I bet that, after last time, the plod will have been told by the government to take a much harder line on blockades.
Instant arrest, charges brought, individuals "made an example of", impounding of vehicles, etc.
As you say, the government will have had a think about how to deal with *the tactics the protestors used last time*. The thing to do would be try something different. Whether or not the public would support it is another matter.
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What ever happens, it won't stop the panic buy of fuel causing mayhem.
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>>What ever happens, it won't stop the panic buy of fuel causing mayhem.
This I dont understand,I got stuck in line of traffic that was needing refills.during last blockade,Bit that was annoying some filled up at another station not 20 miles away and wanted to top up,some only needing a few litres,some others filled jerry cans causing arguements because the garage was almost out of fuel.garage only supplying those that were very low ie 1/4 tank or less...Ps I was one,but had to find somewhere else due to greedy ones
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Steve
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I can't see a fuel blockade getting anywhere near the support the last one did. There was widespread public anger in 2000 about the governments cynical use of the escelator on fuel duty, dressed up as a bogus environmental tax. The current increases are understood to be caused by events beyond HMG's control, even if they are benifiting from the extra VAT revenue. Public anger will this time be aimed at the protesters, not the government.
Rather worryingly, the presenter of the business report on Radio 2 tonight started talking about peoples concern over a fuel shortage. That's all we need, irrisponsible journalism stoking up panic buying.
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The best way we can sort the problem out is to campaign for biofuels. This is what really gets my goat. There are alternatives that we can use now and can I buy them on a forecourt? Nope. They shouldn't be blockading refineries they should be drawing attention to that fact that we don't actually need to use derv and could use biodiesel. Petrol could easily be diluted with bioethanol by 10-15% and run by everyone. Govt & the oil companies have too many vested interests in keeping us dependent on oil. I'd write to my MP but I know I'd just get the usual labour party political broadcast/ manifesto paragraphs saying how wonderful they are which don't go anyway to actually answering the question I asked.
The public as a whole needs to demand a distribution system is put in place for biofuels right now.
I have 3 cars I can fill the tanks of so with my normal mileage I can easily last a month between refills, if not longer. Essential mileage is probably about 50 a week so at 20 mpg with a 30 gallon capacity I've got 3 months worth :-) I can walk or broadband to work so that isn't a problem.
During the last blockade there weren't shortages up here just long queues.
teabelly
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Rather than have a percentage tax on fuel, why couldn't the govt state on a yearly basis how many pence they required per litre purchased? That way we wouldn't be so angry that their 'cut' increases with each base price increase.
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That's what duty is. Xp per litre.
It's only the VAT that increases.
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I didn't realise that. I thought the duty was a percentage, not a fixed value.
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People like to quote it as a percentage because at the moment it works out at something like 300% so it sounds shocking. But the duty itself is just a flat value (hence the concept of 1p on a litre of petrol in the budget). Effectively because we pay so much in duty we don't notice it so much when the price of oil doubles - the cost of the petrol itself being such a small proportion of the price you pay at the pump. The Americans are taxed at a much lower level so it hits them harder when the price of crude oil goes up.
The government make an extra 0.175p in VAT for every penny that the price of petrol goes up. So if petrol goes up 7p a litre, 1p of that is VAT and 6p is paying for the petrol itself. None of it is duty. So the argument that the government is rolling around in a big bed of cash as a result of this is pretty weak. For every penny the government makes some oil baron somewhere is getting 6p. Ultimately, that's who the hauliers should be protesting against. The oil producers are hiking the price by cashing in on the increased demand.
(Incidentally - it irks me when the media say petrol prices are "soaring". No. If they'd increased by a magnitude "soaring" would perhaps be the appropriate term. 94p to 97p is a "small percentage increase" - but then I suppose that isn't shocking enough.)
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E34kid says: "So the argument that the government is rolling around in a big bed of cash as a result of this is pretty weak."
Gordon Brown stands to rake in a staggering £10 billion EXTRA from North Sea oil taxes if the price stays above $50 a barrell and at the very least an equally mind-boggling £24.6 billion from petrol taxes alone - considerably inflated due the the VAT percentage.
