Have you bought petrol today when you wouldn't normally have?

[GreatPotato]

The BP petrol station here is closed and every other garage has queues on to the road.

I'll admit I did think I'd get petrol when I was out today. I have half a tank and I do generally keep it topped up for emergencies, although I would probably have left it until next week to fill up normally.

In the event, I didn't bother queuing but I'm guessing most of the people "panicking' are just filling up a few days earlier than they usually would. After all, a tank only holds so much, it's not as if you can buy a year's supply like toilet rolls

Fucking furious! I was at my daughter's and low on petrol but there are 2 petrol stations on the 40 minute drive from hers to mine so had planned to fill up at one of them. Both had queues going out into the road (about 20 cars? where normally you just drive straight in and fill up). Because i was so low on petrol I couldn't risk queuing for half an hour and running out of petrol in the queue only for the petrol station to suddenly declare they have run out (like our local one did this morning, hence I wasn't able to fill up before I went) so in the end I just had to go for it and keep my fingers crossed.

Got home on fumes I think. I don't think I've even got enough petrol now to get to my nearest petrol station! Honestly, it was all i could do to stop myself getting out of the car and going up to people ahead of me in the queue and asking if they really NEEDED petrol, because I did and they were stopping me getting any.

People are so fucking self-centred!

No I didn't. I have half a tank which will last a week.

I told my husband to fill up tonight rather than tomorrow though as he's 90 Miles away working and coming back in the morning, needs to then get back on Sunday so petrol is essential. Hope he gets some. Doesnt finish til 10pm!

No. I normally would have because I’m on a bloody red light but the queues here are impossible. The media are so irresponsible. They create panic where there shouldn’t be any.

No. And I can't cut the grass because we have no petrol (big ride on lawnmower, lots of grass) and I don't want to look like a panic buying twat at the garage. Thinking of going under cover of darkness, need to get it cut before it rains on Monday.

Nope.
Me and DS have a 70 mile journey tomorrow, I think I've got enough in the tank.

I usually fill up when I'm low, but the last time that happened I didn't have time to fill up, just put enough in to get me to where I was going (and back).

I've never seen cars queue on to the main road at our village garage. It's worse than when the fish and chip van come on a Tuesday night!

It's bringing out the judgemental folk as well as the panic buyers to be fair !

@Hiyawotcha

I’m worried because have half a tank only and got to drive 7 hours (there and back) tomorrow to take dd to university. Have seen lots of local reports of queues at local suburban filling stations. Hoping that motorway ones will be OK.

They are prioritising deliveries for the motorway services, so hopefully you'll be fine.

@Chocoqueen great news - thank

I haven't got much more than a quarter of a tank but don't need much, ill just put some more in next Wednesday, cheers for the heads up

I have a petrol/ electric hybrid and haven't filled it up since May. I'd only need to fill up if travelling a long distance regularly which doesn't happen often.

Now is the time for an electric car...

Yeah definately buying electric next time

I worked at a supermarket during toilet roll gate…

Most people always had a reason why they needed to get more than normal. 50% of people used to say that didn’t have a sheet left, others said they were buying fair others. Some would come in separately so they could get their ‘allowance’.

Bit like this thread really. The amount of people stating they were driving on fumes sounds like an excuse to fill your boots and stuff anyone else.

Just like toilet gate I am afraid.

I don't need petrol as much as most people because we live 5 minutes walk from school and right next tuba supermarket. I can go weeks without needing the car.

Now is the time for an electric car...

havent electric prices shut shot up? and they're not sure they'll be enough workers to keep plants going www.thenationalnews.com/world/uk-news/2021/09/20/energy-crisis-raises-spectre-of-uk-three-day-working-week/

No. Got half a tank. Work tonight then won't need it till Monday

Yes. I wasn't going to BUTTTT DM and DP advised I should. It was mayhem.

@MockneyReject

I had no idea about all this. I've been at work since 7:30 am, have a 2.5 hour break now, then have to start again at 4:30. I noticed all the queues, but put it down to being in a tourist area and it being the last sunny weekend. My break has been reduced to 1.5 hours (to get DC from school, do dinner and sit down for 5minutes) because I do home care and struggled to get around my route, today, because of the queues backing up the bypass. In short, I would have filled up between visits, today, but didn't, because I was running late all day, and didn't have time to queue. I just thought I'd fill up on my way back to this evening's shift. I now have 28 miles worth of petrol, and a 30 mile round to do, this evening. And another 50 miles, tomorrow and Sunday. If I can't get petrol, I can't get to those 40 visits. I don't know what to do.

If you really struggle, take some work ID to one of the 'no fuel' stations & most of them will let you fill up, they have to keep a certain amount for emergency services & most keep a little more, just for things like this.

Good luck!

Oh balls. Hadn't picked up on this at all. What a pain.

I normally get down to 1/3 tank then I fill up but filled up at 1/2 today as I was passing the petrol station anyway and there was no queue.

I've got a full tank worth of driving to do over the course of the next week and didn't fancy leaving it to chance. My work has been affected by Covid and one particular strand of my work has been completely dormant since Feb 2020. First event in 18m next weekend and I'm afraid I'm not going to let a fuel shortage stop me being there.

Having said that, I do know this is selfish and everyone will have reasons why they need to be sure they have fuel.

Nope. Hilarious BP exec on TV this morning: "Don't worry if you can't get any petrol at your local station, just drive to the next one..."

I always fill up when I get to quarter of a tank (not much mileage but small car/tank). So due to fill up today after the school run as usual. This is usually a very quiet time. None of the local petrol stations are closed or even have any pumps closed. Yet today there were queues blocking the roads outside them all and I saw a few people filling small cans as well as their cars. I'm assuming they haven't all just run out of petrol for their multiple petrol mowers? I'm hoping after the weekend all the panic buyers will have full tanks and we can all get back to normal for a few days!

Because i was so low on petrol I couldn't risk queuing for half an hour and running out of petrol in the queue

can't you turn the engine off instead of idling?

No. DP needs diesel but everywhere around us is out. I’ve suggested he brings his laptop home incase he can’t get to work on Monday. It’s chaos.

No and I haven't seen any queues at the local station. I am planning a 140 mile round trip next week so will go out over the weekend.
I did just have two pallets of bricks delivered and the driver said it's crazy out there for drivers and deliveries.

@99victoria

Fucking furious! I was at my daughter's and low on petrol but there are 2 petrol stations on the 40 minute drive from hers to mine so had planned to fill up at one of them. Both had queues going out into the road (about 20 cars? where normally you just drive straight in and fill up). Because i was so low on petrol I couldn't risk queuing for half an hour and running out of petrol in the queue only for the petrol station to suddenly declare they have run out (like our local one did this morning, hence I wasn't able to fill up before I went) so in the end I just had to go for it and keep my fingers crossed.

Got home on fumes I think. I don't think I've even got enough petrol now to get to my nearest petrol station! Honestly, it was all i could do to stop myself getting out of the car and going up to people ahead of me in the queue and asking if they really NEEDED petrol, because I did and they were stopping me getting any.

People are so fucking self-centred!

What makes you think it's being self centred? Or that your need is greater?

DD sat in a queue for about 15 mins on the way home from work so that she could fill up. She's an intensive care nurse and works in a hospital 30 miles from home. I'm going to hazard a guess and say they NEED her in work for all her shifts over the next week and so yes, she really NEEDED petrol in her tank.