Petrol panic buying

[pdq]

It will surely sort itself out very soon. We can't store fuel like some did with pasta and toilet rolls, so very soon even those who keep their tanks full will only be replacing what they have used.

 

[DarloRich]

The government's reputation is such that when the Transport Secretary goes on TV to reassure everyone that there's no shortage, everyone jumps in their cars to fill up because they know, sure as night follows day, that by the middle of next week there will be a shortage.

that is exactly what is happening!

 

[stevetay3]

The morons filling up multiple cans are adding to the problems at the pumps., can a temporary law not be passed banning petrol being transported in this way, they seem to be able to stop protesting by passing temporary laws.

 

[duncanp]

It will surely sort itself out very soon. We can't store fuel like some did with pasta and toilet rolls, so very soon even those who keep their tanks full will only be replacing what they have used.

Yes, people will be using up lots of petrol by......er......driving around to find a filling station that still has some petrol for sale.

 

[Ianno87]

The morons filling up multiple cans are adding to the problems at the pumps., can a temporary law not be passed banning petrol being transported in this way, they seem to be able to stop protesting by passing temporary laws.

By the time the law has been passed, the problem will have gone!

 

[stevetay3]

By the time the law has been passed, the problem will have gone!

I believe a law was passed the same day to stop the M25 protesters.

 

[brad465]

My work vans are unsurprisingly running low on Diesel as a result of the panic buying. No Fuel = No home deliveries. Unfortunately there still seems to be far too many selfish people around sadly.

The morons filling up multiple cans are adding to the problems at the pumps., can a temporary law not be passed banning petrol being transported in this way, they seem to be able to stop protesting by passing temporary laws.

I don't condone panic buying in anyway, but shouting at/insulting those who do it will not change anything. They are the symptom, not the problem.

The problems are the behaviour of a media oligarchy that cares about profits and division, so sensationalise perceived shortages to get more clicks and purchases, and a neoliberal economic model that relies on people being ill educated in areas like critical thinking, analysis and problem solving, so they can easily fall for marketing tricks to keep the whole economic system afloat. The desire to act in one's own interests above others and to buy stuff unnecessarily is hardwired into people's brains through all these problems they've been exposed to for a long time; it's a systemic problem.

Until we start identifying the real problems, then proposing and enacting solutions, the risk of issues like panic buying will not go away.

 

[Domh245]

What do people want the media to report? The original reports were literally that some BP stations had closed as they had no deliveries. It was entirely being reported on as a part of the HGV story. It was only then when people started worrying that they began reporting on that.

Ideally they wouldn't have reported on what was ultimately a non-story ("Handful of petrol stations close as delivery cancelled") but as you say, it was part of a larger story. There is an argument that the media should think about the implications of reporting on certain stories that they know could have adverse reactions amongst the populace - on the one hand it stops the sort of idiotic behaviour we're currently seeing, on the other it's open to abuse and rather dystopian - "fear not citizen, everything is fine™"

It's a tricky situation where ideally we'd rather have a much smarter population that doesn't behave like this!

 

[Ianno87]

I believe a law was passed the same day to stop the M25 protesters.

MPs working on a Saturday?

 

[brad465]

It's a tricky situation where ideally we'd rather have a much smarter population that doesn't behave like this!

See my above post for an explanation on why the population isn't smarter and by default what needs doing to fix that.

 

[stevetay3]

MPs working on a Saturday?

It was yesterday I think. Do MPs actually work on any days then.

 

[duncanp]

Until we start identifying the real problems, then proposing and enacting solutions, the risk of issues like panic buying will not go away.

Some papers are speculating that BP were deliberately exaggerating the extent of the shortage, so that Boris Johnson would press the panic button and alter the rules for visas to make it easier for overseas lorry drivers to come and work in the UK.

If this is true, then their strategy has worked.

