AIBU to think there's more to the petrol "crisis" than meets the eye?

[tartantroosers]

AIBU to think there's something very weird going on with the fuel "shortages"!
Big caveat- I'm not a conspiracy theorist but it's so bad where we are (Just inside M25) that many people I know won't be able to get to work this week. Garages have queues which are blocking all main routes and they're not even open! Is this a novel way of ensuring that we all "STAY AT HOME" ?!

🤦🏽‍♀️

YABU

Fair enough. Just having a moment.

Who do you think wants us to stay at home though?

I have no petrol and need to get to work tomorrow. If I can’t, there is nobody to teach my class! The government are inept, but I don’t really think they want things like that to happen!

Nah dont be daft. The government want us to go to work so we buy the petrol, get a coffee and buy lunch etc. When we're all at home (or those who can WFH) then less is spent in the economy.

The only thing going on here is that people yet again are showing themselves as being monumentally selfish and stupid

It’s weird round here too (s wales) - we’ve gone from queuing and gridlock blocking all routes on Friday to most (all?) petrol stations closed and out of petrol - Facebook local sites all seem to repeat that xyz garage is out / closed.

Not sure how people who have no choice but to drive will manage next week to be honest.

@Figgygal

The only thing going on here is that people yet again are showing themselves as being monumentally selfish and stupid

This. People are idiots.

I don't think it has anything to do with covid.

I do wonder if BP intended to force the government's hands on visas. After all, this all started with just six filling stations closed. The rest is all media hype.

I've no diesel. I work in a mental health trust crisis team. I can't get into work tomorrow and I will have to cancel my visits. I can't physically get to the people I need to.

All the garages are closed

@BettySweaty

All the garages are closed

That must depend on where you live, there are garages near me. I don't know if they havea types of fuel but I've driving around a bit today and there are idiots queuing at most of them

There's no conspiracy here, just selfish arses

I've been out today to see a relative, went to the nearest big town in the next county (I live rurally).....every single petrol station I passed is totally out of petrol, non left, cones out, notices on the forecourt etc.
Couldn't have bought any even if I'd tried.
Goodness knows how anyone will go to work tomorrow in this area unless they've already topped up.

I’m not a conspiracy theorist….. but here’s a conspiracy theory.

As getting people to stay at home goes, encouraging everyone to ensure they have a full tank of petrol is a pretty odd strategy. Also, if they wanted people to stay at home why would they be expressly telling people to do the opposite?

Personally I don't think there is but the hoovering up of fuel in containers /Jerry cans is selfish in the extreme. Storing fuel has the potential to be lethal whether its stored in the boot or the home. Buy what you need not what you think you need.

It’s in the news today that a refinery supplying 16% of the nation’s fuel is about to go under as well so it could get even more interesting soon

It's weird I see none of this where I live. No queues and no fuel shortages.🤷‍♀️

The government are saying there's no fuel shortage. Therefore we can conclude there is a fuel shortage.

I think it will mean more lift sharing and busier public transport in the short term, thereby providing greater opportunities for covid to spread.

@DrCoconut

The government are saying there's no fuel shortage. Therefore we can conclude there is a fuel shortage.

Exactly this !

After all, they promised us they would not raise NI or touch the pensions triple lock, and stuck by that. So there is no reason to doubt them on fuel supplies. Or indeed anything else when it comes to it.

@ApplesAreTheBaneOfMyLife

I think it will mean more lift sharing and busier public transport in the short term, thereby providing greater opportunities for covid to spread.

If the ongoing climate crisis hasn't persuaded us to lift share (or stop speeding) I doubt this will.

People were literally TOLD to keep their tanks above half way, they immediately went and did as they were told and this is the perfectly foreseeable result.

My personal conspiracy theory is that big business wanted to bring back foreign labourers to exploit (and just watch, this won't be limited to skilled HGV drivers) rather than pay decent wages locally, and this crisis has been entirely manufactured so the government can initiate the visa programme...they just rolled out this week. Oh, will you look at that. How expeditious, what coincidence.

Not much point saying “I’m not a conspiracy theorist” and then posting a conspiracy theory on the internet 🤣🤦‍♀️

If they wanted us to stay at home you know what they do? Order us to. And then we do it. See 2020.

The government have a huge amount of power, this one more than any other non-wartime government, they don’t need to be dicking about with petrol stations and lorry blockades. Also, organising and keeping secret a plan like that requires a level of competence and discretion that these buffons can only dream of, based on my experience of working for them.

@BrendaBubbles

It’s in the news today that a refinery supplying 16% of the nation’s fuel is about to go under as well so it could get even more interesting soon

It will remain in operation via the receiver.

The holding company should go under if they're not able to meet existing and ongoing tax liabilities.

I think it's to get us to buy electric cars.