What was a fairly minor fuel shortage sparked when gas tanker drivers in the UK threatened to go on strike has developed into what UK officials are now calling all out chaos, as drivers across the country scramble to fill their tanks amid uncertainty about when transportation services will be up and running at full capacity again.
In what may be a glimpse into the future of other industrialized Western nations that are experiencing rising gas prices and labor problems, residents of the UK were queued in hours-long lines reminiscent of the 1970’s oil crisis in the United States. The lines of drivers waiting to get their daily allotment of gas are so long that they have led police to shut down gas stations in an effort to ease traffic and avoid delays.
For their part, government officials have asked drivers to remain calm, but may have inadvertently worsened the situation when Energy Secretary Ed Davey suggested that drivers concerned with running out of gas should be “topping up when their tanks go below, say, half-full… they should actually go the full hog and fill up when they can.”
Though the intention was to calm drivers, the government’s official recommendations and actions have had the opposite effect, putting further strain on available gas supplies by prompting drivers to queue up lines in what can only be described as panic buying.
The fuel panic crisis descended into further chaos today after a police force ordered petrol stations to close because of the huge traffic jams the shortages were causing.
Dorset police ordered a temporary shutdown after dozens of stations ran dry and motorists formed long queues outside those still selling fuel, which they said were dangerous to other drivers.
There are now fears that other forces may follow suit. Petrol stations in Cambridge have already started rationing by limiting customers to £10 worth of petrol or diesel.
The chaos followed the incredible farce of ministers issuing a series of conflicting messages to motorists on how to prepare for a national strike by tanker drivers.
…
Hundreds of petrol stations across the country have been forced to close thanks to panicking drivers flooding forecourts, the AA told Mail Online.
Other motoring organisations and filling station bodies have been reluctant to provide an exact number of closures – possibly over fears that precise details could exacerbate the situation.
…
Among signs that there could be worse to come, Halfords today reported that there has been a a 467 per cent rise in demand for jerry cans since Mr Maude’s ill-fated comments yesterday.
…
Sales of petrol and diesel increased dramatically yesterday as motorists flocked to garages to fill up.
Fuel rationing returned to forecourts last night as the Army was put at the centre of plans to minimise disruption caused by the looming industrial action.
The Labour leader said: ‘The Prime Minister is presiding over a shambles on petrol.
‘In a delicate situation which demanded statesmanship, the Government showed partisanship. They made a crude decision to play politics with petrol without regard for the consequence.’
…
‘We now have self-inflicted shortages due to poor advice about topping up the tank and hoarding in jerry cans. This in turn has led to localised shortages, queues and some profiteering at the pumps.’
Source: Daily Mail via What Really Happened
RT Reports:
This is What You Get When the Government Says Don’t Panic (Personal Video Blog):
In the following video it looks like a gas station had opened up some of its pumps, leading to queued up lines within minutes once drivers realized the pumps were open and gas may be available.
To be clear, the UK has not run out of gas. The shortages have been caused because gas transportation drivers have gone on strike, interrupting the just-in-time delivery of a key resource. The mass hysteria perpetuated by the government and media has led to panic by residents who likely don’t know what to believe. They see thousands of their fellow citizens lining up, their government is telling them to get more gas, and so in traditional lemming-like fashion they join the queues and add further strain to an already over-extended system.
The problems in the UK are probably short-term and should be resolved within a few weeks, but the behavior of the media, government and the masses highlights the dangers posed when we become dependent on an infrastructure that can be brought to it’s knees for a variety of reasons.
In the United States, with the signing of President Obama’s latest Executive Order, which takes control of all resources in the United States including the workforce, there is a strong possibility that any nationwide strike that threatens the regular flow of commerce could prompt the President to declare a national emergency and force drivers back to work under what amounts to a martial law scenario. These powers of the President would be most useful in events such as a US dollar currency crisis, which would lead to problems with worker compensation, and as such, could lead workers in essential industries like food and gas transportation, utility maintenance, and emergency services to simply decide to stay home.
Of course, the government can’t control everything. Even if delivery drivers were forced to make their scheduled routes, payment for gas during a currency crisis or during a middle east conflict where prices for gas spike potentially into the teens per gallon could become impossible for the average person. As well, the US government itself may lose credit status with our suppliers of key commodities that include, among other things, oil and food.
Such events could play out literally overnight once catalyzed. While our system, like the UK, could survive such a shock for a week or two, it would only be a matter of time before the entire financial, economic and social structures in which we live fell apart.
The UK provides us a subdued microcosm example of what true chaos and panic would look like during an extended crisis.
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Reminds me of the 70’s. Odds and evens.
What a pain that was.
Also, keep in mind SOME gas stations were giving discounts if you payed with pre-64 coinage.
On the positive side, think of the potential for fart humor while waiting in the “gas lines”.
The Department of Homeland Security just purchased 450 million rounds of hollow-point ammunition
“What in the world is DHS going to do with 450 million rounds?”
(www.thedailycrux.com/Article/39929/Government_Outrage)
I have a pretty good idea what I will do with it when I take it off their dead carcasses. With any luck it will come with a weapon as well.
Yea, KY Mom. They will use the ammo to keep the explosion of the vulture population in check. With mass carnage lying around everywhere, the devourers will go wild. A 40 cal. hollow point will disintegrate a big stinking vulture. They save on fuel and manpower while the dirty birds do the dirty work for the dirty bunch in power. Just sayin’
Moon, that is EXCACTLY why I didn’t even buy any 40 S&W stuff. No guns, no boolits. I figure the scavenging of that stuff will be good enough. Why waste my hard earned $s on it?
Did you get gas today?
No, but I sh*t my pants. (thought it was gas)
Joe…Yep.Gas every other day by your plates. But $2.00 of gas and I could run around all night in my ChevyII.
that was a fast fixer up muscle car. they were popular in the early 80s I remember and im 38 now.
BTW (which by the way) means ‘by the way’
FYI (which by the way) means ‘for your information’…
YOU WERE FIRST JOE!
(Don’t you just get all excited knowing that?
Not really QB….
I had a 69 mach one with a 428. $5 got me a half tank but wouldnt get me very far. 😀
Drove a 64 VW. Kept tank and storage cans full at home. My buddies that drove the shackeled-up Fairlanes and GTOs came by often to top off their hotrods. We had fun, even in tuff times.
