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

[Orangejuicemarathoner]

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?

@FrozenoutofCostco

A man was verbally abused at a petrol station the other day for filling up 20 Jerry cans. What they didn’t realise, is that he was from the RNLI and was filling them up for the boats…. Apparently they use a LOT of fuel and they don’t get given their own supply….. Given that all RNLI staff are volunteers I feel awful for all of them across the country at the moment. Can you imagine the abuse they’re getting?

That's awful

@threatmatrix

Two days of madness, because of listening to the media. My brother delivers fuel so I knew not to panick.

How has that helped you?

Did you brother do a special delivery to your house?

Absolutely this!

Sorry, I was replying to another post, saying that it’s down to the ‘twats’ to stop panic buying and only buy what is needed. Then there is no extra pressure on slightly strained supplies.
Sending in the army will make the initial problem seem worse than it was. It’s the culture of panic buying that needs addressing. The selfishness of the county. Yes, I understand that some people, including the vulnerable and those supporting the vulnerable may be worried, and so for them to get a little extra is warranted but Bob who drives two miles to his office and Jane who drops the kids off at school two miles away, need not panic buy.

I think it does depend where you are if there are problems or not, I was in London yesterday and ques were blocking the roads, but in my home county there are very short ques of maybe 3 or 4 cars but I would say there’s an awful lot more filling stations per mile here and a lower demand on them

It didn’t help @threatmatrix, it helped other people. That’s the point. Everyone is so out for themselves that they don’t think of other. Threatmatrix didn’t panic join the stressful queues and add to the short, high demand for petrol. I’d like to thank anyone who didn’t buy more than they normally need.

ogohm

Where are you? It's nothing like that here, I think most the problems are localised and being exaggerated now. Diesel for buses was prioritised too and didn't run out“

Marvellous.
Where we are, NW coast, the local bus company employs 350 drivers. They have over 20 vacancies at present. They have historically always had a pool of applicants on file to call upon. They don’t atm and haven’t for several months, since when they have been actively trying to recruit. They have not had a single applicant for any of the posts. So, to keep school buses running, other routes are being reduced.

As with HGV drivers, theirs is an ageing workforce. Young British people are not learning to drive. I heard a statistic some time ago that 10 years ago something like 20,000 new drivers were qualifying each year, at the time of the report it was less than 5,000 (pre-Covid, probably less now). Those youngsters that can drive want one of the many thousands of more flexible driving jobs that are available.

We drive for practical purposes but the children always enjoyed buses and trams for leisure. One in 4 of the drivers in our experience were European. I don’t know what the number was for HGV drivers but when we got to our leisure destination, ate out or enjoyed an attraction, 1 in 3 of the staff at least were European.

All of those people have returned to their European homes, often not willingly.

Anyone who is denying that this is at least in part not due to Brexit is deliberately sticking their head in the sand. Possibly because acknowledging that truth means admitting that they made a mistake with their vote.

This Government’s complete lack of forward planning - transport leaders and hospitality (notwithstanding Tim Martin, who now can’t recruit staff and is joining in the cries for visa dispensations) were warning of the approaching issues at least two years ago - has only exacerbated these predictable problems.

Pleased that you, personally, aren’t experiencing difficulties because many others, lots of whom facilitate your life, are.

The Defence Secretary Ben Wallace signed off 150 drivers and 150 drivers mates from the army YESTERDAY. But they may need 3 days training in delivering fuel before they can they start helping. The Times reported last night that even if people stop panic buying now, industry insiders are expecting the problem to persist to a degree for the next month. More petrol stations do have fuel so problems are easing, its just that its going to take a while for the queues to go completely...

@Nearly47

Why people keep saying that is not only the UK? Can you show any news of EU countries of people queueing for petrol or milk shelves empty in supermarkets? I haven't seen any

Despite those previous comments we (France) are not seeing obvious shortages in the shops or fuel shortages or anything other than normal behavior at fuel stations.

The claimed shortage, if there is a significant one in the EU must be being managed differently, at least where I am.

