Fuel Strikes

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fossyant

Ride It Like You Stole It!
Location
South Manchester
So long as banana supplies aren't affected, I'll be fine. Thinking of laminating an 'iccle sign' to the panniers - "Wot no Fuel - powered by bananas"
 

PaulB

Legendary Member
Location
Colne
My car can eek 900+ miles from a tank which should last well over a month if I don't venture to see too many people during the working day... how long is a strike expected

I had to go to Edinburgh on Monday so, having plenty of time in which to get there, I took it VERY steady on the motorway and had the current range displayed on screen. I had a totally full tank and after driving 111 miles at just under 60 mph, it registered I still had 820 miles left available in the tank. That would make 931 miles available IF you went at an optimum speed in ideal conditions. The minute I pulled off the motorway and drove in city conditions, the range available fell rapidly.
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
In this "I'm alright Jack" society, I'd hate to see how the public would react in the event of real national emergency.

When push comes to shove, it seems it's everyone for themselves.
Actually I think the opposite.

A bit of true drama/emergency unites us (particularly us as this is a British trait) just look at our record for providing charity to other areas, we really get behind a conflict.

People were suspicious that Thatcher "arranged" the Falklands war as it unified the country and was a real moral boost at a much needed time. it was a very "clear" conflict with a beginning, middle and end.

unfortunatly today's conflicts are drawn out, unclear and allow "fatigue" to set into the minds of the rest of us...we just get bored of it.
 
On R4 tonight there was a union spokeswoman who tried to maintain that it was over H&S standards and minimum accepted standards accross the industry as well as 'stability' for their members. She couldn't specifically say what the H&S issues were or where standards were falling, but that's what they were up in arms about... and of course she was categorically against any real action as long as their demands were met ....

£45k pa tanker driving. Not at all bad.

You see, the cynic in me could say that this is just anther attempt by the Unions to beat the Government at something .....

Don't believe everything you read.

Over the last couple of decades the murky world of contractors has engulfed Tanker driving and ''Tankees''.

All the old boys have been pensioned off, those that did not want to leave were threatened with serious curtailments and as a result left as well.

Que a younger breed of driver on far less wages and a pension that has slowly stagnated over the last 7-10 years. It's no wonder they're striking and good on 'em. Although this should have happened years ago.
 

Chris S

Legendary Member
Location
Birmingham
Anybody see central news last night? They ran an article about motorists panic-buying fuel and showed a queue of cars outside a filling station.

What they didn't mention was that particular petrol station is 2-3p a litre cheaper than anywhere else in the vicinity and there is always a queue there.
 

Fab Foodie

hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
Location
Kirton, Devon.
Don't believe everything you read.

Over the last couple of decades the murky world of contractors has engulfed Tanker driving and ''Tankees''.

All the old boys have been pensioned off, those that did not want to leave were threatened with serious curtailments and as a result left as well.

Que a younger breed of driver on far less wages and a pension that has slowly stagnated over the last 7-10 years. It's no wonder they're striking and good on 'em. Although this should have happened years ago.
But I also know that some of it is also true. I worked for a large company where there was a Unionised company Tanker fleet. They negotiated pay rises for the company and to be fair we all gained. However, they also held the company to ransom on more than 1 occassion. which inflicted some serious and long-term damage. This was fine when the company had a virtual monopoly in the UK, but when I was there Competition became significant and constant riduculous union demands and a poor attitude and various other shenanigins allied to the increased distribution costs compared to the competition effectively spelt the end of their halcyon days. And to a large extent, they brought about their own demise. It's now all subcontracted.

Unfortunately external contractors in my experience are far more flexible and responsive than internal supply. It's been true of every commercial company I've worked for.
 

ohnovino

Large Member
Location
Liverpool
Tin-foil hat time, here comes my conspiracy theory...

Economic growth this quarter is going to be very close to 0%. If it's slightly negative, we're technically in a recession (as the previous quarter was negative too). Selling a month's fuel in the last week of the quarter might just be enough to make the growth figures slightly positive, buying the government at least another 6 months until they have to admit we're in another recession.
 
Actually I think the opposite.

A bit of true drama/emergency unites us (particularly us as this is a British trait) just look at our record for providing charity to other areas, we really get behind a conflict.

People were suspicious that Thatcher "arranged" the Falklands war as it unified the country and was a real moral boost at a much needed time. it was a very "clear" conflict with a beginning, middle and end.

unfortunatly today's conflicts are drawn out, unclear and allow "fatigue" to set into the minds of the rest of us...we just get bored of it.

Yes, I can see where you're coming from but getting behind a conflict and providing charitable contributions that effects people overseas is different to a domestic situation that directly impacts on your own quality of life.

If it was a food commodity that was in shortage instead of petrol, the supermarket shelves would be emptied in no time by people filling their trollies.

The problem is though, if you don't want to contribute to the panic buying and carry on as normal, the "I'm alright Jack" mentality of the massess will make sure there's little left to go around.
 

jonny jeez

Legendary Member
Yes, I can see where you're coming from but getting behind a conflict and providing charitable contributions that effects people overseas is different to a domestic situation that directly impacts on your own quality of life.

If it was a food commodity that was in shortage instead of petrol, the supermarket shelves would be emptied in no time by people filling their trollies.

The problem is though, if you don't want to contribute to the panic buying and carry on as normal, the "I'm alright Jack" mentality of the massess will make sure there's little left to go around.

that's true...I guess I'm thinking of more serious peril...like freedom or life threatening peril. So I agree, when a *degree* of freedom is at risk (like the freedom to choose which type of chicken to buy), we default to a selfish (or self preserving) role...but when we are all in the same boat, we unite and become a force to be reckoned with.

perhaps this is true of all nations and groups... maybe I'm being to patriotic but I "feel" that us Brits are at our best in a true crisis...
 

colly

Re member eR
Location
Leeds
I filled up yesterday pm. There was only me in filling up.
Maybe all the drivers on the Leeds Ring Road at West Park are all sensible. :whistle: More likely they had all filled up that morning.^_^
 

downfader

extimus uero philosophus
Location
'ampsheeeer
Filtered through a mile of traffic on Winchester Road 3pm this afternoon. Lots of drivers waiting to get some fuel from the Shell depot there. One very kind taxi driver is holding everyone up - he's not pulled to one side but actually at a right angle - right in the middle of the road, LOL!

Mother went to get fuel at another Southampton depot (she was actually on empty) and there too there were panicked drivers clogging the roads. They'd run out in several pumps. FFS there isnt even a date yet for the strike.

Oh and some old boy collapsed. Mum and another woman ran to help. Shouted out to the staff to call an abulance, they sent a first aider instead. Idiots. First aider 5 minutes after the poor sod has been convulsing on the floor walks into the shop and says "oh we DO need an ambulance after all!"
 
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