Hiya
Actually nobody is on strike at all. This is a major manipulation by the government. The tanker drivers have voted to take strike action but have not announced when, and the unions have advised they will give at lease 3 days notice.
This is about the economy contracting in Q4 2011 and the government needing revenue to make sure we do not show a contraction in Q1 2012, there definition is two consecutive contractions =recession.
When government ministers go public telling people to do it now, right now, and fill up spare cans etc you know it is a set up.
The vast majority of petrol and diesel cost is tax, takings are up 81% at noon today, lots of extra tax for the government.
Makes me sick
Take care
I was hoping you’d chime in on this right away, Burt. So if I understand you correctly, this is just a government money grab?
Well in my opinion Daisy, but I could be wrong.
Back in the seventies Thatcher did something similar to the miners, announced well in advance that they were to strike, everyone got as much coal as they could miners went on strike but it took them an extended amount of time to bring pressure to bear on a very well stocked public.
Whether it is that or aimed at increasing revenue who knows…all I know is that if it looks like a duck, waddles like a duck and quacks like a duck….well it usually is a duck.
The government did this quite deliberately, it has been chaos for the last two days, road accidents due to standing traffic on fast moving roads, fights, arguments, you name it, the sheeple are playing right into the governments hands, bloody idiots, talk about cutting your nose off to spite your face. All this will give the government carte Blanche to crackdown on anything and everything they choose, selling it as restoring order. What a crock of shit
Take care
Burt: This allows the goverment to get ahead of the strikers by creating an artificial shortage when people begin hoarding out of fear. This then makes the would-be strikers the focus of everyones’ anger before the strike has even begun. The public is so stupid that they create the shortage feared and then blame the workers who have only threatened to strike. In the past, when labor actually went on strike, the average citizen supported the strikers primarily to get it over with, but also because they too were workers like the strikers. But now, governments have wised-up and are pitting the public against the workers and while they sit back and laugh. They have turned the tables on the strikers by “striking” first and creating a panic. Machiavelli would be proud.
Burt – Margaret thatcher took office in 79… The miners’ strike was mid-80s… Good points, though…
Thank you Birt.
The unions haven’t actually decided to strike at all yet. They’ve just said that unless their valid safety concerns are looked at seriously then they MAY excercise their legal right to strike.
The Government have taken this as an opportunity for a whole lot of petty political point scoring that has backfired on the politicians. Details emerged in msm interviews like the PM not knowing the legal limits for fuel storage at home (he upset the firefighters) have turned the whole episode into a farce.
At over 80% tax on fuel here in the UK you have to wonder if some debt bond is coming due for the UK and this is the way to make the payment. Or if something else is coming along the pipeline and this is a last grab by some powerful individuals to fill their own back pockets while they still can.
The sad thing is that following last summer’s riots no lessons were learned and now if/when there is a genuine civil emergency the public will not heed the warning siren.
It’s one of those situations where the level of incompetence displayed by politicians is so vast, that one is left thinking “noone is truly this stupid – it must be by deliberate design”.
Oh yes lone, you and I use the same song sheet, I assume I can call you lone lol? I am Carol…burt is a disguise, pleased to meet you
Take care
You are spot on Burt. I hope more people read your comments….
What’s worse is the bloody steeple fall for it…if they had any brain cells at all they would always have an almost full tank….grrrr
I appreciate your sentiment, but in the span of a few years I’ve had two cars totaled on the highways around here, both not my fault. (Dallas/FTW) Lost over 20 gallons I paid for each time. Sorry, not doing it again at these prices. I’ll never fill my car more than 1/4 again. That’s why I have cans in the garage just in case this crap happens here.
Fair enough, I get that, but I have no garage, my store is the tank on the car.
Is that island that big?
No, the tanks are that small. Then there is the engine idling while sitting in traffic. Think linear parking lots. Just saying…..
Wilson
Linear parking lots…you’ve attempted to travel the M25 then lol, or the M40, M42 et al.
Some days it feels like the entire country is a car park
You are not big on geography are you lol?
Average tank size 12 gallons
Not here, a 16 and 20 for me–not sure about dh.
We need to make our cars run on human waste.. Because everyone is full of shit these days!!
Brilliant idea…thumbs up. If you throw in hot air, half of the British cabinet could power every car on the planet for a decade
Yea Brit, then Obummer and his administration could take over for the next millenuim.
Brillant Idea. If we only used all the Politian in the world’s Poo, for fueling cars and trucks, we could push future petroleum production out a thousand years beyond present stocks!!!!
Only problem I see is, the US would have to send plumbers to the Straights of Hormuz instead of Aircraft Carriers just in case the Politians in the Middle East started sending their Poo through the straights instead of oil. The Straights of Hormuz, is a major choke point even without the threat of Iran blocking it. So, all that poo going thru …….? …….. Ya gonna need plumbers to keep the flow going. Don’t want it getting blocked and end up smelling like Washington DC and Number 10 Downing Street!!!
roto rotor for president … lol sounds better than our current choices
Wow, the only thing in my paper, and on my tv is about the british people up in arms about a tax on a pastry. Anyone knows what sean payton from the saints thinks about this? I will e-mail the hosts of american idol and get to the bottom of this story.
Camerloony has decided that if you buy a hot take out Cornish pasty you have to pay extra tax on it…if its cold you don’t. The man is a basket case I tell you. The mass produced muck he is talking about should see the vendors paying people to take them..Jesus it’s so inane it’s unreal
Take care
That’s standard in the US, “prepared” food (hot) is taxed, the same food not warmed up in a microwave isn’t taxed.
But it gets better: “Red” or more “conservative” states tend to have much higher sales taxes AND tax food hot or cold. And example is Arizona, where, depending on what county you’re in, the sales tax is 10%-12%. And all food is taxed. The other extreme I have experience with is Hawaii, 4% tax, and food other than “prepared” food is not taxed.
And, “prepared” food can’t be bought with Food Stamps. So you’re shivering in a tent and want to buy a hot bowl of soup? Tough! This is one of the reasons homeless people often beg, in fact – if they have Food Stamps, hard to get without a home address, they still can’t buy vitamins, hot food, socks, a bunch of things. Yes, among “a bunch of things” are of course drugs and alcohol, but they don’t tend to consume more of these things than the average housed member of the working poor.