Those pennies per litre quickly add-up!
The true picture is that the Government's finances are in a mess and this rise in oil revenue has come as welcome relief.
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"The oil producers are hiking the price by cashing in on the increased demand."
Well yes but US REFINERY capacity utilisation was over 90% before Katerina struck - effectively flat out.
Katerina killed 10% of US refinery capacity and several petrol distribution pipelines. Result: petrol shortages in US.As a result the US is importing as much refined petrol (as opposed to crude oil) as it can find tankers to carry it.
And as UK and European refineries are also near capacity, prices keep rising. And there are no new refineries being built in the UK..
Crude oil is no good to motorists without refineries.. and there is a shortage of refineries..
madf
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I was speaking earlier this week to someone who works for Total. I brought up the topic of fuel blockades and boycotting certain petrol retailers.
He said that the petrol companies don't make their money selling fuel but by fags etc etc. he also said that blockading would be detremental to the consumer as if it becomes too much of a hassle they will just pull out from selling petrol in this country. he did tell me that one company had already done it (can't remember which one it was) and that if any petrol stations close down (mainly in the country) then there is less local competion and therefore higher prices at the remaining stations.
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And looks like the panic buying has begun. Filled up last night as was running low and all the stations were busy.
My wife has just called to say that there is panic buying where we live (Weston Super Mare) and that some filling stations are running out of fuel already.
Am guessing if there are shortages caused by panic buying then prices will go up so the blockades could result in higher prices.
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Well that's a way to stop panic buying isn't it. Make petrol £10 a litre whilst the protests are on. Then people will think twice about whether they really need to brim the tank.
It's funny how a situation like this becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. As soon as people see queues at the pumps they'll start panic buying themselves.
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In 2000 where I live it took a good month following the end of blockades before people could readily purchase fuel, during which time people who relied on their cars to get around found they were stuck. With the threat of the same happening again in less than a week people are going to panic buy, they dont want to be left in a position where they are unable to get work. Employers dont pay you if you dont turn up, but the mortage companies etc. still ask for their money whether you have it or not.
If by filling my car up now it means I will be able to get to work for a few extra days and earn a bit more cash then too true I am going to panic buy.
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Absolutely. And you've made it very clear in the past how much you do need your car.
I'll admit I went out the other night and filled up. That's because I have to get to Oxford and back at the weekend and I didn't want to risk leaving it until Saturday. But from Sunday onwards I'll be hanging up the car keys, battoning down the hatches and waiting for these prannies to finish their dirty protest. I'd hope that people like me who don't *need* to use their cars will do the same thing.
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>>But from Sunday onwards I'll be hanging up the carkeys, battoning down the hatches and waiting for these prannies to finish their dirty protest.
I dont blame you, at least if an emergency arises you will have a car with fuel you can use. I can keep going for about 6 days on a full tank but after that I will be stuffed.
What really annoys me is we are supposed to be going on our hols in 2 weeks time, first time in 4 years, but as we will need our car (its a touring holiday) it looks like thats stuffed too :(
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What really annoys me is we are supposed to be going on our hols in 2 weeks time, first time in 4 years, but as we will need our car (its a touring holiday) it looks like thats stuffed too :(
I suppose you could always take a holiday closer to home - if it's the first one in four years anything will be a treat, won't it? :o)
At least if you are taking holiday during the fuel blockades your home will not be at such risk as last time.
All positives from where I'm sitting! :o)
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3 stations in Farnborough out of unleaded today - no idea if its due to panic buying or just a local ditribution co*k up.
I've 500 miles worth of diesel and I'm planning a quiet weekend just in case
dan
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According to the BBC, there's going to be a rolling roadblock (20mph) on the M4 on Friday, and they'll take a decision after that whether to blockade the refineries.
We really need some French lorry drivers to coordinate everything!
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Let's hope they're arrsted for causing an obstruction. Protest all you like, just let the public carry on thier lawful business.
