Fuel Strikes?

[VTPreston_Tez]

Two words.
Public. Transport.

(tbh it's cheaper, and I have a free pass on buses and certain rail methods so I'll do fine)

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Two words.
Public. Transport.

(tbh it's cheaper, and I have a free pass on buses and certain rail methods so I'll do fine)

And for shift workers, those in remote areas, or those for who public transport can't fit their needs, what do you propose?

 

[Oswyntail]

And for shift workers, those in remote areas, or those for who public transport can't fit their needs, what do you propose?

This is the real trouble - the strike (if it occurs) will not hit the distribution companies - whose product does not exactly go off and will be sold anyway - nor even those who are within easy reach of decent public transport (who may, possibly, realise that using the car is not always the best solution). But it will hit those that Matt describes, who are traditionally ignored as an opinion group in any transport debate anyway. Striking is a massively blunt instrument!

 

[SS4]

Meanwhile my two feet got me to and from the shops just fine
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lol, i got some dirty looks today when i pulled in the services in my truck, pulled up between 2 pumps, handed my card in then promptly took one nozzle out of one pump and stuck it in one tank then walked round the other side took the nozzle out the other pump and stuck it in the other tank and took 424 litres of diesel..got more dirty looks when i went in and paid and got 30 odd Esso Cash back tokens!

Would have been hilarious if you used this pic as a mask:

 

[Badger]

Two words.
Public. Transport.

(tbh it's cheaper, and I have a free pass on buses and certain rail methods so I'll do fine)

Didn't they blockade the WCML last time?

 

[90019]

Two words.
Public. Transport.

There are times when public transport is just too inconvenient to be a realistic option.

Over the next week, I could use the buses, particularly as I have a staff pass, but it would mean getting up at 4.45 rather than 5.35, and would mean a 15-20 minute walk to get the bus as the one round the corner doesn't start early enough.

 

[GB]

If it does come to a full blown out strike then those that are listed as essential services need not worry as you would be able to queue jump all those waiting in line for ages...a few choice words might be shouted your way though!

 

[Donny Dave]

Adding fuel to the fire here (sorry ), but .... I've just seen the following tweet.

Fuel Tanker Driver... Up and down the M1. £45K pa. Army Fuel Tanker Driver Helmand £17K pa. Which one is striking over "safety" again?

 

[SS4]

Adding fuel to the fire here (sorry ), but .... I've just seen the following tweet.

Fuel Tanker Driver... Up and down the M1. £45K pa. Army Fuel Tanker Driver Helmand £17K pa. Which one is striking over "safety" again?

What a spoon

 

[Schnellzug]

So the campaign to, once again, depict the Unions as, all together now, Holding the Country to Ransom has begun, then. Perfectly standard Tory procedure, of course. Dramatise everything as much as they conceivably can ("We'll call in the Army!", make it seem as if the Future of Civilisation is at Stake, urge the People 'not to panic, but it might be wise to fill up your bath with petrol, since you might Run out of Food otherwise, and you couldn't get to work and you'd be fired* and so on and so on), so that the Right Wing press is clamouring for Union Leaders, and by extension all members of that Union and by further extension everyone working in that industry, to be executed as the Public Enemy.

* because previous Tory govts. had dismantled the Unions, of course

 

[Ivo]

make it seem as if the Future of Civilisation is at Stake

You mean it isn't?

 

[33056]

There are times when public transport is just too inconvenient to be a realistic option.

Over the next week, I could use the buses, particularly as I have a staff pass, but it would mean getting up at 4.45 rather than 5.35, and would mean a 15-20 minute walk to get the bus as the one round the corner doesn't start early enough.

Exactly, I'm lucky in that I can normally get to work by train other than Sunday morning (two shifts in five weeks) and the shops are a short walk away which is how I get away with not filling the car up very frequently

If it wasn't for the fact we want to use the car this weekend the fuel in there would probably last for at least another month.

 

[Oswyntail]

So the campaign to, once again, depict the Unions as, all together now, Holding the Country to Ransom has begun, then. Perfectly standard Tory procedure, of course. Dramatise everything as much as they conceivably can ("We'll call in the Army!", make it seem as if the Future of Civilisation is at Stake, urge the People 'not to panic, but it might be wise to fill up your bath with petrol, since you might Run out of Food otherwise, and you couldn't get to work and you'd be fired* and so on and so on), so that the Right Wing press is clamouring for Union Leaders, and by extension all members of that Union and by further extension everyone working in that industry, to be executed as the Public Enemy.

* because previous Tory govts. had dismantled the Unions, of course

Apart from the jerrycan farce, has anything like this been said by the government? Not really. It has come from media "comment". Though, as the dispute seems to be between some drivers and their employers, I would like to know why the action to be taken (presumably as a last resort) seems aimed mainly at disrupting fuel users rather than the employers businesses. Please could someone actually tell me what the dispute is about. And, if it is really a matter for the government to get involved, what should the government be doing? Serious question, please supply serious answers!

 

[ainsworth74]

so that the Right Wing press is clamouring for Union Leaders, and by extension all members of that Union and by further extension everyone working in that industry, to be executed as the Public Enemy.

Sorry which elements of the press have called for the public execution of Union members?