I think the idea behind the whole thing is, if you cook your food at home (and have a home to cook it in) you’re hardworking and Godly, while if you have others prepare your food for you, you are sinful and should be punished for your immorality. Food in high-priced restaurants is taxed also of course, but this differentiation between the Godly, who have a house and car and 2.5 kids, and the unGodly, who are the working poor and the homeless, hits those on the bottom end of the economic scale the most.
Burt, you Brits should be proud to be following in the US’s footsteps!
Fair enough lol.
BUT…over here, if you do drugs and alcohol, claim every benefit going etc you get given social housing and even more help.
If we had a cut off time for benefits as you do things may change. Don’t get me wrong, the system caught me when I fell, and I was and am very grateful for it, but it should be a safety net not a lifestyle choice.
As I have said before I am worse off by about £28 per week working for a living…but none of this sorts out the pasty problem does it lol?
Take care
Burt – there are a HUGE amount of homeless people in the US who don’t look homeless. They don’t look homeless because it’s very bad to look homeless in the US, particularly when you actually *are* homeless.
Looking homeless will make people exclude you from restaurants and coffee shops, most stores, will get things thrown at you or worse, high school kids will pour gas on you and light you when you sleep, etc.
Thus, the “apparent” homeless are a tiny portion of the whole, the ones who just can’t keep up appearances any more. They’ve given up.
For every one of them, there are another 9 who are as often as not working a job, and if not they’re looking for one, doing odd jobs, etc. They really are decent people. And they pay much more of these extra taxes than people considered much less “sinful”, because they have houses. It’s a lot cheaper to buy a McDonald’s McDouble for 99c plus tax, than try to cook something up using a “hobo stove” on the sidewalk or in an alley.
For most of these people, Food Stamps and the job centers are a lifeline. The job centers can’t help much these days, but they’re a real ray of sunshine, and allow computer access.
I’d rather see some of our 700-odd military bases done away with than what safety net we have taken away from these “sinful, immoral” people. So what if 10% of ’em devote their lives to vodka? Speaking as a vet, a good 10% of our military personnel are fuckoffs too.
You say your safety net helped you – keep in mind there’s one guy out there who’s the real-life “8 Ace” out of the Viz comic, and another 9 who are just like you.
There is a silver lining for people who’s Governments tax everyone on every conceivabe level and deminish the rights and movements of its citizens. Historically the people tend to rise up like they did for the American and French Revolutions and remove those who force rule upon them.
Take people’s rights away, restrict their movements and deny them choices while taxing them into the ground and you have a tinder box just waiting for that first spark.
Nothing is forever. People may be struggling to find work, find food and put shelter over their heads and make ends meet or even to just survive and stay alive. But, at the end of the day it’s “ordinary people” who’ll win in the end. In 100 years time, what’s happening to us today, will be looked upon by “ordinary people” in 2112 as a time of misery bought about by selfish, greedy industrialist and their Political lap dogs.
I’d like to think that those in power today, will be remembered with as much distain as Caligular, Vlad the Impaler and Adolph Hitler are now. Legacies I’m sure, that their desendants will wear with much shame.
Even the Roman Empire, as mighty as it was, came to an end.
The comments in our household on the pasty tax have been hilarious – my Mum’s Cornish & the country bumpkin brigade are NOT impressed by the Camerloon’s antics.
If he messes with our clotted cream I think there will be a sicilian style pitchfork rebellion led by old dears.
I actually went and found the Guardian article about this, and it’s odd to an American like me. We have “prepared” foods taxed over here (and in some states ALL foods taxed) and no one blinks. But over there, it seems that *some* prepared foods are taxed and some are not? And the law is an attempt to actually be a bit more even-handed about the whole thing.
More taxes = more black markets, so you should welcome this.
Domestic Terrorist
I am sorry if I have caused offence…that was not my intention. It is so sad, the situation you describe, and of course the net should not be removed in your country or mine.
My point was that over here, and I refer only to the UK not the US unemployment and milking the system has become a way of life for many, many people. We have generational unemployment where children have never known an adult in their entire family to have a job, ever. You hear people in the playground telling others how to get non-repayable grants from the government, how to get more benefit by claiming to be bipolar….and how to do that without attracting the attention of social workers.
I am talking about “poor” people who have £500 phones, i pads, x-boxes are dripping in gold jewellery, pay no rent, no tax, and have never worked and never intend to work. Some spend more on cocaine in a week than I spend on food and utility bills in a month, it is wrong and it is unfair.
Again, no offence meant.
Take care
Anybody else notice red plastic gas containers have tripled in price in less than three years ?
And the new spill proof spouts on the new containers suck. Glad I stocked up when 5 gallon containers were still $5. You could probably get a piece of clear plastic hose from NAPA for the new containers. Did I mention the new spill proof spouts on the new containers suck ?
Red gas-o-leen can,
I fill you up,
Let’s buy some gas nowwww
Let’s buy some gas nowwww
🙂
Gear Up & Good Luck
The new gas cans seem designed to spill gas all over, and to not let you get that lat 1/3-can of gas out, so the 1/3-full can sits in your car, filling it with fumes.
What you do is, unscrew the whole lid, and use a plastic bottle from soda, water, etc., with the bottom cut off as a funnel.
Right on man! Ive noticed this too…being on a farm I pour gasoline alot into machines and I have a couple of these new fangled govt retard cans that leak and wont work…I end up using an old funnel…never spilled so much gas as I have using those pieces of crap….I have some good ole jerry cans from my Army/Navy store days(cant buy them here anymore…banned)theyre indestructable and I dont spill gasoline(money) on the ground!
yes i have noticed that too. see if you can pick some up at garage sales. obama is a POS btw. when he is on TV is a lie and it drives me nuts seeing his snicker lickin butt
I agree Eric, seems these sheeple would believe snow is green if he told them it was. Makes me sick!
I’ll say it with you Wheedle. The new gas can spouts
SUCK ASS BIG TIME!!!!
