All perfectly legal as an existing installation (would need to be bunded for a new installation).

It would be annoying to run central heating from two 10 litre tanks ;), the laws about storing fuel seem to go out of the window when it comes to heating oil ...
 
boyfalldown said:
Actually don't cause I've just found the ONS report. There's a lot of caveats in that aren't there? ....... Purely based on my own experience I was a lot better off working in the private sector then the NHS
Click to expand...

Surely everyone in the private sector should swap jobs with everyone in the public sector, as then everyone would be happy (seeing as both sides think the other has it easier!)
 
just popped into the local diy store and they have a large display of plastic petrol cans and 10ltr jerry cans just in side the door. which was not there yesterday
 
I read that halfords have reported a 437% increase in the sale of jerry cans in the last couple of days.
 
I wonder what provisions are in place for essential workers eg care workers. It's all well and good most people being slightly inconvenienced but if they can't do their jobs then people's lives and well being are at risk.
 
gman said:
I thought your digs and food are paid for though if you choose to live on base or subsidised accommodation is available if you live off base? Not having a go and I may be wrong but for me and I guess many others the mortgage and food shopping are the two largest bills so the net effect may not be so great?
Click to expand...

Not true, i have a morgage and food bills also. Military accomidation is NOT good if you want a decet home life. Small houses and with the minimum supplied. Any how why do tanker drivers deserve to be paid £40k a year and i only get £20k? World dosent make sence
 
I'm a public sector worker - I'd be on cue 10k more in private industry - but I stayed for pension and family friendly working practices - both of which are being eroded - my employer has a freeze on flexible working requests - of course you can ask but you won't get.

My husband works 42 hours a week, plus is on 24/7 call out, and receives calls daily at all hours of the day and bight, he works 1 weekend in 5 and also at a minimum 6 additional Saturday's.

For this he was on £27k - but his employer have just decide to stop paying OT so we can expect a 3-4k per annum pay drop - as of a few weeks ago.

Any attempt to discuss TandCs just basically leads to his boss telling him he is lucky to have a job.
 
jumping on this thread a bit late but here goes...

the way I see it, is the (impending) fuel crisis will be created by the people who panic buy fuel, not by the lack of tankers getting to the filling stations. It's the same as the terrorism effect - similar to the fact that the events of past terrorist events have led up to the entire nation being overly cautious about terrorism. It gets to a point where things that happened years ago end up causing more of a ruccus than the original event, and that's where the real effect of terrorism comes into play, it's not just about the present but how nations will be affected in the future.

If people weren't so manic about getting their cars filled up we wouldn't be creating an unnecessary circle of fire, so to speak. Humans as a general rule are so stupid, when a possible impending shortage is announced, they all go and panic buy, depleting the supplies, even when most of them probably don't need it :shrug:

I'm not taking any of the situation seriously because whenever British workers strike it is such a half assed and pathetic effort that hardly anyone in the nation is affected, and if they are it's for a very, very short period before everyone throws in the towel and goes back to work again.

If we want to strike and really make a difference, we should do it like the french - but we won't because the British are too lilly livered to do it.
 
Last edited:
trencheel303 said:
jumping on this thread a bit late but here goes...

the way I see it, is the (impending) fuel crisis will be created by the people who panic buy fuel, not by the lack of tankers getting to the filling stations. It's the same as the terrorism effect - similar to the fact that the events of past terrorist events have led up to the entire nation being overly cautious about terrorism. It gets to a point where things that happened years ago end up causing more of a ruccus than the original event, and that's where the real effect of terrorism comes into play, it's not just about the present but how nations will be affected in the future.

If people weren't so manic about getting their cars filled up we wouldn't be creating an unnecessary circle of fire, so to speak. Humans as a general rule are so stupid, when a possible impending shortage is announced, they all go and panic buy, depleting the supplies, even when most of them probably don't need it :shrug:

I'm not taking any of the situation seriously because whenever British workers strike it is such a half assed and pathetic effort that hardly anyone in the nation is affected, and if they are it's for a very, very short period before everyone throws in the towel and goes back to work again.

If we want to strike and really make a difference, we should do it like the french - but we won't because the British are too lilly livered to do it.
Click to expand...

:plus1:
 
trencheel303 said:
I'm not taking any of the situation seriously because whenever British workers strike it is such a half assed and pathetic effort that hardly anyone in the nation is affected, and if they are it's for a very, very short period before everyone throws in the towel and goes back to work again.

If we want to strike and really make a difference, we should do it like the french - but we won't because the British are too lilly livered to do it.
Click to expand...

You must be very young, not to remember union leaders trying to use the the threat of strikes by their unions to set government economic policy, or indeed bringing down governments. I grew up with it, I remember power cuts, I remember my mum queuing for ages to buy petrol, I certainly remember the 1984-85 miners strike.

