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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Rather than a maximum spend for petrol, we need a minimum

474 replies

KingsleyShacklebolt · 26/09/2021 08:16

Lots of talk of rationing petrol to deal with the people who are panic buying.

I would suggest an alternative approach - a minimum spend. I filled my car yesterday, it's a big mum bus MPV thing so takes £60 - £70 of diesel to fill up. And before anyone asks yes I did need to fill it, it was well into the red.

But the woman in front of me and the man adjacent spent less than £10 each. So their car was clearly not empty.

So why not have a minimum spend? Say £20 or £30? It would stop people topping up every couple of days "just in case". Would stop people filling jerry cans. People aren't going to keep filling up jerry cans or topping up every day if they know that their couple of litres is going to cost £30.

OP posts:
ineedsun · 26/09/2021 09:19

But anyway, it appears that for whatever reasons there is no appetite for a minimum spend which would be hard to police and difficult for people on a very low budget

For whatever reasons? You’ve named two right there. What a strange way to say ‘actually on reflection IABU’

Dinoroaraus · 26/09/2021 09:19

Well no, we're being told to buy fuel as we always buy fuel. My regular pattern of buying is to fill up to the top when it's in the red and the light comes on. then you should reassess your normal pattern. It's very economical.

And I imagine when your teens by their first car it will be tiny and they'll cram 5 people in somehow so you don't need a big car. Unless there's a massive drip feed here.

Heavymetaldetector · 26/09/2021 09:20

So you NEEDED to fill it right up to the top, did you? You couldn't have just put in what you needed for that day or weekend when you knew there was a shortage and that essential services needed petrol too?

We only put 10/15 in at a time because that does us a good few days and is all we can afford. If everyone just put in a bit to keep them going instead of filling all the way up to the top maybe we wouldn't have run out of petrol so soon? You could look at it that way.

I've only ever filled my car right up once or twice when we're about to go on a big journey.

gogohm · 26/09/2021 09:20

I need to fill up a can for my lawn mower!

UltimateBugKilla · 26/09/2021 09:21

Nobody NEEDS a car, so that's a poor excuse, lots of people cope perfectly fine without car.

Stop being so judgemental and focus on you and yours!!

BarbaraofSeville · 26/09/2021 09:21

There's obviously been a change in behaviour to cause the queues and shortages that did happen. It was more than the effect of a tiny percentage of all petrol stations running low on fuel.

If people didn't buy fuel when they wouldn't normally have, the people buying their budgeted £10 a week, filling jerry cans for their lawnmowers or topping up hire cars, along with those who need to use a lot of fuel and those who simply fill the car up when it becomes empty could have all just done it the way they always have without all these problems.

Orangejuicemarathoner · 26/09/2021 09:21

And no, I couldn't get the actual bus for many of the journeys I need to do. DD needs to be at her part-time job this morning at 11am. 20 minutes in the car. By bus it would take 1 hour and 25 minutes and would mean getting one bus into the city centre, changing, and another bus out again.

but yes, she could be doing this by bus, and should be, and if you didn't have a car, she would be

BelleOfTheProvince · 26/09/2021 09:21

@Dontgetyerknicksinatwist

Another vote here for banning the Jerry cans. I saw a photo on Facebook of a man filling up rows and rows of Jerry cans in his boot. The level of greed being demonstrated on the forecourts at the moment is sickening.
Maybe it was for tractors? Or maybe he's just selfish. Problem is you don't know. But you'll be complaining if your cereal runs out due to farmers not having petrol won't you?
MolyHolyGuacamole · 26/09/2021 09:21

How I choose to spend my money is none of anyone else's business, just as how they choose to spend theirs is none of mine.

But you made it your business with this post. You want to tell people to spend a MINIMUM or else.

Original poster
KingsleyShacklebolt · 26/09/2021 09:21

Maybe on the need for cans for agricultural or boat engine use, there could be a system like for calor gas canisters. You buy the canister filled and pay an extra £10 or whatever for the container as a deposit. When it's empty, take it back and get £10 off your next container.

Might stop people stockpiling in their garage.

OP posts:
user1471505494 · 26/09/2021 09:21

@toomuchlaundry

They should stop people filling up jerry cans to start with
What about people like gardners and many others who need petrol or diesel to run machines and Jerry cans are the only way to get the fuel. Their right to work is as important as someone who uses thei vehicle for work
ChargingBuck · 26/09/2021 09:21

Oh, we're back in MN World, where it never occurs to a depressing volume of PP that £10 is a big chunk out of weekly bill money.

