Crap [UK] Fuel Strike inc?

[Zenith.UK]

I've been putting off going to a petrol station for a couple of days, so I had to go fill up today.
Queues all through the forecourt, up the road, attendants directing traffic, people getting annoyed, drivers rushing down the side to what they think is a clear pump, only to find it's been closed off because that tank has been drained.
It was chaos!

I think I was the only one staying calm because I wasn't panic buying. I was just doing what I'd normally do. I do however need a full tank for the 400mile trip I'm taking at the weekend.

 

[Gray]

I'm confused about all this petrol strike stuff, not the actual events unfolding but more people purchasing and waiting ages in queues. Surely that must waste quite a sum of fuel waiting around moving bit by bit to the fuelpump?

The way i imagine it is people turning their engine off and pushing their car, oh what a view that would be.

I've felt lucky that i've never experienced the long queues, back during the last one my dad when he was alive was a truck driver so he seemed to get his fuel for us that way, no questions asked!

 

[old.user4556]

A lot of modern cars have auto stop / start engines.

 

[Lamp]

Filled up in Bethnal Green today. No problems. Drove over to see my parents: the garage near them was full of panic buyers. Good job my motorbike can run on sperm

 

[Moriath]

Lots of sheep queueing at the local supermarket petrol station today heh

I laughed and made sheep noises at them on the way past

 

[Edmond]

Just came past the BP on my way home, they were queued 5 to a pump

 

[Tom]

I drove straight past the queues today, straight up to the empty LPG pump. Filled up and left in less than five minutes. Some of the other motorists' faces were hilarious

 

[old.user4556]

Some of the other motorists' faces were hilarious

Yeah, sure, nothing to do with it being a big golden Lexus .

 

[Ch3tan]

I'm down to a 100 miles, and am working solid over the next 5 days, the queues for all the pumps are insane. I have no intention of panic buying, I will fill up at 50 miles like I always do.

For what it is worth, I don't disagree with the tanker drivers threatening a strike. The companies they work for earn far too much of us already, there is no reason they cannot compensate their employees with good terms.

 

[TdC]

Diesel is currently 145.9p/l at my local Tesco.

yeah, that's about normal NL prices right there. sympathy....denied!

 

[Ch3tan]

Also... petrol has jumped around 2p in south London over night, shocking.... and all because of panic buying muppets.

 

[Raven]

I'm down to a 100 miles, and am working solid over the next 5 days, the queues for all the pumps are insane. I have no intention of panic buying, I will fill up at 50 miles like I always do.

For what it is worth, I don't disagree with the tanker drivers threatening a strike. The companies they work for earn far too much of us already, there is no reason they cannot compensate their employees with good terms.

Well actually, despite the petrol companies being evil bastards they are a business and will only pay what they need to staff. A normal HGV driver earns very little where as a petrol tanker driver earns a very nice wage.

Frankly, they should fire them all and spend a couple of days training normal HGV drivers to replace them, doubling their wages in the process.

The skill set of a normal HGV driver is not a great deal less than a tanker driver yet there is a 10-20k difference in wage.

 

[Ch3tan]

Its not about wages though.

 

[Deebs]

£71 to fill the tank.

That'll do 610 miles according to the trip computer.

£92 to fill my car and I get around 400 miles from that...

 

[Raven]

Its not about wages though.

What's it about then?

Hours? Most of our guys are out the house 16 hours a day, spend a few nights sleeping in their cab. Live off service stations meals etc. They are probably on little more than 15k. Driving from one end of the country to the other. Pensions...don't exist.

 

[Raven]

£92 to fill my car and I get around 400 miles from that...

eek.

£50 to fill ours and it does 350-400 miles.

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Mine should do more MPG but I like driving so there's no chance it comes out at what it should do. But then you're supposed to be a bit more pedal and rev happy in old Japanese hatchbacks

 

[Moriath]

if its not over money then what they got a lot better conditions that a lot of other people ... if they dont like what they doing im sure theres a lot of other people who would like 45k a year ... quit find another job and let someone else do what you dont like

 

[soze]

£60 to fill mine and I will get 330 - 350 miles. I have been tracking on fuely and my 1.6 Zetec Focus get 34mpg which is a piss take, really considering a little diesel euro box with the 70mpg combined type numbers.