Hey Manos, what do you think of this blog quote from Doug Casey: “L: And yet, the interventions seem to be working. The “orderly default” in Greece seems to have saved the Eurozone for now, and critically important employment figures in the US show definite signs of improvement.
Doug: Perhaps, but let’s take a closer look. I advocate the Greek government defaulting, overtly and immediately, on 100% of its debt, for several reasons. First, it would punish those who lent it money to do all the stupid and destructive things it’s done. Second, it would ensure that the Greek government wouldn’t be able to borrow again for a very long time. Third, it would liberate young and yet unborn Greeks, who are being turned into serfs by all that debt. It would also mean that most European banks would fail. Tough luck for those who relied on them. When new banks are established, it will serve as a lesson to people to be more careful about where they put their capital.”
He basically says the same thing about the USA. He further states if everyone had faced the music in 2008, it would have been awful, but it would have been over quickly and we all would be well on the road to recovery. Postponing the “inevitable” will only make it worse for everyone.
Can I call you Spidey?
This is why I advocate as many people as possible saying, effectively, “I quit” to the bankers. Walk out on their houses, take the copper pipes etc with ’em so it costs the banksters a pretty penny to make the house liveable again, withdraw from the bankster-run economy as much as possible. Buy a used car, cash,
I think the new dance is called the “shrug”.
Still think trucks rolling doesn’t matter?
Imagine the run on grocery stores when those trucks stop rolling.
Mike this is what we prep for.
There’s a story online, “The day the dollar died” and central to it is, how everything stops when the trucks stop.
My thoughts exactly Mike, stuff spending all that time queuing for juice…they should be making sure they have enough in to feed their families if they really believe there are going to be major problems.
Hey, that’s have I can avoid queuing…announce that Tescos are running out of food because they can’t fill the delivery trucks with fuel, as well as shortening the queue when they all bugger off to the supermarket it might make a few of them wake up and start thinking.
Thanks Mike
Take care
I took a small amount of cash out of the ATM today Birt to keep at home.
Pantry stores are cool – no need for a trip to the supermarket any time soon.
My response to the UK “fuel crisis”.
Snap…six months supplies and rising lol.
I have actually just started a new bank…bank of dog.
Tupperware container under the floorboards, carpet on the floorboards, dog bed on the carpet and very large dog on the dog bed…works for me
We were working in south Louisiana a few years ago when we had to evacuate for a hurricane. We went to Alexandria, La. to ride the storm out (CAT. 2) and stayed the week. The problems we ran into during that week was run on gas, naturally. Some stations of course ran out. The power was off to part of the town, so some stores were closed for a few days. But simple things like bread, water, batteries, canned food, were sold out. Now, that was a minor situation in a small area. Being as we travel for a living we pretty much are self-sufficient. And we usually stock up every week any way on our food/supplies.
But I can not imagine what that would be like on a larger scale, nation wide. I just hope we are not near a city, that’s for sure. At least we have the ability to move at our leisure when the traffic allows us. DO NOT WAIT to leave, been there, done that. Big mistake that won’t happen again.
JIT delivery for food was a brilliant idea!!
peter parker
Last week I was on a business trip to Germany, the country which is called the strong man in Europe. I had an interesting conversation with an CEO of a middle sized company that produces machine parts. Different to most media he saw Greece as the first victim of a large raid by banks.
He was very concerned about the future in his country. He said German, European and US banks where going berserk in Germany at the moment targeting good working companies, drawing out all money and making them close down and leave the rest to the Chinese. Typically the same banks would not give any credits to promising projects due to Basel 2 (banks have to have more capital of their own then earlier), they say. He said, that he feared that the biggest of all bubbles would develop in Germany and if that bubble would burst, the lights would go out in Europe.
Greece and Ireland, he said, might only be the beginning.
I am not sure if this is just a single opinion, but I wouldn`t be surprised if his conclusions turn out to be right.
Vikng
Sadly you’ve just confirmed all my worst suspicions re Europe. My contacts in Romania and Hungary have been voicing similar thoughts re Germany recently.
Worth 100’s of thumbs up that post.
The same thing is going on here in the USA. If your a small business you better have pristine credit or you get no loan even if you have been doing business for years. The smaller guys cannot line the politicians pockets so they get screwed.
When the media tells me how great my country is doing all I have to do these days is drive down Main Street and look at all the boarded up business windows to know better.
Look at the bailouts they never made it down tosmall business, much less the people. But the people are o nthe hook for the money. TBTF is the new way of the USA and everyone else can just suck it up. We are indeed on sad times. All this liquidity injected into both the EU and the USA markets is not being lent to the people.
Banks are parking it drawing interest from the Fed and the ESFS so why lend it. They are getting free money fr crying out loud! We are all on the titanic and it is slowly sinking and the people will be the ones that get killed.
Comming to AMERIKA gas stations soon thanks to Bozo the illegal tellapromter president
Burt,
Take good care. I filled up yesterday and it was the first time in my life I spent $50 for gas here in South Carolina.
I’m oiling the chain on my bike tomorrow and parking my SUV. I did more than laugh when BO talked about gas guzzling SUVs. As he jets around the world in his economical jet, yeh right!
Y’all Beware!
I filled up just before the madness started, £49.80 for half a tank…6 gallons. Today, prices up £0.30 a gallon if the next nearest petrol station has run dry.
Wasn’t this once regarded as profiteering? Oh I forgot, they need a tax boost so they can say all is okay with the economy…..bailout by unleaded lol
Take care Y’all
If you can ride your bike most places, how come you haven’t already parked your SUV for most purposes?
If your bike has a derailleuir (the gear shifter thing) try oiling all those little pivot points on that, too. My chain was getting noisy (couldn’t find a non-noisy gear) and I thought I might have to have a shop adjust it, but first I oiled all those little places and it works great again.
I brought a bike a few weeks back, the physio said it would help keep the old joints moving.
Riding is not too bad, starting and stopping I have issues with.
It’s the going over the handle bars and landing on your head that is the tough part. Get the older style low rider bikes with multiple gears. Much safer and more fun to ride compared to the high center of gravity road racer type.
Why does this surprise anyone. Did you think the availability of gas would increase after sanctions on Iran?
Didn’t surprise me.
The riots last summer and the brixton riots in 1981 utilised petrol bombs here in the UK.
