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AIBU?

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Original poster

OK, this isn't funny any more. Where's the army?

999 replies

Orangejuicemarathoner · 27/09/2021 18:53

One quarter of staff and students late to school this morning, and 10% didn't get there at all. It has been announced that, excepting physical disability, any student within 4 miles or adult within 6 miles will be expected to walk in, but Its expected to be worse tomorrow with a good chance we will be closed by Wednesday.

AA reporting over 100 "incidents" on the road within a 10 mile radius of the school - mostly roads blocked, and mostly by queues outside petrol stations.

I struggled to get home by bike, because of the chaos on the roads - I got off my bike and walked several miles of it.

I called in at a supermarket on the way home. The shelves were more than three quarters empty. No bread or milk. So I'm sitting here drinking black tea planning rice for dinner instead of cheese on toast.

I know its not a catastrophe that I spent an extra hour getting home, and dont have milk in my tea, but what is that saying about the state we are in?

AIBU to say the army should be called in. What have we got an army for? Surely, an organisation of thousands of fit, capable, organised individuals, with vehicles and capacity and skills in logistics is exactly what we need to be utilised in this situation right here right now.

PS, is it ok to feed dog food to cats? does anyone know?

OP posts:
Member869894 · 27/09/2021 22:39

'No bread or milk. So I'm sitting here drinking black tea planning rice for dinner instead of cheese on toast.'

not really an army matter is it?

Iusedtobecarmen · 27/09/2021 22:40

Is this thread for real?
How many people really can't survive without petrol or actually cannot get to work/school?
Not as many as are claiming I bet

Unless you are very rural or have a job that involves driving.
I live in a big city
School walking distance and all major shops.
Buses and trains are excellent.
Mostly its over dramatic people or idiots panic buying.
People are so reliant on their cars they have a panic attack at having to walk anywhere.
And as for supermarkets, again plenty of stock here.

chaosrabbitland · 27/09/2021 22:41

@colouringindoors

Poor woman being interviewd by BBC news crying as she needs some fuel to take her husband to a hospital appointment. This government should be locked up.
and apparently they were warned in june that hgv driver shortage would be a problem and ignored it , didnt want people thinking brexit wasnt a roaring success no doubt as that has played a part in this crisis i agree , they are absolutly terrible ,its shocking what they are getting away with ,
GreatPotato · 27/09/2021 22:42

@Iusedtobecarmen

Is this thread for real? How many people really can't survive without petrol or actually cannot get to work/school? Not as many as are claiming I bet

Unless you are very rural or have a job that involves driving.
I live in a big city
School walking distance and all major shops.
Buses and trains are excellent.
Mostly its over dramatic people or idiots panic buying.
People are so reliant on their cars they have a panic attack at having to walk anywhere.
And as for supermarkets, again plenty of stock here.

Almost everyone who doesn't live in a big city and/or works in a different town to the one they live in?
Iusedtobecarmen · 27/09/2021 22:44

Oh and I'm NHs staff and the calls the help us are embarrassing.
The hospital I work at is central. Excellent bus services from early till very late
Only a handful of people i know who live in another county would not be able to get to work!!!

NotMyCat · 27/09/2021 22:45

@Iusedtobecarmen

Is this thread for real? How many people really can't survive without petrol or actually cannot get to work/school? Not as many as are claiming I bet

Unless you are very rural or have a job that involves driving.
I live in a big city
School walking distance and all major shops.
Buses and trains are excellent.
Mostly its over dramatic people or idiots panic buying.
People are so reliant on their cars they have a panic attack at having to walk anywhere.
And as for supermarkets, again plenty of stock here.

Community/district nurses Home carers Anyone who does any form of driving in their job Police, fire, ambulance Blood bank motorbikes Midwives doing home visits The majority of my colleagues who live nowhere near work and our bus system is awful (ok it's not essential but still....) Delivery trucks People who live very rurally

I mean I could go on...,

Cecillie · 27/09/2021 22:45

In my area the worst thing is the petrol queues grid locking the roads.
Main a roads with queues of 50 plus cars completely blocking access to town centres . It's an accident waiting to happen and they should be being dispersed. Just ridiculous.
And the constant sniping and fighting on Facebook with who needs petrol most , basically saying that anyone who isn't you is just being a sheep and doesn't really need any .
Have no personal gripe as have enough for what I need till next week .

chaosrabbitland · 27/09/2021 22:46

@rocklamp

My god, what a situation when people can't get to hospitals and health and social care is seriously compromised.