 

[Minilad]

Sorry which elements of the press have called for the public execution of Union members?

Wasn't that Jeremy Clarkson

 

[table38]

"We'll call in the Army!", make it seem as if the Future of Civilisation is at Stake, urge the People 'not to panic

Yes, they'll be sending the tanks in to Heathrow next.

Oh, wait, that was Labour

Actually what depresses me more than anything is that they have an army of special advisers, assistants and civil servents and yet they still come out with gaffes like the jerry can one.

Even I could have told them that suggesting people stockpile petrol was a bad idea

 

[Nym]

I know what we should do, stockpile it all in a set of centralised places, certified to safely store fuel, and pump it from here when we need it...

 

[table38]

Can you get "grey market" petrol like cigarettes amd booze? Any former HGV drivers fancy a trip to Spain in a tanker?

 

[142094]

Can you get "grey market" petrol like cigarettes amd booze? Any former HGV drivers fancy a trip to Spain in a tanker?

Might be hard getting it on a ferry or through the Chunnel.

 

[Nym]

Ferry is fine, usually.

Anyway, buy a diesel and just put chip oil in it, plenty of that around.

 

[90019]

Ferry is fine, usually.

Anyway, buy a diesel and just put chip oil in it, plenty of that around.

IIRC, a lot of cars built after about 1998 will need quite a few modifications to the engine for it to run on veg oil.
I believe common rail diesels require a lot of modification to run on it.

 

[Geezertronic]

Typical isn't it. I had to fill the car up today for a trip to London tomorrow, waited 30 mins to refill then noticed the price had gone up by about 10p per litre - isn't it good of the petrol companies to push the prices up even further, maybe the Jerry can "gaff" wasn't a gaff at all as someone seems to be making a mint out of all this

I have to go to South Wales on Monday as well. Public transport is not an option for me as I have a boot full of kit at the moment

 

[Nym]

IIRC, a lot of cars built after about 1998 will need quite a few modifications to the engine for it to run on veg oil.
I believe common rail diesels require a lot of modification to run on it.

Depends on the engine, it needs synthetic fuel hoses, and anything not common rail will work right out of the box. Consulting the internet further might yeild some further information.

I know some can take veg oil even with common rail, but you need to fit vapourisers.

 

[table38]

People might be panic buying now, but they aren't going buy more petrol on average over the next say three months.

On the contrary, it occurred to me that once people start making fewer journeys and realise how much fuel they can save driving at 55 on the motorways, they might actually end up buying less on average.

So the petrol companies could actually end up losing money overall and might have been better off settling with the drivers

</delusional>

 

[Nym]

It's not petrol companies that pay drivers any more, thats part of the problem.

Agencies and hauliers squeese every profit line...

 

[table38]

It's not petrol companies that pay drivers any more, thats part of the problem.

Agencies and hauliers squeese every profit line...

OK but presumably if people buy less fuel overall, there'd be less deliveries so less money for the hauliers then?

I also wondered if there are any petrol stations near a refinery that get it direct via pipeline (Like how the Robbies pub near the brewery in Stockport allegedly gets it's beer)

(Just showing my total ignorance of the oil industry, haulage industry and probably brewing industry too )

 

[SS4]

So the campaign to, once again, depict the Unions as, all together now, Holding the Country to Ransom has begun, then. Perfectly standard Tory procedure, of course. Dramatise everything as much as they conceivably can ("We'll call in the Army!", make it seem as if the Future of Civilisation is at Stake, urge the People 'not to panic, but it might be wise to fill up your bath with petrol, since you might Run out of Food otherwise, and you couldn't get to work and you'd be fired* and so on and so on), so that the Right Wing press is clamouring for Union Leaders, and by extension all members of that Union and by further extension everyone working in that industry, to be executed as the Public Enemy.

* because previous Tory govts. had dismantled the Unions, of course

Don't forget that the strike was decided on a whim as first resort by communist* leaders without recourse to a ballot

* communist = Stalinist in this case, nothing to do with actual communism.
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It's not petrol companies that pay drivers any more, thats part of the problem.

Agencies and hauliers squeese every profit line...

Presumably with agencies in particular there are a huge drop in working conditions?

 

[Nym]

OK but presumably if people buy less fuel overall, there'd be less deliveries so less money for the hauliers then?

I also wondered if there are any petrol stations near a refinery that get it direct via pipeline (Like how the Robbies pub near the brewery in Stockport allegedly gets it's beer)

(Just showing my total ignorance of the oil industry, haulage industry and probably brewing industry too )

Depends on how the hauliers are contracted, the chances are it isn't that simple.

And knowing drivers, they won't change their driving habbits no matter what happens, I rarely see anyone driving ecnomically even with today's price of fuel...

 

[Clip]

Whilst the govt have made a few mistakes and saying silly things remember the strike hasnt even been given a date yet but the good old joe stupid public go into overdrive mode and panic like hell even though nothing is confirmed.

Reminds me of the Northern Rock fiasco and the queues there even after the last govt said their money was secure anyway.

We really are a thick country in some aspects.

 

[Nym]

We really are a thick country in some aspects.

Fixed that for you... You never seen passengers at airports and railway stations?