The political establishment hasn’t tackled the issues that to last summer’s riots.
The importance of petrol bombs has to be considered in relation to our stringent Gun laws here in the UK and our unarmed population.
Just my ramblings after Birt sent me on a trip down memory lane.
‘hia lone, how goes it?
Where are you in the Uk? I am Birmingham but moving south when….if, I can ever sell the house.
London but trying to get to South Wales. (need to sell my current home)
The Welsh got screwed over by Thatcher, learned harsh lessons from that & so many now have what I consider to be a sensible frame of mind (Just avoid the rhonnda valley lost all hope ex-mining towns).
I spend a fair bit of time in Croydon…the soon to be ex lives there and our child goes to visit
Avoid relocating to Croydon borough whatever you do. Luna House (immigration centre), abysmal education standards and other factors mean I’d rather take my chances somehere like Handsworth than Croydon if shtf.
Bromley the borough next door has some decent affordable locations and educational standards (inc state Grammaer schools) if you have kids are light years above those in Croydon.
*Back on topic in other UK news -*
the UK budget was a bust with the public, house prices have started to fall again, The OECD has just formally announced UK is in double dip recession, teachers have just walked out, doctors are about to strike, record numbers of Uni drop outs………
This whole fuel thing is to distract the Sheeple – sad thing is that it’s working
There is a three pronged disaster facing us in using energy from oil, i.e. (1)declining production, (2)steadily increasing cost of what oil in produced, and (3)declining quality of what oil is produced.
What is happening as described in this article in reaction to a man made event will happen worldwide in reaction to the nature made triad of events mentioned above. And what will follow that will be much worse as the industrial output upon which we depend for survival contracts relentlessly for most of this century. The death rate can only increase exponentially.
This reminded me of the time back in the 1970s when Johnny Carson made a joke saying that next we were going to have a toilet paper shortage. Many stores were ‘wiped out’ the next day.
I had never heard of that! Great info Archivist, and quite amusing. Thanks.
Next, the Great Hoodie Shortage of 2012?
One can only hope…
This is why part of your preps should include fuel efficient transportation. An old Geo Metro gets 40-60 mpg ( depending on how it is driven) from a 10 gallon tank and most people would take a few weeks to use all of it. Extrapolated out, a full tank and 2 5 gallon Jerry cans gets you 1200 miles. If buying a new car, consider the Prius C. For $19k it gets 53 mpg in the city. (I happen to think it is the cheapest new car to run when all costs are considered.) You could also consider putting aside a used 49cc scooter or moped. Those get 100+ MPG. Remember that a financial collapse may well look like a bad time grinding along-until it doesn’t. You may need the fuel economy to get away from the cities or suburbs when it all goes south. At the very least having a fuel efficient vehicle in your fleet allows you to spend less money on gas and more on preps.
Also consider the current geopolitical climate and the effect it might have on oil prices and supplies. There are a number of bad things coming in the next few months that may well lead to fuel rationing or a dramatic increase in the price (in US dollars) of a gallon of vehicle fuel. It all stems from Iran. One of the things that the Obama administration has done to try and cut Iran off from the rest of the world is get them kicked out of the SWIFT system. SWIFT is the mechanism for clearing international banking transactions between countries. What is most alarming though is that he is now threatening Japan, India, Pakistan and a number of other countries with the same fate if they do not enforce our foreign policy! So, these countries have now had enough and are working on multilateral trade agreements to settle their accounts outside of SWIFT and the US Dollar. This is not good for the dollar. It means there will soon be a glut of them on the world market as these nations stop holding them as foreign reserves. This will drive inflation dramatically higher when it all plays out. At that point, anyone not prepared to deal with the price increases will suffer greatly. So, buying a fuel efficient vehicle now would be a great hedge against this fate. It may not be as vital as a garden but anything you can do to reduce your dependency on the grid now will pay dividends in the near future.
In 2006 at nearly the peak of the fuel crisis, I bought a new 2005 Yamaha TW200. (It was a holdover from the previous year.)
Since then, I’ve put 24,000 miles on it. I’m on my third chain and second set of tires. I *AVERAGE* 92 mpg. In cold weather I average 88 mpg, in hot weather, 96 mpg. My daily commute is 26 miles plus 5 miles at lunch.
Its not a fast machine but its good enough to get me there in a reasonable amount of time. All the speed limits are below 55, which it will do if pushed. Its a “dual sport” which means, if I decide to take a trail, I’ve got a great machine. Wide traction tires and reasonable gearing to take any trail.
New off the show room floor it cost me $3400 for the bike, a new helmet and all the taxes. You can economize if you wish.
I’ve got an extra large rack on the rear thats 19″ x 19″ that you can strap a couple hundred pounds to, no problem. I’ve hauled 2 50# bags of corn home multiple times and didn’t even know they were there. furniture, yard tools, shotguns, rifles. I’ve strapped all kinds of things to that rack and made it home without a problem.
As things progress, there will be screaming and gnashing of teeth, but, the preppers will just do what we always do: survive.
Good luck and godspeed.
DomesticTerrorist,
SUV used for loading up with prepes and ammo. Appreciate oiling info. Thanks
Y’all Beware!
Burt,
Using your petrol numbers (with the 30p added per gal), I think you’re still using the imperial gallon (5 liters)???,
and converting from sterling to dollars, your paying $10.52 per USA gallon for gasoline! $10.52!!!
Peter
Yes, that’s right. Do you want me to really scare you and tell you our food prices lol?
Regarding gasoline; I don’t know about current situations in the UK, but here in USA, the younger, spoiled and ignorant generations, are just riding around like nothings wrong. We see them every day on our drive across town to get to our little farm with the horses,veggie gardens/prepping set-ups. They are visibly just riding around town,going to the fast food drive thru, hanging out at walmart, wasteing expensive gas. WTF is wrong with people? The millions of gallons wasted, worldwide, on a daily basis is staggering. Wonder if that will change when gas hits $10.00 a gal. here?
I live in the UK in the Manchester area, there certainly is panic buying, the petrol station round the corner from me has run out of fuel, and I have seen major queues at the forecourts. The police have instructed some petrol stations to close due to the safety risk of queues growing on the major roads.