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Let's hope they're arrsted for causing an obstruction. Protest all you like, just let the public carry on thier lawful business.
When petrol/diesel hits £1.30 a litre i wonder if you'll have the same stance.Then again you probably drive a company car with petrol paid, so unlike the majority of the population, it will not affect you.
IMHO opinion they should have carried on with the blocades in 2000, nice to see that the Germans are talking about reducing fuel excise duty,but then again acording to Gordon/Tony it's got nothing to do with them.
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"IMHO opinion they should have carried on with the blocades in 2000, nice to see that the Germans are talking about reducing fuel excise duty,but then again acording to Gordon/Tony it's got nothing to do with them."
Ok, lets have a nice blockade. Petrol in the uk will become scarce, price will rocket. Think the oil companies care? nope they can sell all the product they want in the rest of the world. Economy will fail and with any luck bikemade will be the first thrown on the dole.
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IMHO opinion they should have carried on with the blocades in2000, nice to see that the Germans are talking about reducing fuel excise duty,but then again acording to Gordon/Tony it's got nothing to do with them." Ok, lets have a nice blockade. Petrol in the uk will become scarce, price will rocket. Think the oil companies care? nope they can sell all the product they want in the rest of the world. Economy will fail and with any luck bikemade will be the first thrown on the dole.
Don't think so, you know nothing about who i am employed by, lets just say your taxes pay my wages, have done so for the last 20 years and will continue to do so for the next 13 years till i retire( aged 50). Can't be thrown on the dole, can be made redundant but it'll cost £100k PLUS.
Who cares about the oil companys i for sure don't.Why should motorists pay a greater % in taxation then the % of tax claimed thru PAYE, ETC. Utopia would see the likes of BP/ Shell being taxed on Company profits, how obscene is it for them to make billions in profit and not pay a % on it when fuel is over a £1 a litre.
PS during the last fuel strike, i ran-out and kicked my heals at home with my bosses permission and i still got paid,
As for the fuel blockades, if they do it then i'll be affected ( when i run-out), but i fear they are crying wolf and nothing will come of it.
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Err Bikemade, 50% of your fat pension at 50 is tied up in oil company shares............
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Err Bikemade, 50% of your fat pension at 50 is tied up in oil company shares............
Wouldn't say it's fat, enough to live on and it's not tied up in any shares.
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Erm. Does anyone remember the people selling petrol for 4 pounds a litre at the height of the protests in 2000?
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Oops, I pressed the wrong button whilst editing out the argument that was developing. Apologies if any notes of relevance were deleted during my *incompetence*.
DD.
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Its so hard to get competent moderators these days,
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Takes the Focus off me.
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Adam
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SFAIK the protesters gripe is with the Government? Why don't these self centred idiots (who do not speak for me in this matter!) blockade Whitehall or some centre of Governemnt? Blockading the M4 and inconveniencing people who already have enough troubles on their plates isn't going to help or get anyone on their side.
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>> Err Bikemade, 50% of your fat pension at 50 is tied >> up in oil company shares............ >> >> Wouldn't say it's fat, enough to live on and it's not tied up in any shares.
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Bikemade - you are a fireman, aren't you?
BP, Shell are global giants and DO NOT make bulk of their profits in the UK. If you tax them in a punitive manner, say a windfall tax or something similar - they will simply shift their corporate headquarters out of the UK, and stop paying ANY tax. Do you know how much tax Rupert Murdoch?s empire pays to the UK government ? zero.
This is a simple equation. We either keep on paying duty at the rate of 50p (or just under) per litre of petrol or reduce it and make up the shortfall through other means.
Do we fancy paying more PAYE tax? Or do we want across the board increase in VAT? Or do we want to reduce expenditure on - health? Education? Social services? Or ask the government to borrow more - hands up those who are keen on higher mortgage payments!
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Reading todays papers it seems that there are plans afoot to:
(1)ration fuel and
(2) mandate certain garages to sell to essential users only.
P.S I am not a fireman.
