Blame the government!

[Unicornish]

All these threads having a go at people for panic buying fuel are really getting on my tits.

Panic buying is a logical response to panic buying. People are going to do it and it is a foreseeable side effect of a crisis. Don't blame them for doing the logical thing.

Instead, blame the government who got us into this mess in the first place by recklessly pursuing a hard Brexit without knowing or caring what the consequences would be.

I completely agree. Especially as the current government are tye ones that persuaded people to vote for this reality by promising it would be £ for the nhs.

I agree but the media are also complicit in making things worse.

Agree. Especially when it’s not panic buying, it’s filling up a few days early.
Same as the pandemic panic buying, it added up to less than £15 per person in the country. Who wouldn’t buy a few extra items when they’re worried

Agreed.

Yes, agreed @CoRhona

Similarly the NHS-bashing threads. The government is selling off the NHS and people who start threads criticising it without knowing any background are playing right into the Tories' hands.

Agreed, also in the context of petrol I wouldn't call it panic buying. People aren't lining up with cans, they're just filling up their cars. Maybe a bit earlier than they usually would, but it's not a loo roll scenario!

Agree. Although sorely tempted to fill up just to run over some insulate Britain Berks. (Joking, obviously)

Exactly!
It's the same as when the pandemic started. People were told off for shopping when it was busy! As if they knew.
Petrol is bought every day anyway!

I blame the media more than the government. There is absolutely no need for all these scare stories - we've had the NHS is doomed and GPs are all hiding (they aren't, I work in a surgery and we have been open throughout), the food is running out scare (supermarkets still fine here bar the occasional gap) and now the no fuel panic.
I don't blame people for being scared but they need to use some common sense

I went to fill up this morning not in a panic but because that's the norm for us when DH is paid I fill the tank for the month. It was manic at 5.30am I had no choice but wait as the car was bonging at me. Many people will have had their monthly pay today too so it's inevitable that lots were just going about their usual monthly, weekly routine. The media have a lot to answer too for causing panic.

I wholeheartedly agree.

The Tories are great for talking all about personal responsibility but when it comes to taking responsibility for a government that has been in power since fucking 2010, they’re pretty silent.

Why are people blaming the media? Would you rather they only printed nice stories?

I’ve not seen panic in the media outlets I use, just reporting with some analysis. But then again I don’t read the hysterical daily mail or sun, the two most popular outlets in this country.

How is it logical? Not everyone does it. I didn’t do it, because it seems like a stupid thing to do. I didn’t want sit in the car for hours and waste a lovely, sunny evening.

Couldn’t agree more. The petrol stations were closed near us yesterday, before any panic buying started. A petrol station owner said it’s been happening for weeks. So the only people to blame are the government.

The media have a role in this, they do it all the time!

They make it worse

Why cantthe army be drafted in to drive all these lorries? Problem solved.

There'll definitely be a fuel shortage if people bloody well panic buy it won't there. It's a self fulfilling prophecy.

But we are not in a mess with fuel because there is no fuel shortage, or at least there wasn't until the media and the public made one today.

KurtWilde

Yep but morons telling people not to panic buy like james Cleverley and Nadine Dorries will just make panic buy.
Someone rely need to help them wit their messaging - there is enough fuel for everyone is a much better message then DON'T PANIC BUY,

*make people panic buy

This is nothing to do with Brexit.

The MEDIA are to blame for this stupid fuel hysteria!

@HomeSliceKnowsBest

Why cantthe army be drafted in to drive all these lorries? Problem solved.

I kind of prefer the army to be there to defend us rather than be used at our expense to cover the government’s arse for their cock ups.

There is a driver shortage exacerbated by covid because they cancelled all the tests last year figures released today say for every ten hgv drivers starting work six are finishing we are not getting ahead the system needs an overhaul the comments today are startling one that stood out to me was, in no other job do you get fined and possible points on your license for getting stuck in traffic and unable to get somewhere on time not due to pissing about or incompetents but just a traffic jam in no other job do you risk being stabbed while you sleep at night in your cab 90 hours a fortnight and wages docked for circumstances outside your control sign me up please

@iggly just because you don't read them you shouldn't underestimate their influence - those two papers alone are read by many, many people.