 

[Tom]

Yeah, sure, nothing to do with it being a big golden Lexus .

What's that, I can't hear you over the sound of my leather armchair and silent V8.

 

[Ch3tan]

You keep saying its a big v8, but what is the point of that v8 when you aren't powering it properly? Surely the LPG doesn't give you the same performance as petrol?

 

[Tom]

You keep saying its a big v8, but what is the point of that v8 when you aren't powering it properly? Surely the LPG doesn't give you the same performance as petrol?

Nope, there's no difference. Except for lower co2 emissions, less pollutants, a cleaner engine, and of course a much heavier wallet.

 

[Moriath]

apart from the conversion costs you have to make back

 

[Tom]

Which I already have. Nobody wants to buy big-engined cars. More fool them.

 

[old.Tohtori]

Nope, there's no difference. Except for lower co2 emissions, less pollutants, a cleaner engine, and of course a much heavier wallet.

Hippie

 

[Scouse]

Hours? Most of our guys are out the house 16 hours a day, spend a few nights sleeping in their cab. Live off service stations meals etc. They are probably on little more than 15k. Driving from one end of the country to the other. Pensions...don't exist.

Yeah! Fuel tanker drivers should be forced to live at the poverty line too!

Fuck everyone eh?! Some people earn less than other people so we should drive everyone's wages down until they cry and have to work miles away from their families. Nobody should ever get a good wage and as for witholding their labour - CUNTS! How dare they stand up for themselves.

Shareholders have feelings too you know. How the fuck are you supposed to buy a 250 million pound yacht with two helipads and a side launching submersible if your employees earn enough to live a comfortable family life?

Remember. Strikers are scum. The rich need income protection.

Filled up in Bethnal Green today. No problems. Drove over to see my parents: the garage near them was full of panic buyers. Good job my motorbike can run on sperm

Monkey spunk moped? Perhaps you should get a scooter that runs on Leopards Fanny Batter?

 

[Raven]

Err not quite. Nobody will pay more than they need to for a commodity, in this case that commodity is labour. Why would anyone pay someone 20k more than someone doing exactly the same job (ie sitting in a truck)

Or how about we give everyone in the country 50k a year, regardless of their skills. Just to be fair like.

 

[Scouse]

£71 to fill the tank.

That'll do 610 miles according to the trip computer.

Wow. What you driving G?

Costs me about £60. For that I get ~330 miles, regardless of whether I'm doing 80 or 110

 

[Scouse]

Err not quite. Nobody will pay more than they need to for a commodity, in this case that commodity is labour. Why would anyone pay someone 20k more than someone doing exactly the same job (ie sitting in a truck)

Or how about we give everyone in the country 50k a year, regardless of their skills. Just to be fair like.

Never said that. Your post was an attempt to justify them being fucked over. You were saying "I don't care if their terms and conditions are being changed and they shouldn't strike - LOOK - we pay people fuck all! - so why should they get loads?"

You can always point at someone and say "look - they get paid loads less, you lot should be happy and take what you're given". Which is the attitude of someone who just doesn't give a shit about other people, tbfh.

£40k doesn't make you a millionaire you know. If I regularly had to stay away from home and sleep in a cab I'd want a decent salary so I didn't feel like I was being raped. Your guys are being raped:

Most of our guys are out the house 16 hours a day, spend a few nights sleeping in their cab. Live off service stations meals etc. They are probably on little more than 15k. Driving from one end of the country to the other. Pensions...don't exist.

16 hours a day, away from home sleeping in a cab, live off service station meals? For 15k?!!. You should feel horror for them - not anger towards people who get paid a reasonable wage.

Your guys are slaves on slave wages.

 

[Raven]

That they are.

However, if all truck drivers were on 40k the price of everything in the shops would sky rocket.