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Oh great fuel rationing. I've got things to be doing this week which involves going to places far and wide. Once the general public get wind of rationing there will be even more panic buying as everyone will want to get round those stupid restrictions.
These daft fuel protestors are wasting everyone's time with this. Why don't they start campaigning for a national biofuel distribution network instead of bleating about oil prices which are controlled by a cartel anyway?
Bikemade - I suspect you work in local government as you have that certain lack of reality which is fostered amongst councils and such like :-)
teabelly
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Bikemade - I suspect you work in local government as you have that certain lack of reality which is fostered amongst councils and such like :-)
Wrong! Whilst we are having a go about fuel duty and Tax in general how much money was wasted by a NHS trust recently putting a "lump of rock" outside one of its hospitals ? That is a "lack of reality" how many operations would that have funded teabelly?.
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But Labour already *leaked* their proposals for fuel rationing 3 months ago, so they can't blame the weather in America without stooping very low. All hauliers want is a level playing field with the European counterparts with whom they are forced to compete with by EU competetion laws.
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Sorry for any typos Im very long sited
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...and please let's not start a guessing game as to Bikemade's occupation...
smokie, BR Moderator
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"Stop paying ANY tax" ...BP and others are already aiming at that!
It's named as being one of many international companies which are trying to obtain refunds of particular UK taxes ... tinyurl.com/dnlwd - this article (admittedly a year old, but I believe it's all going through the courts now) says
The Revenue is on the ropes in its battle with hundreds of corporate giants. Defeat seems likely and could cost the exchequer tens of billions.
Another article quotes cost to the taxpayer of the group actions as £670 per head. That's an alarming amount of money...
The taxman has since had some partial success in the European Court which may considerably reduce this amount.
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When petrol/diesel hits £1.30 a litre i wonder if you'll have the same stance.Then again you probably drive a company car with petrol paid, so unlike the majority of the population, it will not affect you.
I don't drive a company car, I own four private vehicles. Your presumtions are on a par with your understanding of economics. I'll still be buying at £1.30 a litre, but I might use my more economical cars and drive less just for the fun of it.
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Presumptions even. Oh for an edit button.
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How much Taxpayers money was wasted on that NHS piece of rock anybody?
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Or Lord Irvine's wallpaper?
or the Dome, or the Olympics? or EU membership, or global NHS freeloaders the government could easily save money and reduce taxes, if they can't they should get out.
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Sorry for any typos Im very long sited
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One of the many usefull coments that was moderated out was that the goverment should increase the duty on red diesel.
It is noticeable on the farms I have worked on that farmers will leave engines idiling for half hours whilst they have a cup of coffe etc. why does agriculture have an exemption and haulage not?
Paul
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why does agriculture have an exemption and haulage not?
Why also does public transport? It has also been noticed that certain farmers are driving a fair distance to deliver goods in their tractors and doing it with red diesel!!!!
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Its noticeable that one local farmer who runs a skip company uses a JCB fastrac and very large trailer in order to trasport waste from the skip depot to the waste transfer station.
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If a farmer is running a skip company, he cannot use red diesel. Farmers can only use red diesel for farming purposes.
The reason farmers are allowed to use reduced rate fuel is because usually tractors are used in fields, not on the road.
Red diesel has gone up in price quite alot, which makes it very hard on farmers when selling wheat at £60 per tonne, the same price we got in the 1970s.
Rebated fuel is also used in airplanes and the construction industry.
I filled my car up today, not with red diesel, and it cost nearly a tonne of wheat. A few years ago a tonne of wheat(£120) would have filled my car up about 5 times.
At least in most professions, wages have increased with inflation.
If you think that farmers are getting an unfare deal with red diesel, have a go and see how you get on. There are plenty of farms for sale.
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No disrespect but when i have done work on farms tractor engines have constantly been left idling for half hours on end.
The farmer I refer to does use the tractor as described although he is not a specimin of good land or animal husbandry or a representation of the industry.
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Well you said it, there are bad apples in every barrel. Not many of my neighbours would leave a tractor running for a long time, we spend most of the time moaning about the price of fuel.