I am very cynical of our Government, it is touch and go if we enter a recession at the end of this quarter, the economy contracted at the year end and if it contracts this quarter we will officially be in a recession. Now then, the massive increase in the purchase of fuel, in the last few days may prevent us entering a recession, has anyone else picked up on this. The Government Ministers have actively encouraged us to buy as much fuel as we can, interesting eh?
I have always considered myself to be an independent thinker, never following the crowd.
Also, if people have bought so much fuel, the demand will fall in the next few days (after the first quarter), weakening the position of the tanker drivers.
Harsh realist – the official announcement hidden in the back pages of the telegraph and similar is that the OECD has announced we are in an offical double dip recession (in laymans terms it’s a depression).
Peter Parker – 80% of that $10.52 is tax.
Now try and think how you’d have to adjust your life style is fuel rises that high for you in the US. Then start making those adjustments today. A pushbike or tricycle capable of carrying a decent load starts to look like a sensble investment if you haven’t already got one.
Oh, I filled up today at $3.54. The nightly news says the average USA gallon is $3.82. I’m not gloating just looking down the road, re: Sid Davis. Yes gas in some places is about $5 bucks, like NYC and LA. No raises, gas has doubled, food has tripled.
Gas in Southern Cal is coming down in price. I wonder what’s up with that. Down to 4.17 at some stations. Still 4.33 at some.
This is off topic but related to gas, watching fox news and talking about tax breaks for oil, but they do give same tax breaks to all business like apple, microsoft etc. Barry aka obama drives me nuts and makes me sicker and sicker everytime I see him on TV lying about everything he says. not racist but does remind me of a lot of black liars that have known in my lifetime.
I have to agree 100% — Obummer gripes my ass big time every time I see him on TV. I don’t remember a prez. in the past that rubbed me the wrong way like he does. I just get bad vibes from him and needless to say, I can’t stand him PERSONALLY, it has nothing to do with skin color just the way he lies and deceives the public and that SMUG look that I would love to wipe off his ugly face. How many more late night/week-end executive orders is he going to pass that takes away our rights?
Oh yea, Sec. of Defense Leon Panetta has been heard saying that ” we would get authorization from Nato or the U.N. to go to war and then report to Congress”. Some one might want to tell them that it is against the constitution to bypass Congress. But that’s what is wrong with this WHOLE administration, they don’t care about laws or rights of people. They just say or do as they please and to hell with the constitution. OUT WITH OBUMMER!!!!!
This is off topic, but should concern everyone.
I just read this at the Daily Crux
Disturbing report: The Department of Homeland Security just purchased 450 million rounds of hollow-point ammunition
(www.thedailycrux.com/Article/39929/Government_Outrage)
OT and old news
The idea that gov would use “artificial” circumstances to bolster economic #’s is now the status quo. Every gov data point is a lie and the MSM cares not. Truth be known, we never climbed out of a recession which means technically we are, have been, and will continue to be in a DEPRESSION. Same with the UK and their Euro friends. People, this is all a game to blind the sheeple. Sorry to say this but the stupidty of my fellow man (and laziness to seek the truth) is confirmed daily.
Depression absolutely!
I get tired of them calling it a recession, all the while they’re changing how they calculate the important economic numbers.
Here in the USA we are net exporters of refined gasoline since demand has fallen. So, in a true free market, the laws of supply and demand should dictate a lower price.Some say it is demand in Asia. Some blame Obama. Some say it is speculation by investors that never intend to buy or sell gas. Some blame sanctions on Iran or threat of war. I am of the mind that it is caused by the Fed’s increase in the FRN supply and the inflation that it causes.I truly believe the price will only continue to rise and rise.I also call BS on releasing the Strategic Oil Reserves to lower the price.Just another political play for votes. I, like most Americans, really have no idea how oil is priced or manipulated. Anyone?
Agreed Jeff
~~~there is a strong possibility that any nationwide strike that threatens the regular flow of commerce could prompt the President to declare a national emergency and force drivers back to work under what amounts to a martial law scenario~~~
In which case the drivers are not home– gone fishing– without cell phone…we ‘ain’t’ stupid!!!
Try pulling that chit here.
The plan to release the Strategic oil simutaneously thruout europe and US is most likely part of this. If we have a real need for it when Iran is attacked (yes when) the lack of supply will only be exasperated. I believe this is part of the plan. Everything this retard prez has done points to the fact that he wants us on our knees. You can’t have true socialism without every one on board. As I’ve said many times it will be King Obama. Just another reason you will be on your knees.
Sorry, my knees won’t bend for the like of the corporate government that incompetents over me.
Everything they do is either stupid, criminal or self serving.
Its my main reason for prepping. If you think your prepping for disaster, the disaster is already here. Government of the sort that we have IS disaster.
” force someone back to work : …. dream on, i am not your slave.
“Sherman, set the wayback machine for 1973!”
“Golly Mister Peabody, why doesn’t everyone just start brewing their own fuel?”
LoL, I’ll never be getting involved in this type of stupid shit. More independence, less retardation. The key here is to know how to derive your fuel from alternative sources. When someone like myself can turn 15 gallons of gasoline into 100 gallons of fuel by making my own M85, yeah, why worry?
The books are all out there. The materials are easy to acquire. The skills required are that of a skilled NASA chimp. No excuses. Cry less, do more.
Fear is a very strong driving force. Just like if most everyone demanded all their money from their banks, everyone going to a gas run would have devastating effects. Banks would have to close their doors because all their money is loaned out, and gas stations would quickly run dry because most people drive around with a half a tank of gas or less in their automobiles. There would not be enough gas for most everyone trying to fill their cars to to brim.
I tell everyone that will listen that they should keep at least 3/4 tanks full when they can because something like this could blow the supplies out in less than a day. People should also safely store gas in safe containers and roatate the gas every 6 months or so and add a gas treatment to the containers to keep the gas fresher.
Just think how quickly the gas would run out when Israel and or the U.S, attacks Iran and the Persian Gulf is mined and a thousand miles of Iranian coastline has surface to surface missiles waiting for an oil tanker to be bold enough to try to transverse the coast. The strategic oil supply will be used for the military and to keep the infrastructure running in the U.S. Civilian transportation will be a distant secondary concern. So forget about the gas stations being open very long, probably even worse so than the 1970’s.