The govt should swing for this. Despicable pigs. How can anybody in their right mind vote for these psychopathic con artists?

im wondering that as well , they are nothing short of criminal , you cant be in your right mind to vote for them my mum has to have a bowl examination under sedation next tues and shes already worried shes not going to be able to get there ,because the taxi drivers wont be working if they have run out of fuel , shes way to frail to take the bus , so many others in her positon too
NotMyCat · 27/09/2021 22:48

Also bus system near me
I live 3.7 miles from work. To get a bus I would have to get the bus into the city which is the opposite direction, then a bus back out the city back past the area I live to get to work and then a 20 min walk

People who work shifts and finish at odd hours. No buses at 3am

Iusedtobecarmen · 27/09/2021 22:49

Yes but really how many actual people cant get to work in reality?
I'm not saying walk 6 miles, but mean have no way of getting in?
Or just dont fancy catching the bus?
I have seen staff ring in sick as their car wont start , when like I said ,we live in the middle of a major city on several bus routes!!

Iusedtobecarmen · 27/09/2021 22:50

Yes I said unless you drive as part of your jobHmm

NotMyCat · 27/09/2021 22:51

@Iusedtobecarmen

Yes but really how many actual people cant get to work in reality? I'm not saying walk 6 miles, but mean have no way of getting in? Or just dont fancy catching the bus? I have seen staff ring in sick as their car wont start , when like I said ,we live in the middle of a major city on several bus routes!!
Which is great for you but all the jobs listed above NEED a car And we don't have a great bus system I would often cover 50 miles in a shift as a carer going from city to rural and back again
Macncheeseballs · 27/09/2021 22:51

Why does chaos on the roads mean you have to get off your bike, surely it's best to stay on it, or is it a motor bike?

MissCherryCakeyBun · 27/09/2021 22:51

@TheFairyCaravan thanks for pointing this out as the wife of a veteran I totally get where you are coming from.
People need to understand that the army is not a magic bullet for things like this....nobody can just hop in a tanker and make deliveries safely there are very very important regulations regarding fuel deliveries for very good reasons.
Yes the army are going to support things but freeing up other drivers who have the correct licences and training

I'm in the south west and yes fuel is very hard to find however I can still book Tesco deliveries and Amazon is still delivering maybe these can help with shopping?
It doesn't help key workers like myself and my husband getting to work though.

BananaPB · 27/09/2021 22:52

It could be a local issue. I've been to petrol station shops (not for fuel) and they've been stocked normally. The supermarket has a few gaps but it's the same as a week ago.

nancy75 · 27/09/2021 22:53

@Iusedtobecarmen

Yes but really how many actual people cant get to work in reality? I'm not saying walk 6 miles, but mean have no way of getting in? Or just dont fancy catching the bus? I have seen staff ring in sick as their car wont start , when like I said ,we live in the middle of a major city on several bus routes!!
Everyone that uses a van to carry stuff for their work - that’s a lot of people Carers who go from house to house Driving instructors Taxi drivers Delivery drivers People who don’t live in your house & work in exactly the same place as you. Really, it doesn’t take that much imagination to realise not everyone is in the same situation as you.
Dave20 · 27/09/2021 22:53

How long will the majority of people be using petrol cars for though? 20 more years? Longer? The government has told the car industry to move to electric by 2030. So only electric cars will be manufactured after that.
I’d assume there will still be millions of petrol cars on the roads for many more years to come?
Although this crisis may push people to go electric sooner...

Wond3rment · 27/09/2021 22:53

@QueenoftheKarens

Please stop blaming Brexit.

It's down to covid as well. DVLA need to get their arses into gear and fast!

Hmm, not sure about that. I’m in an EU country (we’ve had COVID too) - we have no fuel or food shortages. I suspect Brexit is the biggest contributing factor to be honest. It sounds quite challenging.
NotMyCat · 27/09/2021 22:56

I've actually just looked at the bus timetable and to get to work for 8am I would have to get the 6.10am bus to not be late. Instead of driving 3.7 miles

rocklamp · 27/09/2021 22:56

Companies treating lorry drivers like shit doesn't help with recruitment does it? Maximising their lousy profits instead of investing in workers and supporting infrastructure so that people can do their job safely and comfortably.

DixonD · 27/09/2021 22:57

@MintJulia

Where are you op?

Our supermarkets have plenty of food and both Sainsbury & Tesco had fuel deliveries today. Things seem to be easing here - Hampshire

Same - I’m in Hampshire and all seems well apart from a few extra cars in the petrol station. Plenty of food on the shelves.
Iusedtobecarmen · 27/09/2021 22:57

Yes and I agree that it's awful and stressful for people and workers like you

But really are the vast majority on this thread or people in general panicking, actually desperate or just worried they may have to walk or catch a bus

I do drive but mostly get 2 buses or a train to work

rocklamp · 27/09/2021 22:59

The tories are the last people to value the working class. We're just shitty tax (and NI units) to them. Cough up the money whilst we kick you over and over and over again.

DixonD · 27/09/2021 22:59

Brexit is NOT causing a fuel shortage. There isn’t one. There’s a driver shortage. There was a driver shortage before Brexit. Made worse by COVID and “some” drivers heading back to the EU.

There’s no fuel shortage!

Iusedtobecarmen · 27/09/2021 23:01

Yes but its doable
I get a 630am bus to get in for 8am. Better than driving through a busy city and struggling to park.
Dont need a car or petrol in this situation
Just people get lazy.