[News] There's no need to panic buy petrol

[Bry Nylon]

There must be millions of cars now sat with full tanks that they don't really use or need but their owners are smugly thinking " I'm all right jack " .

I faced this exact moral dilemma when I came face-to-face with a petrol pump last night for the first time since this all blew up last week, with >30 miles left in the tank.

As I waited (for the best part of an hour) for my chance of a few gallons of liquid rocking horse shit, I pondered what I would do when I finally got my turn. Part of me was saying, "Just put in what you would normally do (about thirty quid's worth). Anymore is just being greedy and prolonging the problem."
But another part of me was saying, "Don't be a knob. Do you REALLY want to go through all this grief again? C'mon... fill the ****er right up! You know it makes sense!"

So what did I do? Yup - I gunned in £80's worth, giving me a smugtastic 500+ miles of worry-free motoring until I need to go fuel-foraging again.

In mitigation, I had three reasons for justifying this to myself:

(1) Although I don't drive a huge number of miles, this weekend I need to make a 250 mile round trip to attend my dad's wake - held over from December because of covid restrictions. So I do need more fuel that I would usually do.

(2) The crisis isn't about lack of fuel per se, but about confidence. And queues erode confidence and make people think, "This isn't getting better - I'd better top up." I won't be contributing to any queues for some time now. Once the queues go, people will stop panicking and normality will be restored.

(3) I guess deep down, I am just like most other people: in the current climate, give me an empty fuel tank and 5 minutes with a petrol pump to myself and it's 'Operation Brim.'

But I certainly shan't be 'topping up' and the good news is that around here in north Essex / Herts / Cambs, the queues seem to be diminishing rapidly. I drove past a petrol station at 6pm this evening that last Friday had a queue half a mile long. Tonight 3 cars were waiting. Hopefully Sussex will follow suit before long.

 

[The Clamp]

Exactly.

Very obvious that it's not JUST Brexit but rather an issue that has been waiting for the perfect storm to come to a head. If this has been on the cards since 2009 then the timing of it actually happening is no coincidence. The government have admitted as much with their late-in-the-day plans to give European drivers emergency visas.

Mind, if you think it's bad now, just wait for Christmas.

Brexit is part of the cause of the problem but we all know it's not the whole story. However. However, the two worst things you can have when an essential industry is in crisis are;

Boris Johnson
and
The Brexit Boris Johnson delivered

 

[Publius Ovidius]

My mate, who travels a lot as he is a contracts manager, drove past 15 petrol stations tonight from brighton to Worthing, all with no fuel….he finally got a fill up in Tesco’s Worthing!

I have only 130 miles left which is about 1/3 of a tank and need the car over this weekend. I tried a couple of garages with no luck today!

This is complete madness!

 

[AZ Gull]

Thinking of moving it forward a couple of weeks to avoid the rush/crush... oops now everyone will do it.

We have done most of our Xmas shopping already. Just the two main presents, and a few stocking fillers.

I will be celebrating Christmas with the family when I am back in England at the end of October (seriously).

 

[jessiejames]

What's your view of the DCPC because on the face of it its a good idea.

IMO Brexit is part of the problem and along with COVID has probably tipped the balance and brought forward what was inevitable.

I agree with what you say regards how drivers are treated and its clearly a major issue , like a lot of other blue collar jobs people are just turning their noses up as there is easier ways to make a living. Not sure if using EU labour was good but it was what we had and I emphasize had.

I disagree with your comment about 'The shortage is only with BP and Shell because Hoyer supply them' the problem is that people have panicked and there is not enough capacity in garages to meet that inflated demand across all retailers. The government needs to ensure that people don't panic and act in an anarchistic manner , it's what government should do. Note its the same brand of government which has had 11 years to deal with the shortage , its also the same government which has picked a fight with the RHA who had previous brought the issue of too few drivers into discussion pre-Brexit.

DCPC is a major part of the problem, it's not worth the paper it's written on. This came in 2009. To be told that despite how ever much experience you have in your job I now have to complete 35 hours over a five year period to continue to do your job to get another plastic card that said you have completed 35 hours of bullshit. When this first came out my final 7 hours to complete the 35 was on my companies procedure, rules and what is expected of me, this was approved by then Vosa. I could have then moved to a different company who's rules are different but I have my DCPC.

Half the so called trainers have never driven a lorry. My last 7 was about WTD, tachograph rules. This was with an ex policeman. I asked him by law how many digi print rolls must I carry, he said 2. The law is actually none. It's the interpretation of the wording. You must be able to provide a printout from the unit if asked, no mention of what type of paper either.

Some get you to try the hazard perception test, why, if your a lorry driver and try to pass it how we are taught we will fail it.

Get rid of the DCPC and WTD that will be a good start, I'm governed by my driving hours both EU and Domestic.
Covid also stopped us using customers toilets, what did the Government do nothing.

