14 replies to this topic

[PaulEden]

My wife's car is almost empty of fuel. She had a look in Tescos and the Shell on Woodside Road, but they were both closed.

If anyone sees a service station that has diesel, I'd really appreciate it if they could post here, or those that have my mobile phone number, a text would be brilliant.

Thanks,

Paul

[struthie]

Paul feel free to send me your number and I'll text you as I'm out and about today.

[PaulEden]

Pm sent. Thanks.

[roob_the_doob]

Shell on Woodside has fuel at the moment. Good job too, our car was almost empty.

[PaulEden]

Yes, I've just got back from there. Diesel pumps nearest the road were covered, but the other one is OK. Got 60 litres. The woman in front of me... 15 litres. There's ya problem.

Thanks everyone.

[PaulEden]

I remember back in 2000 when this last happened, the fuel that ran out was petrol, this time is seems to be diesel in short supply.

It's the 'topping up' that causes the problems. Drivers normally only fill up when their tanks are empty and that's a relatively regular thing, demand is flat. When lot's of motorists descend on fuel stations to top up, they cause queues, which raises the worries of all motorists that there'll be a shortage. And of course, they empty the storage bunkers. This means the the drivers who don't panic are punished when they try to refuel as they normally would.

The solution? A minimum delivery. Drivers are charged for a minimum of fuel, say 30 litres.

[carkeyz]

I dont think that is the problem - a lot of people only put £10-£20 in at a time - not due to not wanting to but due to money - I couldnt afford to fill my car at the moment, pay day isnt until the 15th lol

[PaulEden]

Hmmm, yes good point.

[Fran]

The solution? A minimum delivery. Drivers are charged for a minimum of fuel, say 30 litres.

I see the appeal, particularly at the moment, because I do think the increase in small sales in part of the problem. However, it's not only those without enough cash for a full tank who sometimes want less: whenever I've had a hire car or courtesy car, I've had to return it with a full tank of petrol. Sometimes that has meant putting as little as £5 worth of petrol in it. (Scooters and motorbikes only have small tanks, but it would be easy to make exceptions for them.)

[Speedy]

[PaulEden]

And

[hyposmurf]

Quite amazing the mad frenzy to fill up when there hasnt been a single tanker driver go on strike or a date given yet.The goverment have only helped stoke the panic buying.Theyve not done to badly out of though.Two days ago the AA revealed:

The AA revealed that panic-buying is now handing the Treasury a £32 million windfall from extra fuel excise duty.

Shame the goverment can't bring in some legislation for future strikes whereby only a certain % of drivers can strike at the same time.Probably hard to inforce though.

[PaulEden]

But the amount of fuel we use as a nation is fixed, more or less. Increases in fuel duty now will be offset when we stop buying petrol in the coming weeks because we've got full tanks.

[roob_the_doob]

But the amount of fuel we use as a nation is fixed, more or less. Increases in fuel duty now will be offset when we stop buying petrol in the coming weeks because we've got full tanks.

There is an argument that the extra fuel sales might just be enough to prevent the first quarter GDP growth being negative, so that the government avoids headlines about us going back into reecession. I've no idea whether the amounts involved might be sufficient to achieve that, though

[PaulEden]

Oh, I see. First quarter. Gotcha.