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?

@Orangejuicemarathoner

As for what I call a crisis @Orangejuicemarathoner, well I was an adult in the 1970s. Check out what was happening then and think about how it might compare with a few days when it’s difficult to get petrol

I really don't get your point @Blossomtoes. I was also an adult in the 1970s. What of it? Nothing like this happened then

You don’t remember the uncollected rubbish, the unburied bodies, the power cuts, the three day week, the army green goddesses attending fires, endless strikes, rampant inflation, TV broadcasting finishing at 9pm? Some of it for weeks, some of it for months.

[quote RancidOldHag]Nothing like this happened then

I remember it did, so went off and googled to check. It was following the 1973 OPEC crisis

Sales were frequently limited to a gallon, but there were still queues and fights.

news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/witness/december/15/newsid_4065000/4065969.stm[/quote]
but that is nothing like what is happening in the UK today, nothing.

This isn't some economic reaction to world wide prevailing conditions.

We are unravelling. There is no connection between the two situation

This isn't some economic reaction to world wide prevailing conditions

Nor were any of the things I mentioned. They were a uniquely British problem.

You don’t remember the uncollected rubbish, the unburied bodies, the power cuts, the three day week, the army green goddesses attending fires, endless strikes, rampant inflation, TV broadcasting finishing at 9pm? Some of it for weeks, some of it for months

its not the same. We have uncollected rubbish and power cuts here now, but its not the same.

Actually power cuts of a few minutes now do far more damage than power cuts of a few hours 50 years ago.

But it is not the same. This is entirely different. This is the UK unravelling

But it is not the same. This is entirely different. This is the UK unravelling

No, it’s not the same. That was the UK unravelling. This is a tiny little glitch. Stop being so ridiculously dramatic.

You really think we weren't unravelling in the 1976 when Britain needed an IMF bailout?

Or that the three day week wasn't important?

Or that electricity rationing was a lesser issue than what's happening now?

Or that inflation at 27% didn't matter?

@Orangejuicemarathoner

You don’t remember the uncollected rubbish, the unburied bodies, the power cuts, the three day week, the army green goddesses attending fires, endless strikes, rampant inflation, TV broadcasting finishing at 9pm? Some of it for weeks, some of it for months

its not the same. We have uncollected rubbish and power cuts here now, but its not the same.

Actually power cuts of a few minutes now do far more damage than power cuts of a few hours 50 years ago.

But it is not the same. This is entirely different. This is the UK unravelling

Where are you that gas power cuts?

And rubbish issue

We have none of that here

Gas - has

@Blossomtoes

But it is not the same. This is entirely different. This is the UK unravelling

No, it’s not the same. That was the UK unravelling. This is a tiny little glitch. Stop being so ridiculously dramatic.

Agree

The hyperbole is ridiculous

It’s not exactly the same in terms of specifics, but what is similar is the feeling that we are rudderless and just reacting to crises. It becomes a very stressful way for society to operate because if the constant uncertainly . Economies thrive on certainty, businesses thrive on certainly and fo do people . They want U.K. be able to plan even if it’s just a week ahead .

@Orangejuicemarathoner

As for what I call a crisis @Orangejuicemarathoner, well I was an adult in the 1970s. Check out what was happening then and think about how it might compare with a few days when it’s difficult to get petrol

I really don't get your point @Blossomtoes. I was also an adult in the 1970s. What of it? Nothing like this happened then

I was a child in the 70's and remember the queues for petrol during the fuel crisis. It was horrendous.

I have seen reports today that the fertilizer companies who produce CO2 as part of the process, bought their gas cheaply on forward contracts some time back. They stopped production because they could make more money selling their gas into the domestic energy market, rather than use it for fertilizer (for which demand is low at this time of year).

Local garage apparently had a delivery at 3.30pm and closed at 4.50 because it’s all gone . I am starting to feel panicky now , I need to drive to see my dad , even if I get enough to get there what happens if I can’t get home . So sick of this country and angry that this uncertainty could give on for months , why does nothing work ?

Most ordinary people were less reliant on petrol in the 70s. Far more people lived in walking distance of work. Kids went to the nearest local school. People didn't order from Amazon, they went to their local shops. So the impact was far less.

It’s quite scary to me that you have a cat and didn’t know that it’s ok to feed your cat tinned fish. You can feed your cat rice, raw fish etc. They need the correct amount of carbs and protein to survive.

What do you think cats survived on before humans came along? Cats are natural carnivores that actively hunt meat & fish to this day.
Please do some more research on animals. If not for yourself, do it for the animals you have.

Completely agree with you. And it’s unraveling extremely fast. Almost like it was planned. 🤔

@TruthHelps80

Completely agree with you. And it’s unraveling extremely fast. Almost like it was planned. 🤔

Why would any government plan to make themselves look this incompetent?

@KrisAkabusi
Seriously? You don’t really think they care what us little people think.

It’s the people who really control the government, the ones we don’t see, they are the ones that control everything.
Boris is nothing but a puppet. He is also a cold, calculating narcissist with the moral empathy of bacteria. His bumbling awkwardness is practised, like a Music Hall drunk. He will screw the U.K. over without even breaking a sweat given the chance. If you think otherwise and that he or anyone else gives a damn what the government looks like then you are one of many they have fooled.

It’s the people we don’t see that make the decisions.

@Peaseblossum22

Local garage apparently had a delivery at 3.30pm and closed at 4.50 because it’s all gone . I am starting to feel panicky now , I need to drive to see my dad , even if I get enough to get there what happens if I can’t get home . So sick of this country and angry that this uncertainty could give on for months , why does nothing work ?

Nothing works because:

• we've had underfunding and extreme cuts for 11 years
• we've dstabilised every system by imposing enormous change through Brexit, and doing it badly
• we have a genuinely incompetent and uncaring government

We just need a normal government, please.

I don't blame them!

Where I am it has pretty much resolved. Just the occasional petrol station running out of diesel.

I'm so pleased @BreadInCaptivity

Ok after my rant last night I got up this morning and got fuel at Tesco, 6am and had to queue for 30 mins but at least I have enough to get there and back . Phew

@Peaseblossum22

Ok after my rant last night I got up this morning and got fuel at Tesco, 6am and had to queue for 30 mins but at least I have enough to get there and back . Phew

Pleased to hear it peasebottom

We managed to get diesel last night and ds1 who lives in a nearby city got petrol

We don’t need to get anymore petrol now until this is all over (assuming it doesnt go on for months)

Went in a friends car to pick up another friend and got stuck in a petrol station queue….people were driving on the wrong side of the road to get round the queue, very scary!

@julieca

Most ordinary people were less reliant on petrol in the 70s. Far more people lived in walking distance of work. Kids went to the nearest local school. People didn't order from Amazon, they went to their local shops. So the impact was far less.

You really are joking, aren’t you? How do you think those local shops got stocks of food? The grocery fairies? The absolute ignorance here is breath taking.