Another huge problem with a gas run is something that EVERYONE THAT READS THIS “MUST” BE READY FOR —A MASSIVE FOOD RUN—. Trust me people, not only is it going to be difficult for transportation of food products and the manufacturing of food, but people are going to empty the shelves quickly. PLEASE EVERYBODY CONSIDER THIS AND HAVE ENOUGH FOOD AND SUPPLIES READY BEFORE THE STORES ARE EMPTY AND YOU ARE F’ED, WAITING FOR THE GOVERNMENT OR OTHER CHARITY TO EAT. A gas run = a food run, and a bad one.
Informed-Like to share a story. I was down in the Houston area visiting family when Ike hit. It took what seemed like forever to talk those family members into filling up their tanks,getting some extra food(and beer), and for them to go get some plywood. It was only about 5 or 8 hours before it was publicly anounced Ike was comming through Houston that they finished preparing. The lines at the gas stations formed instantly an hour after that. I went down to the local grocery store to calmly observe the panick buying by the people. It was interesting to say the least. 2 more notes- There was a family living in the neighborhood that all the kids, and people say are “weird”. 2 days after the hurricane that “weird guy” was loading some guns into his truck(mini-14’s), I went over to chat. Turns out his farm had been looted either right before or after it hit. I told him I would keep an eye on his place. Which I did. My point about this “weird guy” is that he was the only sane person who lived on that street, who was in living in realality. 1 more little interesting note. Some guy was over at the house the day before Ike(he had an 8 year old girl with him) and I started telling him he should go fight the crouds and get some extre food(he mentioned he had very,very little) he laughed and moked me and didn’t go. Guess who showed up the next morning for steak,eggs, and ice cold beer the next morning because he didn’t have a way to cook the very little food he did have????? We ended up getting power back over a week later, the beer was just about to go warm(we raided the factory family workrd at of ice) Bad events can be handled in stride, if prepared.
@ kevin. Isn’t that true? Being prepared not only is smart and resoureceful, it gives a person that feeling of some security during awful times. The worst the event is, it certainly can be handled in stride, the more prepared you can be the better.
You know something else Kevin, isn’t it amazing how people hear about these individuals that were prepared and handled an ugly situation quite well, still fail to learn to prepare themselves, even a little bit? It is so perplexing.
Obama’s executive order taking control during a crisis is similar to executive orders from past presidents. That doesn’t concern me that much. What concerns me is the continual disrespect for the law that the Obama administration has. During an emergency they would just ignore our constitutional rights. Just like Bush did in New Orleans during Katrina when they seized the guns from private citizens.
Bush did that? I don’t think so. Just more left wing BS. The mayor and the Governor did that. Bush even begged them to get the people out and was ignored. Something about school buses not being good enough for the people to ride out on.
Off topic but does any one know any thing about Rick Santorum? I’m familiar with Romney and Newt. Sadly looks like R. Paul won’t have a chance. I just want Obummer out but I’m not sure who we will have to choose from. Santorum’s an unknown to me…. thanks.
This should help:
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/rick_santorum.htm
Thanks Barn Cat…
OFF TOPIC: MAC DIDN’T COVER THIS, BUT NEED MORE OF THESE ON OTHER SUBJECTS TOO:
Rodney Stokes:
As director of the DNR in Michigan, I am compelled to write to you regarding the legislation and intended assault on Michigan pig farmers. You realize of course that word of your intended actions have gone viral. The nation is revolted, angry and shocked at your position – one clearly that has not been well thought out and is ill conceived. Since the facts seem to have eluded you, let me proffer some enlightenment. First and foremost, most consumers (be they individuals or professionals who deal in quality foods) despise the general practice of cramming animals of any kind into disgusting cages with no room to move or breathe, where their whole existence is to be stuffed with food and readied for wholesale slaughter. Aside from the issue of inhumane treatment, it is dirty, unhealthy (for animals and those who consume the meat from their slaughter), and so off-putting as to impact eating habits of many.
Those of us who eat meat do so with the appreciation that animals are allowed to roam with some freedom, live in clean and healthy environments, and are kept healthy through their raising and slaughter process. Many also appreciate high end quality meats for their superior nutritional value and flavor.
In Michigan there are MANY farmers who raise top quality pigs, highly prized for their outstanding qualities that enhance resulting products. Because pigs, or chickens, or cows or any farm animal is allowed to roam their allocated space does not, repeat NOT, mean they are or will be feral. To make such an assumption reduces the ‘assumer’ to level of ass by way of serious flaws in thinking, and making assumptions based on NO fact. Such is the case here and now with pigs – some of them Russian some of other breeds, and all of them prized for their quality.
So I ask you Rodney, who are you to sit in judgment on any pig farmer, who are you to dictate the destruction of their herds and livelihoods? Who are you to leap to false and frankly STUPID conclusions, and why? Why indeed are you not going after those horrid pre-slaughter factories where pigs are crammed into filthy, confined environments for the sole purpose of being fattened for slaughter? Why? Could it be because their lobby has grabbed you by some delicate body part and twisted unmercifully? Or could it be a clarion call for condemnation by Muslims that comprise a significant percentage of population? Whatever the reason(s), no twisting, no ignorance of facts, no manipulation and threat, NONE OF IT gives you the right to take on these independent farmers who do NO wrong, who serve a specialty marketplace, whose livelihoods for them and their families are reliant on their farm production. But most of all Rodney, your actions defy the U.S. Constitution which still serves as the law of the land to which you are obliged to adhere. You have overstepped your responsibilities, your authority, common sense, all that is right, and oh yes, PERSONAL FREEDOM guaranteed to all, even pig farmers, by our Constitution.
Unless something has transpired in the last 24 hours that I somehow missed, we in this country are not yet a Communist state. Ergo, you are required to conduct yourself and your department in accordance with our Constitution, period. OH YES – I have been circulating news of this outrage, and a request for U.S.-wide donations and support of these pig farmers!