Daddynotmummy
It's the wankers filling up for no reason that's the issue, nothing else

Maybe that is the situation by you but we have had problems here a week before the media reported it. I was really surprised so screenshot post from local FB page to send friend and we were discussing it along with fact that another friend’s DD is unable to get blood tests (clearly unwell) , there is an issue with bin collections and issue in some supermarkets.

MrsSkylerWhite that's an interesting post.
I can only imagine driving for a living is awful.
The roads are so, so busy.
When dh lost his job he took a job as a delivery driver, he absolutely hated it.
It wasn't anything like they had told him.
He couldn't deliver in the time allocated, 3 minutes per delivery in covid tines too, so he had to park up, walk with all the parcels, the person taking the delivery would say oh can you walk round to such and such door and take it all in.
In one instance he was expected to lift a 60kilo package by himself without a sack cart!!!!!

He couldn't leave until all his deliveries were done.
Apparently they are still recruiting for the position he left, several people lasted merely hours, leaving at lunch time it is so bad.

Just taken my dh into the station ( 4 miles no bus until 10.00am) drive past the three local patrol stations , still no fuel . That means there’s been no fuel in the town since Saturday morning , may be some at the local Tesco’s but that’s another 4 miles again so an extra & miles in total and didn’t want to waste the fuel .

@BreadInCaptivity your right to be upset. I hope you manage to find a way to go and help your son settle down. I know I will want to do the same for mine who is now 16. Even if he is able to go alone why not make things easier for someone you love?

I'm not sure what we are waiting for, it's disgusting that Boris hasn't done a presser on this to the public, it's not going to fix itself overnight, the army aren't the solution just a stop gap, and one that isn't ready yet anyway.

Even if he suggested the work from home if you can he'd free up the queues from those unnecessarily travelling in under duress of their employers. Leaving what tiny bit if fuel there is for those who can't wfh!!

I found this some sense in the mayhem this morning: head of a petrol organisation on radio

A few things stood out

• tanker drivers aren’t as in much of shortage as HGV
• demand went up 500% over weekend
• there may even be a dip next as demand passes

But some tankers can’t access to deliver due to demand / queues

It was an example of behaviour change which is understandable imo but this should mean once filled up and can move past it quite quickly

@notimagain I got the same report from friends in Italy. No shortages of petrol or food. I think people want to close their eyes to the huge mistake that was brexit. I wonder who is gaining from this mess if anyone. And every failure of governance is now blamed on covid

I went off to uni on a train with a backpack and my stuff went in a trunk by courier. Mum couldnt drive so we didnt have a car, and she had my younger siblings to look after. It really wasnt a big deal.

@Peaseblossum22

Just taken my dh into the station ( 4 miles no bus until 10.00am) drive past the three local patrol stations , still no fuel . That means there’s been no fuel in the town since Saturday morning , may be some at the local Tesco’s but that’s another 4 miles again so an extra & miles in total and didn’t want to waste the fuel .

Any reason your Dh didn't want to walk?

In a suit, carrying laptop and confidential papers along narrow roads with no footpath or across muddy fields . He probably would have done though , he’s pretty intrepid, but we are a team so I drove him, I’ll pick him up later as well if he wants , I love him. I’m up anyway and would only be walking the dog

@marieantoinehairnet

I'm not sure what we are waiting for, it's disgusting that Boris hasn't done a presser on this to the public, it's not going to fix itself overnight, the army aren't the solution just a stop gap, and one that isn't ready yet anyway.

Even if he suggested the work from home if you can he'd free up the queues from those unnecessarily travelling in under duress of their employers. Leaving what tiny bit if fuel there is for those who can't wfh!!

Surely people can use their own common sense and WFH if they are able to? Do people really need to be told this by the govt?

Breadincaptivity I would be upset too 💐

The petrol situation will resolve quickly see pp re tankers and demand

But HGV situation will take more

@Marguerite2000 unless it’s a government directive many employers won’t allow people to work from home

We just cancelled Cornwall in our caravan, we go each year and visit DF who lives near Lands End so will now rebook for after half term or early next year, we had planned to stay in the Cotwolds on the way back so will look forward to spending a bit longer there instead, it's much nearer home and hopefully fuel will be more back to normal in a couple of weeks, we had hoped it would ease by end of week but looks like it will be longer