Jump to content

Petrol Panic Muppets


Nick Jones

Recommended Posts

I despair of the great British public. (No taz smiley - how can I rant properly without a taz smiley?)

 

There is a possibility that there MAY be a tanker drivers strike at some point. We KNOW it is at least 7 days away because they have to give 7 days notice. This hasn't happened yet and probably won't happen (if ever) before next week as they are still talking about talks. So there is no reason to think there will be a petrol shortage anytime soon is there?

 

Then some DICKHEAD politician stands up on his hind legs and suggests it might be wise to stock up. What a complete moron (ah yes Francis Maude, no surprise there then).

 

So today, driving round Somerset and north Dorset, the only petrol stations without huge queues were the ones that had sold out - in turn triggering more panic....... In Yeovil the queues were leading to general traffic chaos in places as well.

 

There IS now a petrol problem (around here at least) - but it's entirely the result of herd stupidity. Hopefully the seriously stupid now have petrol and issue won't repeat tomorrow or over the weekend (could make the HCR tricky!)

 

This was of especial irritation to me as I went out (in ignorance, I don't tend to watch the TV news as it just depresses/irritates the hell out of me and I've been driving the Vitesse all week so can't hear the radio) in the Vitesse, with less than half a tank of fuel and some miles to do. The tank isn't very big. I was unable to buy fuel without serious queuing (I loath queuing - bad Englishman) so came home on fumes (having done everything I planned to do) and then had to slink out later, after the great unwashed had gone home to the telly, to buy some, and most local stations were dry. So I had to buy a bit at stupid prices (bloody BP weren't sold out 'cause they are so damn expensive) just to wet the bottom of the tank and stop the pump going nuts.

 

Just goes to show how close to the edge "civilization" is these days. One of my colleagues observed a person (female) trying to fill 2L plastic milk bottles with petrol. She was prevented (with much screaming and shouting from her apparently) by the forecourt manager. Good thing as those bottle melt in petrol.......

 

Interesting observation I read somewhere earlier petrol sales 80% odd above normal but diesel only 38% read into that what you will. It gets me thinking about certain stereotypes and I'm sure I would be politically incorrect.....

 

We're all doomed I tell you......

 

Nick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm hoping esso add LPG to their local pumps to be honest. It's just silly. I guess I can't just silver solder up a nice gas tank made of a lot of copper tubes going around the inside of the boot, so there's still room for a sandwich from tescos in the back.

 

I went to the petrol station to buy tobacco today, big queues, no-one actually paying at the counter oddly.

 

Basically, don't watch tv Nick... Young females nurses are nice, but you may get meds...

Edited by JamesR
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I admit that I filled up my GT6 on Wednesday, but then I had planned to do so for quite a while as I hope to drive over to East Anglia for the Easter break. I'm hoping it will all calm down, but the ever moving possible date of potential strikes could just keep the hysteria up.

 

When you hear of the massive increases in the purchase of fuel have a think about the raised tax returns happening just before the end of the financial year.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's 4-7 days worth of fuel and food in storage in the UK. That's it. The food we produce in this country wouldn't even feed 1/10th of the population.

 

After 28days every sheep, cow and animal will be consumed, the land will be plundered and bare; then you best develop a taste for your fellow man. You can collect food each morning by way of collecting the weak minded men who will kill each other when they snap.

 

That's the edge we're on all. Don't look to the army or police you will have to defend your own patch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's 4-7 days worth of fuel and food in storage in the UK. That's it. The food we produce in this country wouldn't even feed 1/10th of the population.

 

 

Fortunately 9/10 of the population is so obese the can do well for a month without food :-)

 

Cheers

Nick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fortunately 9/10 of the population is so obese the can do well for a month without food :-)

 

Cheers

Nick

 

Though this has much truth in it - unfortunately their stomachs don't know that.

 

There isn't a months worth of fat on me that's for sure. Quite a few rabbits about though - and badgers (suspect rabbit tastes better)

 

Nick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well with the post office attempting to destroy all remaining British business by making unaffordable to use, things will certainly get a bit tasty.

 

I don't think anyone will stop to think how much meat is on you Nick when everyone turns rabid and hungry.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well now. let's see, we are relatively safe when a big earthquake runs up the pacific coast fault-line, about 30 miles off the Oregon coast, and the 100 foot tsunami wipes out Seattle, WA, and Portland, OR. Simply because we are 1390 feet above sea level, but then there's the destruction of the main Interstate 5 that the trucks use North-South to supply our food/fuel etc.