It is rather like SAGE and Professor Pantsdown and their dodgy "modelling" which exaggerated the number of COVID cases, and the effect on the NHS, so that Boris would panic and order a lockdown.

 

[XAM2175]

I believe a law was passed the same day to stop the M25 protesters.

There's no procedure by which a completely new bill can be introduced to Parliament and passed and enacted all the same day.

In the case of the M25 protests, the government obtained an injunction in the High Court, which is a form of court order that prohibits a specified person or group of people doing certain things, but the procedure for obtaining one has certain requirements that mean it would be effectively impossible to seek one prohibiting fuel hoarding.

 

[GB]

They are the symptom, not the problem.

They might not be the problem that started it all but they are the problem that keeps it all going. The media lit the match but its these morons that keep adding fuel (pardon the pun) to the issue.

 

[brad465]

They might not be the problem that started it all but they are the problem that keeps it all going. The media lit the match but its these morons that keep adding fuel (pardon the pun) to the issue.

That maybe the case, but calling them morons won't change their behaviour; if anything it will make them believe they're doing the right thing because people like you couldn't argue with them without hurling abuse, a sign of weakness (in the same way calling Trump/Leave voters racist was stupid and only made them vote that way more).

We have to demand proper effective education at all levels of society to properly address this, nothing else will change people's ways. If we keep fighting amongst ourselves we do the bidding of the media and politicians alike; they profit from this through increased sales and while our backs are turned they exploit us through introducing oppressive laws and stopping us from seeing corruption et al. To put another way, they're the real "enemies of the people."

 

[Busaholic]

It's quite simple really, as soon as a government minister says 'let me be very clear, there is no longterm problem/shortage, it's all a media panic, stay safe at home, we are in charge of the situation' then I do the exact opposite, because even if they're not telling a blatant untruth then you (or I, certainly) know they're totally incompetent and uncaring with one completely foreseeable disaster following another. Inflation will be at a double digit rate by the end of the year for most people, though it may not quite be reflected in the chosen official figures.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I wonder if the home delivery vans will get priority?!

In any event, it turns out that the physical store has a massive sign up advertising for 'temporary workers' in pretty much every job available in a supermarket (including home delivery drivers, so that probably explains that). I'm not sure I've seen that before in the 5+ years I've been going there. I wonder where the staff have gone? (Probably not a seasonal thing like in a lot of places, due to Ely not having a university etc.)

I did also note when walking through the centre of Ely that a lot of other shops had notes up saying they were temporarily closed 'due to staff sickness'.

All rather odd.

Well it is the effect on deliveries and taxis that I feel sorry for.

As for shortage of staff. It is more likely that it IS a seasonal thing because Ely has no university. The universities are just starting their year and so the university age people in Ely that are going to university will be leaving Ely for university towns/cities. Therefore places like Ely are losing their younger workers that they have relied on all summer and have no university to supply similay young workers with.

It will surely sort itself out very soon. We can't store fuel like some did with pasta and toilet rolls, so very soon even those who keep their tanks full will only be replacing what they have used.

That is my hope. You never know - demand might be so low by the time I need fuel that the prices might have dropped.

The morons filling up multiple cans are adding to the problems at the pumps., can a temporary law not be passed banning petrol being transported in this way, they seem to be able to stop protesting by passing temporary laws.

I was always under the impression that you can only fill one petrol can - for safety reasons.

 

[Starmill]

It was yesterday I think. Do MPs actually work on any days then.

I think you might be referring to an injunction, a type of order made by a judge. National Highways were able to apply to the High Court for it, Parliament wasn't required.

Being found in breach of the injunction is a more serious offence, and it could be easier to put the criminality beyond a reasonable doubt as a result of the order. However, what the protestors were doing was theoretically already an offence in the first place, unlike purchasing petrol in a suitable vessel.

 

[LAX54]

Totally agree. Fully down to media scaremongering, which leads to the story becoming true as people panic.

