Petrol and Diesel Shortages

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TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
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I wouldn't mind if it was properly rationed but if it's just "you can only buy 10l at a time" then people in towns will just keep filling up and people further away from the stations will be a bit suffed.

I'm also finding the constant "we might not be able to buy loads of cheap tat and gorge ourself silly this Christmas" news reports more that a tad annoying.

I cant say I'm that bothered about xmas or cheap tat but being able to drive when and where I need too.
 

Broch

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Jan 18, 2009
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I wouldn't mind if it was properly rationed but if it's just "you can only buy 10l at a time" then people in towns will just keep filling up and people further away from the stations will be a bit suffed.

I'm also finding the constant "we might not be able to buy loads of cheap tat and gorge ourself silly this Christmas" news reports more that a tad annoying.

Yep, let's have a traditional, non-commercial, basic Christmas with family around the table :)

Oh, hang on, the family won't be able to get here :(
 

Van-Wild

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Feb 17, 2018
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True! Most years the kids have Christmas at theirs with their youngsters and join us later. We spend the day on some remote beach or mountain top eating smoked salmon sandwiches and mince pies (or whatever takes our fancy).
Don't tell everyone! They'll bloody well try and join you!

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slowworm

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May 8, 2008
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Yep, let's have a traditional, non-commercial, basic Christmas with family around the table :)

Oh, hang on, the family won't be able to get here :(
I suspect there's plenty of fuel for important or even vaguely important matters, if only people cut down just a little on all the non-essentails.

Sadly, now I expect people will make extra trips to fill up, just in case.
 

Van-Wild

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Feb 17, 2018
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I suspect there's plenty of fuel for important or even vaguely important matters, if only people cut down just a little on all the non-essentails.

Sadly, now I expect people will make extra trips to fill up, just in case.
I have a just in case attitude to most things. Only the slant I put on it is that I'm proactive not reactive!

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Nice65

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I suspect there's plenty of fuel for important or even vaguely important matters, if only people cut down just a little on all the non-essentails.

Sadly, now I expect people will make extra trips to fill up, just in case.
Exactly this. It’s the toilet roll situation again, media created panic. I’d rather have 20 litres of diesel in a jerrycan for essentials than worry I’m unable to wipe my bottom or go and get a MacDonalds.

Anyone got any out of date pasta or lentils you want to trade? :)
 

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
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Cumbria
The idea of prepping now when fuel shortages are all over the panic media sources (sorry but most regional/ local newspapers are as bad as the daily fail) is kind of late. Prep your life when not in extremis.

What I mean is make it so you can live without a vehicle because there's no petrol or diesel. Make it so you can get to work, shop, etc. If that's possible if course.

In our case I live on a train line. From there I commute by train and bike. If that fails I could ride my bike to shops and supermarkets. I have enough local facilities and there's a supermarket chain about 20 minutes or so ride away. I have bikes, trailer, touring recumbent that can carry a lot of shopping, etc.

If the trains don't run because things are so bad and supermarkets don't have stock because the lorries have no fuel for supplying them then I'm pretty sure a few Jerry cans of diesel isn't going to help me that much neither.

I've not got a disaster proof life I'm not fully prepped. The first lockdown taught us that we needed to be in a place we could happily be stuck in for some time. I'm not a prepper by nature which is why I'm not doing anything right now. I am in a situation where I could cope if the things do go really wrong. I'm not sure they will.

BTW super near me don't have empty shops. Petrol Stations are open. There's very little wailing and gnashing of teeth that the end of days is coming. I suspect nobody is reading the daily mail, express and I know nobody reads the mirror! The local ckickbait newspaper online site is too busy getting you stuck in countless spammer like extra links so going back only gets you on another page of there's selling stuff and passing off ad links as news. ;)
 
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TeeDee

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BTW super near me don't have empty shops. Petrol Stations are open. There's very little wailing and gnashing of teeth that the end of days is coming. I suspect nobody is reading the daily mail, express and I know nobody reads the mirror! The local ckickbait newspaper online site is too busy getting you stuck in countless spammer like extra links so going back only gets you on another page of there's selling stuff and passing off ad links as news. ;)


The reason I posted because I live near a semi rural backwater ( Devon... anyone heard of it? It's like Tatooine but has more Tractors and tea-shops ) and the local area ( even more rural than the 'big' city of Exeter ) is experiencing Petrol and Diesel shortages for a very moderate sized community. Three Local petrol stations all were out of fuel.


I don't think anyone is prepping or storing fuel like mad yet , I was mostly surprised just to see the situation - if the shortage of HGV drivers continues in to a HARD cold/dark/wet winter I can't imagine there being that many people still wanting and motivated to cycle or walk to work.