No thank you to that kind of thing in future.


I could start on the London Underground drivers, but that's a different rant for another day.
 
there was a woman at our local station in a mini filling up a 20 litre jerrycan, seriously, you are NOT helping.
 
If you think your job is poorly paid compared to others, change jobs! Do not moan because others have a better paid job than you or dare to ask for something better for them.

Soldiers think they get paid too little, change careers. It is a case of put up or shut up.

As for public having it better, with a degree you are paid less than in private sector (8% off top of my head).
 
I just think that whoever it is, the tanker drivers, teachers, royal mail, nhs staff or the underground decide to strike at least one of that group needs to be made an example of. Tv cameras, reporters everything documenting how the strikers are standing there in awe as their replacements walk right passed them and get told. "don't like your job, then **** off, the job centre is over there." It really will make them think before striking again, especially as there are potentially millions of people all lined up to take on their jobs within 5 minutes of them going on strike. The fact of the matter is a lot of people have much poorly paid jobs with a high risk factor and may not have the most up to date regulations, but they just get on with it or get out.
 
archamedes said:
Tv cameras, reporters everything documenting how the strikers are standing there in awe as their replacements walk right passed them and get told. "don't like your job, then **** off, the job centre is over there." .
Click to expand...

Yeah because you need no training, and all jobs are easy, with millions waiting to take them, and able to do them well. :wacky::wacky::wacky:

Maybe you think China have it right?
 
onomatopoeia said:
You must be very young, not to remember union leaders trying to use the the threat of strikes by their unions to set government economic policy, or indeed bringing down governments. I grew up with it, I remember power cuts, I remember my mum queuing for ages to buy petrol, I certainly remember the 1984-85 miners strike.

No thank you to that kind of thing in future.


I could start on the London Underground drivers, but that's a different rant for another day.
Click to expand...

I'm 21. I was obviously not alive during the miners strike in the eighties but I know a fair bit about it. I have a lot of interest and knowledge about a power station near to me that suffered hugely because of the oil crisis, and as such is in the process of being demolished because it very quickly became a white elephant. What a waste of money and effort that was. I'm well aware of the effects of the strike, but... we aren't in the eighties anymore. This is 2012 and people nowadays are too selfish, don't care, or simply don't have the nouse to create such effective strikes.

I would believe it if I saw it, but I think this "crisis" will be no worse than the last spate of strikes, so pathetic I can't even remember when they were or what they were about.



ding76uk said:
If you think your job is poorly paid compared to others, change jobs! Do not moan because others have a better paid job than you or dare to ask for something better for them.

Soldiers think they get paid too little, change careers. It is a case of put up or shut up.

As for public having it better, with a degree you are paid less than in private sector (8% off top of my head).
Click to expand...

It isn't always as simple as "just getting another job" and regardless it still doesn't change the fact that some jobs are **** poorly paid whereas others are ridiculously overpaid. It comes down somewhat to opinion I suppose but to simply say it's a case of "put up or shut up" is ignoring altogether the issue that certain lines of work are exploitative towards employees.
 
Last edited:
I agree re exploration of workers - I reckon if you added *all* the hours my husband spends on the phone to work - to his working hours he is on not far off minimum wage.

And although I agree to a degree yes we are lucky to have jobs - I don't think that's a reason for large multi national firms to exploit it's workers with a put up or shut attitude to pay and working conditions.

Slowly the huge leaps forward in equality and in family friendly practices are being made into huge steps backwards - we all go along with everything being thrown at us, while employment law is disregarded and general working life is becoming harder and harder.

Do we really want to go back to the days when employers could treat their workforce like dirt with impunity.
 
I think this is a potentially shrewd move by the Government (telling people to top up that is, not filling jerry cans). But surely there are two key points here. The actual consumption of fuel is going to remain within its usual limits i.e. people might be filling up today but they're not going to be doing any extra driving. And secondly, people have a limited capacity to store the stuff.

So although there is a change in the sales/distribution patterns there is no change in overall consumption. The 45% increase in sales that was reported yesterday will therefore be matched by a 45% reduction over the next period of time.

Far better to have an initial clamber at the filling stations when there are still fuel deliveries being made. Plus, politically, the Government make it clear to the unions that their members are going to have to be on strike for more than a few days to have any real effect on the economy.
 
Last edited:
ding76uk said:
Yeah because you need no training, and all jobs are easy, with millions waiting to take them, and able to do them well. :wacky::wacky::wacky:

Maybe you think China have it right?
Click to expand...

so you are saying that there aren't qualified people with HGV licences and other driving licences on the dole? So then you must also assume everyone who is qualified to do a job must already have work. But if you read my message that you quoted I didn't specifically target the tanker drivers but every sector that is known to go on strike
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top