It all started from a small interview where a BP spokesman said that 100 sites have had to close due to no fuel, he did add, it was only BP and it was 100 out of 1200, and he thought it would be back to normal 'by October' then it snowballed !

 

[37424]

That maybe the case, but calling them morons won't change their behaviour; if anything it will make them believe they're doing the right thing because people like you couldn't argue with them without hurling abuse, a sign of weakness (in the same way calling Trump/Leave voters racist was stupid and only made them vote that way more).

We have to demand proper effective education at all levels of society to properly address this, nothing else will change people's ways. If we keep fighting amongst ourselves we do the bidding of the media and politicians alike; they profit from this through increased sales and while our backs are turned they exploit us through introducing oppressive laws and stopping us from seeing corruption et al. To put another way, they're the real "enemies of the people."

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.

 

[brad465]

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.

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

 

[Darandio]

Until the lights go out and the electric car cannot be charged. Boris has categorically said it cannot happen so it's probably nailed on.

 

[nlogax]

Stupidity spreads like a virus with a far higher R number than any Covid variant. Who is patient zero? The BP spokesperson or the journo who turned it into something that would inevitably snowball?

 

[AlterEgo]

The BP spokesperson was stupid for sparking it off. Just a no-no in the corporate comms world.

 

[TPO]

It's not just broadcast media, who to be fair are also having to report on ministers getting involved, which can't really be avoided. I'd look particularly at the front pages: the S*n in particular had this front page, which really highlights sensationalism:

View attachment 103093



I'd suggest implementing Leveson's recommendations, which proposed a new independent body recognised through new laws to replace the Press Complaints Commission. Cameron dropped them though, presumably because Murdoch wouldn't have approved of them and if you don't have Murdoch onside, you don't win an election.

It's all well and good people seeing the media's irresponsible behaviour in causing panic buying, but I do wish they'd see it in other areas, including handling of Covid news, their role in peddling division in society on a number of issues, and their role in trying to influence how we vote in elections for the interests of media oligarchs, not our own interests.

I don't condone panic buying in anyway, but shouting at/insulting those who do it will not change anything. They are the symptom, not the problem.

The problems are the behaviour of a media oligarchy that cares about profits and division, so sensationalise perceived shortages to get more clicks and purchases, and a neoliberal economic model that relies on people being ill educated in areas like critical thinking, analysis and problem solving, so they can easily fall for marketing tricks to keep the whole economic system afloat. The desire to act in one's own interests above others and to buy stuff unnecessarily is hardwired into people's brains through all these problems they've been exposed to for a long time; it's a systemic problem.

Until we start identifying the real problems, then proposing and enacting solutions, the risk of issues like panic buying will not go away.

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

 

[brad465]

Stupidity spreads like a virus with a far higher R number than any Covid variant. Who is patient zero? The BP spokesperson or the journo who turned it into something that would inevitably snowball?

I don't know who patient zero is, but I'm almost certain that we wouldn't be where we are now without those two entities together, one or the other and the effect would have been far lower, perhaps by an order of magnitude less.

The BP spokesperson was stupid for sparking it off. Just a no-no in the corporate comms world.

According to some other posters further up, that may have been the plan all along at BP in a bid to get the Government to do something about it, in this case allowing more visas for relevant workers. If that's the case then questions need asking about laws and systems surrounding such behaviour, and as @TPO said just above, consider making inciting panic and fear illegal.

 

[geoffk]

I do wonder what would happen if we had a real life-or-death crisis situation -
things would be chaos.

Normal civilised behaviour would soon break down as we've seen on TV thrillers.

 

[yorksrob]

I don't know. Would a BP spokesperson necessarily be person zero, simply for articulating existing supply problems ?

 

[GALLANTON]

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.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

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.

In WW2 papers were shut down for this sort of rumour mongering. A problem limited to part of the SE only has now turned into a nationwide issue with undoubted real impact on people and businesses that will never get reported.