I don't support a fuel protest as I don't think that it will do much good. In the last protest I had run out of diesel, and had to wait for a very expensive delivery.
My Passat, my wife's Focus and the Landrover are all full to the brim, just in case. With white diesel of course.
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25 years ago people spent more on food than fuel in terms of earning power in comparison to today,the percentage spent on food/fuel has altered greatly today ,an ample supply of food has ensured that people are healthier and also live longer in part due to this cheap food.some of the lower costs can only be achieved by rebates such as red diesel etc,of course food can be sourced cheaply from around the world but at the expense of using extra fuel.food miles are a major part of road haulage ,some of it neccesary but much of it not needed such as taking a load of carrots to holland and the same lorry bringing another load of carrots back,hopefully in the near future buying localy will help to prevent some unneccesary miles and congestion.we can all play our part in this when shopping.
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I freely admit to not having read every one of the 114 posts on this thread, so apologies if the point has been made before.
It just seems to me that blockading motorways and fuel depots will not hurt the government - assuming this is the intention. They may have been caught out last time but this time they will be a lot less vulnerable to this kind of action and will be better prepared. Remember the election we had in May? This is a newly-elected government and the opportunity to really 'influence' them has been missed. If a relatively small number of people want to deprive the law-abiding majority of the means to go about their lawful business then this must surely be the quickest way of alienating them, not obtaining their support! They will not hurt the government to any useful degree, but they may well push over the edge many more businesses than would otherwise have failed merely as a result of high fuel prices. We all dislike taxation, particularly when it is unfair, but trying to bring the country to its knees, and threatening and intmidating tanker drivers (as was reported last time) isn't the solution in a democratic society. Mob rule and bully-boy tactics are not the answer. Much better to concentrate their fire on the appalling waste of public money, which is one of the few things this government is really good at. Last week we were told that the anti-truancy measures have cost one thousand million pounds - with no appreciable improvement in the figures! I wonder whether the fuel protestors stopped to think about this? Unfair taxation is certainly a problem, but wasting it in this way is doubly insulting. Surely a national protest rally in London would be more effective? It would certainly gain a lot more support.
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re idling tractors
I am a farmer's son, and my dad always used to tell me that it was bad for a diesel engine to be switched off quickly after a long period of use. If you are doing fieldwork, the engine can be running at high revs (for an agricultural diesel) for hours at a time, and when you stop, you should let it idle for a few minutes. If I was stopping for a cup of tea, I would leave the engine running.
A diesel on tickover will only use a little fuel anyway.
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It was hurting the government last time, Tony Blair was on TV crying and looked aged and haggared, he was 24 hours away from the end, when the security serviced got Brynie Williams to call an end on the idiot lantern (TV) and everyone did as the idiot lantern told them. The BBC showed false news footage with made-up stories using footage filmed before the blockades. It was a wake up call for me.
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Sorry for any typos Im very long sited
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Problem isn't that PETROL is more cheaper in Europe, it isn't on average - normally about 1.4 Euros when I was drivin through most of it last week. However, DIESEL is cheaper - I could have filled up at about 1 Euro per litre. And that's down to Mr Brown ...
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>Tony Blair was on TV crying
I must have missed that bit.
Why do you call it an "idiot lantern" ? Especially since you seem to spend so much time watching it. Or is that why ?
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Just to throw some fuel on the fire, whilst it's still available, I got this in my inbox this morning.........
"See what you think and pass it on if you agree with it. We are hitting 95p a litre in some areas now, soon we will be faced with paying £1 a
ltr.
Philip Hollsworth offered this good idea:
8< SNIP 8<
The usual "boycott BP and Esso" email that's doing the rounds removed. DD
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I read this a while ago and the general consensus was that it wouldn't work.
Even if everyone read their emails, they have to do what they say. Then you're assuming they can be bothered, then you're assuming they have enough petrol to drive pas the BP garages to another one, etc etc.
If you look, it says in some areas we're hitting 95p. We hit 95p weeks ago. We'll be hitting £1.10 soon.