Somebody even managed to sigh "I suppose there might be a small amount of people who couldn't afford it". Yeah, Marie Antoinette, just a few. Try the parents of the UK's 4 million kids living in poverty for starters.

Fucksake.

Suitcaseseverywhere · 26/09/2021 09:22

@ChargingBuck

Oh, we're back in MN World, where it never occurs to a depressing volume of PP that £10 is a big chunk out of weekly bill money.

Somebody even managed to sigh "I suppose there might be a small amount of people who couldn't afford it". Yeah, Marie Antoinette, just a few. Try the parents of the UK's 4 million kids living in poverty for starters.

Fucksake.

And this.
HomeSliceKnowsBest · 26/09/2021 09:22

People filling up huge containers here. Utterly ridiculous.

ChickyNuggies · 26/09/2021 09:22

This whole thread is really odd!!!

OP, I would not describe myself as poor, or on the breadline or anything like that. It is 1 week until payday and I have £76 left in my bank, which makes me luckier than a lot of people I know.

My fuel light is on, so I do need to get petrol to get to work this week, and I also need to buy food/lunches for the week.

Should I:

A. only put £20 of fuel in the car, as that is all I need until next week and then I will have £50 for a week's worth of food

Or

B. Fill my petrol tank to keep you happy which will be about £47 ish and then spend only £25 on food for the week (which I can do and have needed to do in the past by the way).

Genuinely curious to know which option you would prefer whilst you drive about in your mum bus with your full tak of fuel and presumably, still money in the bank?

Original poster
KingsleyShacklebolt · 26/09/2021 09:23

@Orangejuicemarathoner

And no, I couldn't get the actual bus for many of the journeys I need to do. DD needs to be at her part-time job this morning at 11am. 20 minutes in the car. By bus it would take 1 hour and 25 minutes and would mean getting one bus into the city centre, changing, and another bus out again.

but yes, she could be doing this by bus, and should be, and if you didn't have a car, she would be

Well no. Because if I didn't have a car, she wouldn't have taken the job in the first place as she would only have applied for places which are easily accessible by public transport.

And as for "should be" - almost 3 hours on a bus every day she works rather than 40 minutes by car? OK then.

OP posts:
Simonjt · 26/09/2021 09:23

@KingsleyShacklebolt

Maybe on the need for cans for agricultural or boat engine use, there could be a system like for calor gas canisters. You buy the canister filled and pay an extra £10 or whatever for the container as a deposit. When it's empty, take it back and get £10 off your next container.

Might stop people stockpiling in their garage.

So people who have run out of fuel will have to pay a £10 penalty?
MolyHolyGuacamole · 26/09/2021 09:23

I already volunteer actually, 4 hours a week for the last 6 years.

Then why are you still so ignorant?

girlmom21 · 26/09/2021 09:23

You're so incredibly entitled. People trying to make it through to their next payday and only being able to put in £10 worth of petrol should have to walk to work but you have to be allowed to fill up a full £70 tank because your daughter can't possibly get a bus into work because it'd take her a little bit longer Hmm

ChargingBuck · 26/09/2021 09:23

@UltimateBugKilla

Nobody NEEDS a car, so that's a poor excuse, lots of people cope perfectly fine without car.

Stop being so judgemental and focus on you and yours!!

Hmmmm. Try telling that to rural folks.
Dinoroaraus · 26/09/2021 09:24

You're saying people shouldn't be allowed to top up £10 worth of petrol in case it stops you filling up £70 in one go?

GCAcademic · 26/09/2021 09:24

Nobody NEEDS a car, so that's a poor excuse, lots of people cope perfectly fine without car.

Yes, some people do need a car. There are plenty of areas in the country where there is no public transport at all. The last remaining bus route which covered my village (which was only one bus a day anyway) was pulled five years ago, and the nearest town is ten miles away.

RedRiverShore · 26/09/2021 09:24

This OP is unreal, I filled up my big mum van to the brim but everyone else...

ineedsun · 26/09/2021 09:24

@KingsleyShacklebolt

Maybe on the need for cans for agricultural or boat engine use, there could be a system like for calor gas canisters. You buy the canister filled and pay an extra £10 or whatever for the container as a deposit. When it's empty, take it back and get £10 off your next container.

Might stop people stockpiling in their garage.

Or maybe you could just wind your neck in?

Unless you’re a policy maker (which I hope not, but based on this current government you wouldn’t be out of place), just get on with your life! You’re over thinking it, just move on.

Simonjt · 26/09/2021 09:25

@UltimateBugKilla

Nobody NEEDS a car, so that's a poor excuse, lots of people cope perfectly fine without car.

Stop being so judgemental and focus on you and yours!!

A lot of people with disabilities need a car.