Sri Lanka out of petrol

[MichaelW2]

With their economy in free fall Sri Lankans cannot buy any petrol or other fuel, so are buying bicycles. The problem is that they can't import any more and are selling out rapidly.
I am surprised that it took them so long to figure this out and rather than queue for 6 hrs to buy the last dregs of petrol, they should have been stocking up on bicycles and spare parts.
Is this our future?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Let’s hope so. It’s gets a bit grating when someone interviewed on TV claims they spend more on fuel than their mortgage a month. Well sure, maybe drive less for local journeys. If truly spending what they claim they’d get their money back on a new cargo ebike within a few months at most.

 

[steveindenmark]

A new destination to send all the Bromptons being stolen in London. We have dozens of yellow TDF bikes in Denmark that we have no further use for.

 

[Grant Fondo]

A new destination to send all the Bromptons being stolen in London. We have dozens of yellow TDF bikes in Denmark that we have no further use for.

Great to see the big crowds out in Denmark .... it's French mayhem today

 

[Paulus]

I was in Sri lanka two years back, I think that bicycles just about outnumbered the Tuctucs.
The trouble is that Sri lanka depends mostly on tourism for its money. Tourists are now being warned against going there. Other than tea exports there is not a lot of alternatives.

 

[Chislenko]

Let’s hope so. It’s gets a bit grating when someone interviewed on TV claims they spend more on fuel than their mortgage a month. Well sure, maybe drive less for local journeys. If truly spending what they claim they’d get their money back on a new cargo ebike within a few months at most.

The price of fuel hasn't stopped the woman round the corner firing up her big Range Rover to take her kids 400 yards to school!

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Is this our future?

Not unless you fancy having a third world standard of living it isn't. Bikes certainly have their uses, but being a large scale motor vehicle alternative isn't one of them.

 

[All uphill]

Not unless you fancy having a third world standard of living it isn't. Bikes certainly have their uses, but being a large scale motor vehicle alternative isn't one of them.

My recent 8 days in the Netherlands would suggest otherwise!

Sure there were cars and trucks, but far fewer in a more densely populated country than we see even in sleepy Somerset.

 

[MichaelW2]

Not unless you fancy having a third world standard of living it isn't. Bikes certainly have their uses, but being a large scale motor vehicle alternative isn't one of them.

I would like to know what the large scale alternative is when fuel runs out.
When cars tuk tuks and motorbikes cant move, what then? Fuel is rationed for rail, trucks, emergency services and essential government limosines. Unlimitted travel is finished. This is a third world situation now.

I think we will see lots of young men hauling cargo the last few miles.

Unless we can generate magical amounts of electricity for electric cars and factories the party is over. Waiting for fusion...

 

[FishFright]

I would like to know what the large scale alternative is when fuel runs out.
When cars tuk tuks and motorbikes cant move, what then? Fuel is rationed for rail, trucks, emergency services and essential government limosines. Unlimitted travel is finished. This is a third world situation now.

I think we will see lots of young men hauling cargo the last few miles.

Unless we can generate magical amounts of electricity for electric cars and factories the party is over. Waiting for fusion...

I hear fusion is only 20 years away ... still.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

My recent 8 days in the Netherlands would suggest otherwise!

Sure there were cars and trucks, but far fewer in a more densely populated country than we see even in sleepy Somerset.

The Netherlands isn't the UK, and the UK isn't going to turn into the Netherlands. You've got about the same chance as getting the USA to turn into the Netherlands.
As I said, bikes have their uses for recreation/excercise, and short distance lightly laden utility purposes. Anything beyond that is wishful thinking and it ain't gonna happen.

 

[MichaelW2]

The Netherlands isn't the UK, and the UK isn't going to turn into the Netherlands. You've got about the same chance as getting the USA to turn into the Netherlands.
As I said, bikes have their uses for recreation/excercise, and short distance lightly laden utility purposes. Anything beyond that is wishful thinking and it ain't gonna happen.

Maybe the wishful thinking is that the unchanging constant in the equation is modern, western, hypermobile car use in the long term

 

[Deleted member 1258]

I hear fusion is only 20 years away ... still.

They've been saying that for most of the last 50 years.

 

[C R]

They've been saying that for most of the last 50 years.

Yep, it'll still be 20 years away in 20 years time.

 

[FishFright]

They've been saying that for most of the last 50 years.

And the next