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Adam
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This discussion sounds like a bunch of heroin addicts complaining that The Man treats 'em like his bitch. If you need it you'll pay for it. The Man knows that and he doesn't care.
If demand at Esso/BP drops and it goes up at Texaco, which companies do you think Texaco will get its fuel from. Yep, that's right, Esso and BP, who will sell the fuel anyway but might decide to close down the retail arm, which has suddenly ceased to be profitable. Bitch indeed.
There is only one way to ease this problem: use less fuel.
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I think it is amazing that these blockade idiots have the fuel to burn to get to a blockade and can take the time off from earning a legitimate and worthwhile income to annoy and incovenience US, the people who do not support them anyway, and certainly won't by the weekend, if this nonsense goes ahead.
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It was hurting the government last time, Tony Blair was on TV crying and looked aged and haggared, he was 24 hours away from the end, when the security serviced got Brynie Williams to call an end on the idiot lantern (TV) and everyone did as the idiot lantern told them. The BBC showed false news footage with made-up stories using footage filmed before the blockades. It was a wake up call for me. -- Sorry for any typos Im very long sited
eh????
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One of the many usefull coments that was moderated out was that the goverment should increase the duty on red diesel. It is noticeable on the farms I have worked on that farmers will leave engines idiling for half hours whilst they have a cup of coffe etc. why does agriculture have an exemption and haulage not?
Useful because it was a point you had made?
Sure, let's make the UK farming industry even more expensive. Then we can import more goods as they are produced more cheaply and.... Oh, we have to use more fuel for that.
Not really thought that one through, have you.
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A colleague has just received a call from his wife saying the four fuel stations nearest to her in north Bradford have all sold out of petrol and there are over 40 cars queuing at the nearest supermarket. Looks like Bradfordians are beginning to panic buy.
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I don't think the refineries will be blocakded.
The most damage the Threats are doing is sending people out to the petrol stations to fill up their cars.
Our local radio says the Supermarket Stations have V long queue's.
People are panicking about not being able to get to work - Obviously they have lost the use of their legs and now rely so much on their cars that they have lost all their sense.
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To quote"People are panicking about not being able to get to work - Obviously they have lost the use of their legs and now rely so much on their cars that they have lost all their sense".-Try walking 70 miles a day to work!!!.
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Hows about our hard-done-by and underutilised farmers start using some of their spare time and spare fields to grow vegetable oil so people can run their cars off it? Or is that too obvious?
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Hows about our hard-done-by and underutilised farmers start using some of their spare time and spare fields to grow vegetable oil so people can run their cars off it? Or is that too obvious?
Needs more than just empty fields plus supply of seed.
They'll need a reliable infrastructure for converting and refining and some indication that any tax/subsidy regime will allow them to turn a profit. Not sure that's all in place yet. No point in replacing one uneconomic crop with another.
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Turn a profit? 10p for a bag of spuds to McDonalds or $50 for a barrel of oil? I know what I'd rather be growing. Point taken though... I know it's not the sort of thing they can do overnight.
But perhaps they should be protesting the "let us help the country out by growing biofuels" point, rather than the "reduce our taxes so someone else can make them up" one - it's the sort of thing that's more likely to get the public on their side.
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Interesting development in France
Oil giants BP and Total have agreed to cut French fuel prices after government threats to levy a new tax on oil firms in the face of soaring crude prices.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4231650.stm
One wonders why our government is being as proactive?
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And British Gas also putting up their prices soon by 14%.
Our Home Fuel bills have gone up by about 25% in the last few years too.
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The light came on yesterday so after lunch, I went looking for some petrol.
The light is still on. Every petrol station within 10 miles has queues backing out onto the road and I just don't have the petrol to sit in them.
I'll try again later.
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Adam
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Finally managed to "fill" up.
£12.96 was the limit which has made the needle just hit the quarter full mark.
Looks like I won't be going back to Uni anytime soon!
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Adam
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Now these blockade idiots are blaming "Ministers" for causing panic buying of fuel. What planet are they from and why don't they go back there? I shan't miss them!