Our current seasonal situation temperature and rainfall wise is fairly moderate - alot of us down here are still rocking hawaiian shirts and crocs. That has the ability to change quite quickly.



As for new source references - next time I will skip posting any links and just post some personal photos of closed garage forecourts as I'm unsure what particular news source appeases certain individuals.
 

Van-Wild

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I live in a small market town. There's three garages. They're all either low or out of fuel diesel. I drive a diesel van. Its an hour and a half commute to work in the middle of nowhere. I cant work from home.

Storing fuel guarantees me that I'll be able to get to work. If I use a Jerry can, I'll take the empty with me and fill it back up again during the commute. I've also helped out my neighbour more than once and giftd him a Jerry can a couple of times. He's a self employed stone Mason so going to work is not optional for him either!

I store quite a few things. I'm not paranoid, I'm prepared. Need some fuel? I got it buddy, here you go. Jump leads? There you go buddy. Freezer goes on the blink, no problem, I'll lend you my 40 ltr coolers.

For me, being prepared isn't just about me. I'll help out my neighbours to. It pays itself back when needed. Last year, my chainsaw broke and my neighbour lent me his immediately. This year my other neighbour brought back a truck bed full of timber just because he knows I have a log burner.

I left it all year to season and just two weeks ago I sawed and split it all for my log store and shared with a guy across the road. Sharings caring folks, and having stuff stored and ready to go makes you an asset not a liability......

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nigelp

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It seems to be Tesco and BP garages round here that are having fuel shortages. Then the media locally reported on it, people start getting twitchy and go and queue up. Soon the queues get reported and then people lose there minds and make things worse.

Rural areas with limited choice will always be hit the hardest with shortages because it will be more noticeable and rural folk need/use cars more to get around.

I won’t prep fuel for the car because storing petrol and transferring to the car by hand is dangerous and the quantities would make no difference in the longer term. If the car is over half full that will do for any emergency journey.

The government will have to concede to the driver shortage problems and allow temporary work visas to fill the gaps. As a nation of slothful car users, people won’t tolerate a fuel shortage for long!
 

slowworm

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May 8, 2008
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Devon
The reason I posted because I live near a semi rural backwater ( Devon... anyone heard of it? It's like Tatooine but has more Tractors and tea-shops ) and the local area ( even more rural than the 'big' city of Exeter ) is experiencing Petrol and Diesel shortages for a very moderate sized community. Three Local petrol stations all were out of fuel.

Well up here in NW Devon it's a fully rural backwater, motorways and Hawaiian shirts haven't made it this far. (Which is a good thing).

Out this morning to do the monthly shop and queues at one station another half closed. At least the queues were moving fairly quickly as most people just seem to be topping up a few litres.

I think this is solely down to the recent news rather than any real shortage.
 
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slowworm

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May 8, 2008
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Devon
What I mean is make it so you can live without a vehicle because there's no petrol or diesel. Make it so you can get to work, shop, etc. If that's possible if course.
We, as a household, can. We could, and have, live for months without a car and I only need to fill it up about 6 times a year.

The problem is I have an elderly relative 250 miles away and may have to dash there in an emergency. So being able to fill up in said emergency is fairly important at the moment. I could use public transport but that may actually take more than a day and still will rely on a taxi and one end.

There will be many people in such a similar situation.
 
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Nice65

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Half hour round trip just took me 2 hours, and I missed the doctors appointment that I’d been waiting for for 3 weeks. Why? There’s a garage on the route, even ambulances are having trouble getting through.
 

Chainsaw

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Jul 23, 2007
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Went to the supermarket at lunchtime to get some stuff for the weekend. Lots of people queueing to get fuel and also MacDonalds which is in the same area as the petrol station/supermarket. I suspect people were out getting their big macs and decided to fill up while they were out. Drove to another supermarket, no queue, banged 70 quid in as I was under a quarter tank. Petrol station across the road from me has a couple of cars at the pumps, no queues.
 

Van-Wild

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Feb 17, 2018
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The whole thing has been whipped up by the media. They are intent on making a mountain out of a molehill. If ordinary bods (I speak as one of them) would just calm down and carry on as usual, I’d suggest that there would be little to worry about.
But then how would these chancers sell their 'news' ?

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Nice65

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The whole thing has been whipped up by the media. They are intent on making a mountain out of a molehill. If ordinary bods (I speak as one of them) would just calm down and carry on as usual, I’d suggest that there would be little to worry about.

Except not having enough loo roll.
 
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