RHA and Logistics UK formally FTA have also let drivers down by not fighting our cause.

European drivers I do not have a problem with, but many companies used these to reduce pay.

ADR qualified drivers are paid well except Hoyer by the sounds of it.

Don't worry Dominic Raab is on the case, he is saying put criminals who are doing community service in the lorries to help the shortage. That's why we have no HGV drivers because they have all been caught driving 1 minute over 4.5 hours and are now doing community service.

 

[GT49er]

From my understanding, a lot of it is EU regulations. So now we have left, in theory the rules could change (which is likely to take years of consultations etc...) . But not sure how this affects any British HGV drivers driving in EU.

I think [MENTION=12847]jessiejames[/MENTION] has given us a most credible estimate of the effect of Brexit (20%) on this particular crisis - but there's a bit more too. The DCPC - or whatever combination of consonants it is- was an EU decree, which caused many senior British HGV drivers to think, 'F*ck that, we'll do something else for a living' - and although we've left the EU, the government has opted to keep it.
Leaving ideology aside, clearly this is yet another area where Covid has had a devastatingly long term effect. Emergency measures may well be appropriate - concessions on immigration for non-British lorry drivers; temporary restorartion of licences to former British HGV drivers (like myself) to help out for a few months. The thousands of tests for potential lorry drivers postponed during the pandemic will take years to clear the backlog.

 

[GT49er]

DCPC is a major part of the problem, it's not worth the paper it's written on. This came in 2009. To be told that despite how ever much experience you have in your job I now have to complete 35 hours over a five year period to continue to do your job to get another plastic card that said you have completed 35 hours of bullshit. When this first came out my final 7 hours to complete the 35 was on my companies procedure, rules and what is expected of me, this was approved by then Vosa. I could have then moved to a different company who's rules are different but I have my DCPC.

Half the so called trainers have never driven a lorry. My last 7 was about WTD, tachograph rules. This was with an ex policeman. I asked him by law how many digi print rolls must I carry, he said 2. The law is actually none. It's the interpretation of the wording. You must be able to provide a printout from the unit if asked, no mention of what type of paper either.

Some get you to try the hazard perception test, why, if your a lorry driver and try to pass it how we are taught we will fail it.

Get rid of the DCPC and WTD that will be a good start, I'm governed by my driving hours both EU and Domestic.
Covid also stopped us using customers toilets, what did the Government do nothing.

RHA and Logistics UK formally FTA have also let drivers down by not fighting our cause.

European drivers I do not have a problem with, but many companies used these to reduce pay.

ADR qualified drivers are paid well except Hoyer by the sounds of it.

Don't worry Dominic Raab is on the case, he is saying put criminals who are doing community service in the lorries to help the shortage. That's why we have no HGV drivers because they have all been caught driving 1 minute over 4.5 hours and are now doing community service.

I feel your anger! Even though it's many years since I held an HGV licence, I can only imagine the frustration. As someone who held a 'super licence' up to 2019 (passed the driving test, so could drive anything except an HGV, a steam-roller or a trolleybus, or something like that) it's annoying that after 50 years of safe driving I'd have to pass another test now to drive a mini-bus - even though I drove a fair few of them back in the day!

 

[jessiejames]

I think [MENTION=12847]jessiejames[/MENTION] has given us a most credible estimate of the effect of Brexit (20%) on this particular crisis - but there's a bit more too. The DCPC - or whatever combination of consonants it is- was an EU decree, which caused many senior British HGV drivers to think, 'F*ck that, we'll do something else for a living' - and although we've left the EU, the government has opted to keep it.
Leaving ideology aside, clearly this is yet another area where Covid has had a devastatingly long term effect. Emergency measures may well be appropriate - concessions on immigration for non-British lorry drivers; temporary restorartion of licences to former British HGV drivers (like myself) to help out for a few months. The thousands of tests for potential lorry drivers postponed during the pandemic will take years to clear the backlog.

So you have had the begging letter from DoT. I had mine yesterday thanking me for still being a lorry driver. Returned back to them with a few words of my own added.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Apparently Johnson is going to move Heaven and Earth in order to " Save " Christmas, so, that's us pretty much nailed on for a disaster.

Brits love a drama. Get the army to save Xmas..,

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I think [MENTION=12847]jessiejames[/MENTION] has given us a most credible estimate of the effect of Brexit (20%) on this particular crisis - but there's a bit more too. The DCPC - or whatever combination of consonants it is- was an EU decree, which caused many senior British HGV drivers to think, 'F*ck that, we'll do something else for a living' - and although we've left the EU, the government has opted to keep it.
Leaving ideology aside, clearly this is yet another area where Covid has had a devastatingly long term effect. Emergency measures may well be appropriate - concessions on immigration for non-British lorry drivers; temporary restorartion of licences to former British HGV drivers (like myself) to help out for a few months. The thousands of tests for potential lorry drivers postponed during the pandemic will take years to clear the backlog.

