why are people queuing up for 30mins outside petrol stations, when there is no shortage!!!!???!!!!


worse still - I actually need to fill up on the way home tonight!!!

Because it serves the government's agenda to create an atmophere where workers standing up for their rights are the bad guys and not the rapacious capitalists involved in a race to the bottom.

And because people are idiots.

I think i's because even when people know that others are acting irrationally, they have to try to beat the rush or get stranded without fuel themselves.
Declaring a shortage is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I filled up the bath with unleaded yesterday. I'm sure it's safe.

Invite Franny Maude over for a dip.

Just make sure he's got a lit fag in his gob at the time

[size=150Good lad DHM, that's the Blitz Spirit we're lacking![/size

I have to make a lengthy journey tomorrow for work and I'm running just above empty right now. I refuse to join the morons currently embarrassing themselves by queueing for hours so I'll probably go out at about 10pm tonight and fill up.

Given that the strike is forecast to take place at Easter and 7 day's notice is required prior to any action, my only conclusion is that people are stupid.

Personally I couldn't care less if my local petrol stations run empty. It'll be a bit of an inconvenience but my day would go something like, "Morning boss...no petrol and local garages are empty...I'll have to work from home today...and probably the rest of the week...yes, I have plenty to do...thanks, bye."



A friend of a friend posted this from Dingle, Liverpool this morning. Yes, that queue is for petrol.

This

I'm not sure how sensible [url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17545739this advice[/url is either. My car's tank is half full now, but topping up now will, because of the journeys needed, mean it will be half full again on Saturday. If I follow Davey's advice, I'll more than likely be in a queue on Saturday along with lots of others.

They really need to get a grip on this and stop scaremongering idiots saying things that are plainly wrong or stupid on TV.

There are 5 stations within a 10 minute drive from my house of which i've seen 3, all seem to be working as usual, but then i do live in a Tory area.

In this case though the workers can expect little sympathy. Greed and an unwillingness to reflect the realities of the economic world applying to them are the causes of this.

The Government's reaction to it was utterly pathetic. Encouraging panic buying was just absolutely pathetic.

But then we get onto the people. Fecking idiots. What makes me laugh is that everyone in the queues is moaning about all the panic buyers and no one filling up admits to panic buying. They are closing petrol stations in many areas, not because there is no petrol, but because of the growing frustration in the queues and the impact traffic caused by the queues. Then you have the idiots who claim they are buying petrol now because other people will panic buy which means they will be left without petrol



We're at least a week away from strike action people. If the news companies (Who as ever just whip the issue up into a frenzy) were made to stop reporting the queues and the panic buying, people wouldn't bother queueing or panic buying.

[url=http://sturdyblog.wordpress.com/2012/03/28/why-would-the-government-want-you-to-panic/Here[/url's an interesting take on things, from an angle I wouldn't have thought to look at it from.

[url=http://news.blogspot.com/2012/03/minister-tells-people-to-jump-off-cliff.htmlHere[/url's something nonsensical that I knocked up

Although I'd be inclined to add that so much of the media is utterly on side with this aim that it is perhaps not entirely easy for many people to see past the propaganda that they are being fed and have been fed for over 30 years.

Indeed. Because the only people in the world who have a right to demand that their income does not decrease (in real terms) or even stay the same, but actually rise, are those in the top income percentile.

It's a pity that this does not also apply to private housing landlords in London, who have hiked rents by an average of 7% in the last year alone.

It always seems that 'economic realities' only have to apply to some people.

I can see that you've done much research into this dispute and haven't relied on the right-wing propaganda pervading the media.

No really, I can, honest

If you read the statements from the companies involved you can see how much the average driver is on and exactly what the proposed changed to their conditions are. It isn't worth striking about and they've got to accept that the economic climate has changed.

For some, it has. The rich don't seem to be getting any less rich though, do they?

But not if you already have a vast income – and not if you're a domestic landlord in London, eh?

So in your world, the cost of living is rising hugely – but people should "accept that the economic climate has changed".

And what? Be unable to afford that rent? Have to choose between rent or food?

Have no disposable income – which would be so sensible, given how much of the economy is actually dependant on people having exactly that in order to survive, never mind actually grow.

So how is our service-based economy going to grow, in your mind and given your understanding of the 'changed economic climate'?

Whether that is the case or not (not going to argue the point as other people on here are better able to do so), faced with an enormous cut in wages and changes to working practises that undermine the safety not just of those workers but of everyone who comes within a reasonably large distance of them, they have the right to withdraw their labour and the employer has the duty to at least sit down and listen.

Neither is it helpful to say "well workers in sector A get this, so workers in sector 7G shouldn't expect to get that". It's a complete non-sequitur. The worst sort of straw-man, sixth-form debating society bull honky. (general point, not aimed at you [iper se[/i)

Can someone tell me how the tax rates for the 'rich' or the cost of rent in London have got to do with this? This isn't about the budget, or any other aspect of Government, it's about the drivers and their pathetic union not being willing to compromise on a fair deal offered to them.

Something I've been banging on about for ages; divide and conquer. First the disabled and sick, followed by the public sector workers, then the unemployed, then the pensioners and now any worker associated with the unions. It stands out a mile for me what they are doing.

Please enlighten us, what is this "fair deal" that has been offered to them?

Right-oh.
Mental note made that this dispute (not yet a strike) has definitely NOT been made worse by a total plonker of a minister suggesting that everyone fills up and has a bit spare tucked away.

Got it, ta.

Bastad coalition ministers, I've a good mind to sue Ed Davey.

[iThe Energy Minister, Ed Davey, today advised motorists to top-up their vehicles with fuel when they are half empty.

Speaking to the BBC Mr Davey said,

"I think our major advice is that people just need to do the sensible thing if they're going into the petrol station, they should get a full tank of petrol, not a half-tank of petrol, and they should top up where necessary."[/i

I've just followed his advice and I've now got £90 worth of unleaded in my diesel car's tank

Because you're the one invoking the 'changed economic conditions' in general.

Let's remind ourselves of exactly what you said:

"Greed and an unwillingness to reflect the realities of the economic world applying to them are the causes of this."

It is simply being pointed out to you that it is not 'changed economic conditions' for everyone. And indeed, for some, greed is still absolutely the order of the day – even when that directly impacts on those who are being affected.

And you have not, apparently, been able to answer the following: in these 'changed economic times', with the cost of living rising, perhaps you'd care to actually explain how reducing the amount of disposable income people have will actually do anything other than further damage the economy? Y'know – the economy that's something like 3/4 based on the service sector (including retail, finance, entertainment etc etc etc) and people's ability to have disposable income to spend on/in it?