I suppose when we are declared a Communist nation, you will assume free reign to perpetrate your terror and abuse on Michigan citizens (and pig farmers) but buster, we are not there yet. So I suggest you REIN IN your penchant for abuse of power, take a deep breath, turn around in circles a few times, bend over and remove your head from that dark and dreary place where it has for too long resided, then get back to your desk and deal with the limits placed on you and your department. And LEAVE THE PIG FARMERS alone. If you don’t, I have a strong feeling that 1) they will rise up against you; and 2) Americans across this nation will be supporting them in every way possible. Do you really want to be left to the court of public opinion where you will automatically be labeled a moronic bureaucrat and ball-busting fool? Think about it.
Regards from a steamed and furious patriot
Karen Sweetland (note the quote below – so fitting of you and this situation)
OH CHIT, SORRY–I LEFT OFF THE ENDING…ONE OF MY MOST FAMOUS QUOTES:
When you see that in order to produce you
need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing;
when you see that money flows to those who deal, not in goods
but in favors; when you see that men get rich more easily by graft then by work,
and your laws no longer protect you against them,
but protect them against you…….
you may know that your society is doomed.”
Ayn Rand – Atlas Shrugged
JayJay!
Nice quote!
Vote Ron Paul. If ever we needed a man like him to be president, it is now. He will diminish those things Ayn Rand is talking about in that quote.
Ron Paul 2012 – It may be our last chance.
Is there something in the water or the air up in Mich/Wisc area? Seems these places have fallen off a cliff intellectually and morally…all the retarded ag dept and govt busybodies needing a serious beating or worse…this is where all the animal ID and farm premises registration has been so very supported… God help us!
… americans might wanna remember by u.s. law passed by congress zionist israel gets gas before anyone else… meaning if ww3 kicks off… the straits of Hormuz gets blocked by the uss enterprise aircraft carrier being sunk by zionist israeli mossad al-CIA-duh co-intel agents and oil transport gets shutdown worldwide… and you Americans are forced to pay $10.00 a gallon… ISRAEL BY USA congress LAW GETS GAS AND OIL FIRST… then you Goyims in Fascist AmeriKa get the left-overs from Israel!
what happens to transportation of goods in ameriKa???
… remember most grocery stores have only 3 days of food in stock in the whole store!!!
… 3 DAYS OF FOOD TO SELL then ALL GONE till next shipment.
… if there is no gas / diesel or too expensive to transport , guess what ??? no food on the shelves or the food is hyper-inflated from transportation gas costs.
… add in the fact the planned fiat dollar bank holiday crash’s. MARTIAL LAW… BANK HOLIDAY NATION WIDE… no access to bank accounts , no atm , no credit cards , no food stamps = ???
*** the globalists plan is too bankrupt everyone… suck every available penny from everyone the world over… even your kids piggy bank money… then crash the world economy!!!
Forcing you ALL to bow and kneel to the IMF NWO.CFR GLOBALISTS ONE WORLD U.N. GOVERNMENT!!!
you must submit to them FOR YOUR SALVATION!!! FOR YOUR LIVES!!!
SOMETHING TO PONDER the next time you fill your gas tank up and see that gas is up another .30 cents or go grocery shopping noticing everything is smaller packaged lower volume with higher prices and growing higher week after week…
this is All intentionally planned out by the NWO TPTB (the man).
van you not see the patterns???
arm up stock up prepare.
fight the power!
hug your kids!
It’s called peak Oil people.
And this is just the beginning, We have not seen anything yet 🙂
“peak oil” just as is “global warming” just as is “population explosion” is/ are all a GLOBALIST CONTROL scams… through proper public education programs and social incentive’s with proper health , clean environment programs and housing… all of these issues are easily managed with modern science.
don’t believe the hype… their all globalist eugenicist scams to control YOU the serfs goyim tax debt slaves.
~NinaO
Peak oil is real in that there is a peak, its just that we’ll keep extending it and, like with all things, the greed of humans will raise the price to the point where people start using other sources of energy.
Thats what the “peak” is. The peak is there its just that its a con job as to the actual definition of the peak. Its just standard market response to excessive greed. The talk about peak oil is nothing more than a short term market strategy to rob you.
Hehe. Just realized: it is quite appropriate to talk about Peak Oil on April first. Very appropriate.
situations getting ridiculous sale of petrol canisters has gone up by nearly 500% even though were being told by law we’re only allowed to store 10litres. Fire service saying dont store any at all. Sheeple getting very tense now driving round trying to find fuel but its ran out practically everywhere.govt laughing all the way to the bank having made £32million in past few days in fuel tax. God help us when the strike is actually announced and supermarket deliveries dont get through, whats that saying we’re only 9 meals from anarchy.
1)I have spare tank in my garage
2)when the share market up, i sell off the remain shares
3)when the price of precious metals dip, i buy more silver coins
4)when the price of precious metals up, i redeem the ETF paper silver to silver coins
5)when the government said go to Left, i will move to the Right side
6)Our US 15 Trillion debt, needs 7500 Trucks to load, with EACH truck load Two Thousand Million [2 Billion] full of cash, would cause a 137.609 Km long queue, which is more serious than our petrol panic buying long queue.
If you can still afford it; best get those long distance vacations going before summer. A 500 mile round trip, week at the beach,for us; has now turned into a three day camping trip to the mountains with trout fishing at the forefront. At least meals will be cheaper. ding-dang-it. I quit eating seafood anyway, after nuke spillage. was getting tired of watching scantily clad women on the beach all day anyway. was getting tired of drinking cold beverages by the tiki bar anyway. was getting tired of the moonlit walks on the beach. ‘I got my toes in the sand’ and not a care in the world’ with a cold beer in my hand’……. ah, the heck with it. gone fishin’
This could easily happen here with food as well as fuel. The average family has a three day food reserve.
Dear Lord Insidious,
1) three days food reserve is not enough.
2) our car has full tank fuel is not enough.
3) get prepared to the coming food shortage and fuel shortage.
At lunchtime today ALL three fuel stations where I live were out of ALL grades of fuel. Even the expensive premium stuff had sold out. I popped my head into one of the station’s forecourt shop, and noted the White bread had been cleared-off the shelf as well.
There are wide-spread reports in the national media of fighting breaking out between motorists, and reports now starting to appear of uniformed Police Officers being forced to patrol on moutain-bikes instead of driving their usual motor vehicle.
Ha!
Coppers on push-bikes? How quaint 😀