I can’t take most who work in the industry seriously though. If anyone knows the benefits of frictionless borders it should be hauliers. But, the Road Haulage Association advised its members to vote leave. Then they moaned about the border red tape. Now, there’s ****ing thick, and there’s lorry drivers. I’m sure there’s some sensible ones in there somewhere but jeeez.....

 

[GT49er]

So you have had the begging letter from DoT. I had mine yesterday thanking me for still being a lorry driver. Returned back to them with a few words of my own added.

I think my days as a lorry driver are too far down the road for them to remember about me!

Mind you, I'm sure I could help out with the shortage of bin lorry drivers, as long as I had a good team at the back to shout 'Woah' when reversing round tight corners! The difficult bit would be getting up early enough to start at the same time those blokes start! Retirement sort of resets your body clock .................................

 

[Cotton Socks]

The queue for Asda Hollingbury was about the longest I’ve seen it so far, approximately half an hour ago.

It's still horrifically massive! The queue is past the junction of Carden Hill. I think either social media has said that they're open or people have realised that they close during the day to allow people that need food to get into the store!

 

[jessiejames]

I think my days as a lorry driver are too far down the road for them to remember about me!

Mind you, I'm sure I could help out with the shortage of bin lorry drivers, as long as I had a good team at the back to shout 'Woah' when reversing round tight corners! The difficult bit would be getting up early enough to start at the same time those blokes start! Retirement sort of resets your body clock .................................

Enjoy the retirement, I still at the moment have 16 years yet, no doubt longer by the time I want to retire.

 

[Cotton Socks]

I can’t take most who work in the industry seriously though. If anyone knows the benefits of frictionless borders it should be hauliers. But, the Road Haulage Association advised its members to vote leave. Then they moaned about the border red tape. Now, there’s ****ing thick, and there’s lorry drivers. I’m sure there’s some sensible ones in there somewhere but jeeez.....

Blimey that's rude! You're calling lorry drivers thick? Hopefully I've misread that.

 

[dsr-burnley]

France and Germany, and others, have less than their desired amount of drivers, and have done for many years, but do not have fuel or food shortages. What’s the difference?

We don't have food shortages either.

I was in Sainsbury's tonight. Yes, there were a few empty shelves, as there always are just before closing time. But food shortages? These were the shortages.

1. I couldn't get my regular brand of ready-meal lasagne. I had to buy a different brand.
2. All the prepackaged wholegrain seeded bread was thick sliced. The only medium sliced was Sainsbury's own brand.
3. They had a very limited choice of frozen Yorkshire puddings.
4. They only had two sizes of aqueezy bottle golden syrup, and not the size I wanted.

On the bright side, last time I went they didn't have pitted prunes - only prunes with stones in. Fortunately that crisis is now over and pitted prunes are back.

This is not "food shortage".

 

[GT49er]

Enjoy the retirement, I still at the moment have 16 years yet, no doubt longer by the time I want to retire.

Good luck!

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Blimey that's rude! You're calling lorry drivers thick? Hopefully I've misread that.

How else can you describe voting to leave and then complaining about the new border paper work?

 

[The Clamp]

We don't have food shortages either.

I was in Sainsbury's tonight. Yes, there were a few empty shelves, as there always are just before closing time. But food shortages? These were the shortages.

1. I couldn't get my regular brand of ready-meal lasagne. I had to buy a different brand.
2. All the prepackaged wholegrain seeded bread was thick sliced. The only medium sliced was Sainsbury's own brand.
3. They had a very limited choice of frozen Yorkshire puddings.
4. They only had two sizes of aqueezy bottle golden syrup, and not the size I wanted.

On the bright side, last time I went they didn't have pitted prunes - only prunes with stones in. Fortunately that crisis is now over and pitted prunes are back.

This is not "food shortage".

Your diet needs a serious overhaul.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

We don't have food shortages either.

I was in Sainsbury's tonight. Yes, there were a few empty shelves, as there always are just before closing time. But food shortages? These were the shortages.

1. I couldn't get my regular brand of ready-meal lasagne. I had to buy a different brand.
2. All the prepackaged wholegrain seeded bread was thick sliced. The only medium sliced was Sainsbury's own brand.
3. They had a very limited choice of frozen Yorkshire puddings.
4. They only had two sizes of aqueezy bottle golden syrup, and not the size I wanted.

On the bright side, last time I went they didn't have pitted prunes - only prunes with stones in. Fortunately that crisis is now over and pitted prunes are back.

This is not "food shortage".

You’re lucky though, the demand for sophisticated items like ready made lasagnas will clearly be less than in more developed parts of the country.

 

[Cotton Socks]

How else can you describe voting to leave and then complaining about the new border paper work?

I don't know, but your generalisation of calling lorry drivers 'thick' will probably come across as rude whether they voted leave or remain!