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The only idiots I can see are the idiots filling their tanks on every single car and countless jerry cans. I was speaking to one bloke just at the petrol station, he was filling his 5th can and his "other 3 cars" were full to the brim.
Moron.
Let's be honest, if everyone acted as normal, there'd be no problem at all but now, because everyone thinks they're going to die because there cars have less than a full tank, I'm left with a quarter which won't get me to Uni after the first day.
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Adam
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"The only idiots I can see are the idiots filling their tanks on every single car and countless jerry cans. I was speaking to one bloke just at the petrol station, he was filling his 5th can and his "other 3 cars" were full to the brim."
Very odd, I filled up at Sainsbury's on Saturday (as usual, down to quarter full)- no queue. Wife was going to fill up yesterday but drove past (no queue) said she couldn't be bothered and had half a tank ("it'll get me through the week")
Bought my paper at the village filling station this morning, two cars at pumps as usual, and came home past it this evening, one car at the pumps. No sign of panic buying in the village,but then I haven't been near town, it may be different - or maybe E. Midlanders are a bit slow on the uptake!!
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Phil,
I've been to 9 petrol stations today and every single one has had either cars backing out onto the road, no fuel and in 2 cases, the cars were blocking both sides of the road.
There isn't a fuel blockade yet people think there are. They're their own worst enemy.
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Adam
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"They're their own worst enemy."
Agree absolutely - but that's Scousers for you (and I should know I've been married to one for nearly 30 years!!!!)
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Ooooh. I hope Mrs W reads that.
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Adam
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Go to the M4 on Wednesday then! You will see "idiots" in a rolling road-block at 20 mph, trying to prove some point or other!
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Why don't you pick on terrorists and their supporters, or welfare scum instead of ordinary folk trying to scratch a living against all odds.
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Sorry for any typos Im very long sited
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I assume that isn't adressed to me Col.
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Adam
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We live in an "instant" society, great purposes cannot be accomplished quickly. I'm sure people can use food in their freezer, or keep a healthy supply of fuel and miss travelling for just a few days, if not they should geta life.
There are whole estates of people on long-term welfare state benefits who own and drive cars and eat such a rich diet they are obese. If these people's benefits were reduce such that they were motivated to work and get educated, it follows that there would be less congestion and lower taxes on items such as fuel which is too precious for unemplyed people to just 'cruise the streets'.
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Sorry for any typos Im very long sited
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Agree there - How can u afford to run a car on Benefits ??
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The woman next door to me runs two cars, a horse trailer, and is about to buy a horse box on benefits. According to the BBC News there aren't going to be any blockades, so you shouldn't have any trouble getting petrol.
I need to fill up with diesel though prior to going back to Uni, hope things will be OK at the Shell up the road.
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After a great cross country drive that reminded me why I like taking her car so much, I filled the missus's 306 earlier today having joined quite a queue to do so. Matey in front at the pump spent what seemed like an age click-click-click squeeezing a total of twelve litres of fuel in to his Volvo 960. The MR2 lady driver to my right squeezed in nine. The guy in front at the till paid for his five point something litres and admitted to the frustrated checkout girl that since Friday he has been "topping up on every journey" and would be calling back on his way to work tomorrow, earlier than he would normally make the journey, "just in case"!
I might not like Land Cruisers and their ilk in the slightest, but at least the Amazon driver's £90 worth meant I wasn't the only one performing a 'normal' fill.
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Please keep to motoring and away from political or social issues. I'm itchy to use my new delete button again. You have been warned!
Thank you
smokie, BR Moderator
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All the staions round me are empty of diesel and getting low on petrol. This makes me glad that I filled up the jerry cans 100 litres reserve of fuel.
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I'm going to go out for a spin and see what's happening.
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Adam
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I put £5 in this morning cause I was about to run out but I filling up at 94.9 especially as i'm off this week.
Wife has 3/4 - Plenty till the weekend.
Worry is she is preggers and if there's queues everywhere she ain't gonna wait to get petrol.
