So no one can get any petrol, why? Not because of blockades stopping the tankers leaving the refineries and getting to the stations, no we can’t get petrol because everyone is panic buying. According to this morning’s breakfast news petrol stations have sold one weeks worth of petrol in ONE DAY!
It was recently announced that there were going to be some fuel protests over the current price of petrol, of course certain reports automatically told of “panic due at petrol pumps”, so what does Joe Public do? He panics. Of course other broadcasters made it clear that these were going to be peaceful protests at the refineries not the blockades of 5 years ago but it was too late. So everyone heads off to the petrol pumps. Now I can understand the need to have a full tank of petrol, we filled up as normal on Monday to allow us to manage our normal weekly trips, the problem it seems is the people who are insisting on keeping their tanks full…..short trip to the Supermarket, best fill up the car….driven to work, better fill up on the way home, don’t know when there’s ever going to be petrol available again. In my opinion it’s these people that have caused chaos and panic, lets face it panic breeds panic. What could have been a peaceful protest with very little inconvenience to anyone has turned into a fiasco. I know it’s human nature to follow the crowd but it seems to me that we have a bit of a Lemming situation here, just because we’re seeing other people fill their cars we’re concerned that they might be getting our share of petrol…..of course that and the fact the a true Brits can’t see a queue for anything without wanting to join it.
So people please calm down, please only fill your tanks when you need to, if you do that then everyone will still be able to get around. Just think for a moment…..no one is happy with petrol prices being as high as they are (ok well maybe those selling petrol are OK with it), surely the best way to protest over prices is to hit them in their pocket. So why not make essential journeys only? Cut back on your driving for a week or two, buy less petrol, use public transport, but seriously, giving them a weeks money in one day…..like that’s going to work! You’ve just paid unnecessary money for petrol you aren’t immediately going to use and they’re raking it in. Think before you buy, and please don’t panic.
I’m with you. People like this really irritate me (like the ones who bought a year’s worth of branston pickle last December so not everybody could have some for christmas!)
I don’t mind having a snigger at their expense though – petrol prices are set to drop 4p next week now that global oil prices have “retreated from post-Katrina highs”.