Not to mention the subduction zone.

 

There is of course the world's biggest super-volcano in Yellowstone only about 560 miles away, and we are within the 600 mile radius of destruction.

 

The only normal Volcanoes that are still active around here are Mounts Rainier, WA, Mount Hood in Northern Oregon and Mount Siskyou about 60 miles south of here.

 

Hmmm, wonder how long the food, water, fuel and sanity would last?

 

There's a lot of folk with guns in Ory-Gun!!!

 

All paid up card carrying members of the NRA and the Republican party!

 

Leon

Link to comment
Share on other sites

O my God food shortages for the obese , tsunami strikes city 1/4 mile above sea level and the Church of England for gun owners the NRA is ready for what? My Canley wigits haven arrived because the postman is at the pub. I missed most of this because iI was in the shed the better part of the week being on the dole and only listening to my collection of Spencer Davis.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well now. let's see, we are relatively safe when a big earthquake runs up the pacific coast fault-line, about 30 miles off the Oregon coast, and the 100 foot tsunami wipes out Seattle, WA, and Portland, OR. Simply because we are 1390 feet above sea level, but then there's the destruction of the main Interstate 5 that the trucks use North-South to supply our food/fuel etc.

Not to mention the subduction zone.

 

There is of course the world's biggest super-volcano in Yellowstone only about 560 miles away, and we are within the 600 mile radius of destruction.

 

The only normal Volcanoes that are still active around here are Mounts Rainier, WA, Mount Hood in Northern Oregon and Mount Siskyou about 60 miles south of here.

 

 

Every cloud has a silver lining.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All back to normal now. Lucky I didn't really need any petrol until today. Couldn't have put up with waiting in a massive queue.

 

Same here, only needed to fill up mine and the Mrs cars today. Been fun driving past all the mongs queuing for hours and hissing and spitting at each other all week though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only fuel crisis was the one caused by the pathetic selfish bastards who were panic buying. The strike has been posponed until after Easter IF it does take place. A woman in York (not far from where I work) was badly burned while decanting petrol in her kitchen with had the gas hobs lit. A potenial Darwin Awards contender if she'd have died.

 

On a more positive note, I manged to fill both my road legal cars up at the local Morrisons and the madness seemed to have finally let up now that all the above mentioned saddos have brimmed their tanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well now. let's see, we are relatively safe when a big earthquake runs up the pacific coast fault-line, about 30 miles off the Oregon coast, and the 100 foot tsunami wipes out Seattle, WA, and Portland, OR. Simply because we are 1390 feet above sea level, but then there's the destruction of the main Interstate 5 that the trucks use North-South to supply our food/fuel etc.

Not to mention the subduction zone.

 

There is of course the world's biggest super-volcano in Yellowstone only about 560 miles away, and we are within the 600 mile radius of destruction.

 

The only normal Volcanoes that are still active around here are Mounts Rainier, WA, Mount Hood in Northern Oregon and Mount Siskyou about 60 miles south of here.

 

Leon

 

Sounds like Geologist heaven!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds like Geologist heaven!

 

Strange fellows geologists :P

 

Back to the petrol subject. I've done close to 1000 miles since Friday morning, mostly on the CT HCR or to/from the start/finish. This meant a complete circuit of the southern 2/3 of England (560 miles on-event between 7.30 last night and 8.30 this morning plus about 350 to/from the start/finish - bit weary today!). We did see quite a few dry petrol stations and a couple with really stupid prices, but no queues, and we could always get fuel at the going rate (government banditry) when we needed it.

 

With plan A (PI) still sulking, plan B (Vitesse) was dragged out of dads garage last Saturday, still (shame on me :wacko:) wearing the dirt and brake dust from the 10 CR. It fired up readily and came home for a wash and some basic checks/maintenance (pump up tyres, adjust rear brakes, oil trunnions) before being pressed into daily drive service last week. It was fine and consequently suffered another extended thrashing last night. It remains apparently unbothered and didn't even use much oil (good stuff Wynns..... or being caned round the Alps last year has loosened some sticky rings?). Better than I deserve...... must try harder and give it some tlc!

 

Nick

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...