Desperate though that people are topping up daily, how did people cope before Cars became affordable to the masses ??
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"All the staions round me are empty of diesel and getting low on petrol. This makes me glad that I filled up the jerry cans 100 litres reserve of fuel."
I dont know if I should laugh or weep.
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its a dog eat dog world - each man to himself
Paul
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In this case the dog bit its own leg and wonders why it limps......
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Maybe but I expect your renault has a full tank LOL
Paul
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yes indeed it does. I ran it down, as normal to the warning light over the weekend, and filled it up, as normal with 60 litres.
I have since consumed about two gallons today, but have I topped it up? No,
Have I stashed 100 litres away? No.
Did you know that if 50% of the driving population stashed away 100 litres of fuel over the weekend, the country would run dry?
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its a dog eat dog world - each man to himself Paul
Hmm... But if it wasn't for people panic filling like this, there wouldn't even BE a shortage.
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Hi all,
Just been out in a queue for 40 minutes after driving past 3 deserted stations.
I was peering over the dash to see if I could see any petrol only cars so I could make good my path to the pump.
A lot of horn beeping by everyone but I managed to negotiate my way to the front pump and there was unleaded!
However, as I was squeezing, it didn't feel like anything was coming out. The dial was moving but a lot slower than it normally does. Was this just because of the demand on the tanks or was I getting crap through the nozzle?
(No limit on the pumps there - given one of the same road was closed, I'm led to believe they had a delivery recently.
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Adam
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Its pretty crazy here in North Cheshire
Filled up on Saturday at Sainsburys with diesel, just a regular visit to the petrol station.
Went to collect Mrs Mark from work and there was a 700m queue to get into Asda with Asda staff marshalling the traffic into those for fuel and those there for food.
Round the corner 300m queue to get into the Shell station.
Picked the son up from basketball tonight and at 9.45pm a 400m queue to get in the local BP station. I could see that most of the forecourt pumps were bagged and some on the forecourt were filling containers as I drove past.
Crazy, there will be shortages at this rate.
as always
Mark
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What Idiot would phone 999 ?
Motorists are being urged not to panic-buy ahead of planned fuel tax protests, as queues of up to an hour are reported at some petrol stations.
The Fuel Lobby's Andrew Spence said no oil refinery blockades were planned so there was no need to stock up.
Some petrol stations have reportedly "run dry", while others are employing extra staff to cope with the demand.
Merseyside Police have asked people not to ring 999 to ask where to buy fuel after phone lines became strainedAnd there are reports of lines of motorists topping up their tanks in Kent, Lincolnshire, Manchester and long queues at station forecourts in east London.
Last week the government reportedly discussed plans to deal with a threat to fuel supplies - including the possibility of petrol rationing.
A Department of Trade and Industry document details possible measures including purchase limits, restricted opening hours, and moves to discourage motorists from frequently topping up their fuel tanks.
Mr Spence told BBC News it was this talk of rationing that had prompted motorists to stock up.
Smaller scale?
"There will be no blockades so, please, there is no need to panic-buy."
He also urged Chancellor Gordon Brown to cut tax immediately.
Mr Spence said peaceful protests planned for Wednesday were an act of desperation from haulage and farming industries facing collapse.
They would also be supported by French, Spanish and American truckers, he said.
Petrol Retailers Association director Ray Holloway said there had been a day of increased sales and urged the government to set a pre-emptive "minimum fuel purchase"
That would prevent drivers with nearly-full tanks needlessly queuing, as many did during the fuel protests in 2000, he said.
He also warned motorists to behave responsibly: "I really do appeal to people to actually just buy fuel when they need it.
"If people really do buy in the normal way, fuel will be available on the forecourts."
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To be honest I'd pay almost anything to be able to drive my own car with the music of my choice and the temperature I prefer than sit on a smelly commuter train with (shriek) other people.
A long trip from yorkshire to wales on a train with no option of a first class upgrade soon changes yer mind.
£5 a litre no problem - I recharge it to the client anyway...
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