Tanker strike?

[Renrut]

Troubling news from several sources:

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/03/26/uk-tanker-strike-idUKBRE82P0D920120326?type=olympics2012

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17512729

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-25/u-k-ready-to-call-in-army-to-break-fuel-strike-times-says.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2120514/Fuel-strike-Ed-Miliband-reluctant-condemn-hand-feeds-him.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/mar/26/government-talks-fuel-tanker-drivers-strike?newsfeed=true

Have I covered all the angles there?

Hope it doesn't fall around PPC in the Park, that would be pretty upsetting

[jnoiles]

If anyone needs me I'll be out filling up jerry cans.

[Steve33]

As usual the motorlst suffers
I cant help but think its a fuel price protest parading as something else.

[Renrut]

Its actually the tanker workers striking over 'unfair' and 'unsafe' working conditions but it's going to knock onto everyone else.

It's hard to see the truth between all the policial pro/anti union/strike stuff with red and blue flags going mental. Some may be expected to work in unfair and unsafe conditions but then as one of the tanker companies says average driver wage is £45K which isn't exactly hard done by at twice the national average.

Anyone got more of an insight than the typical press bollocks?

[OilyFingers]

Its all about money as usual. The drivers are annoyed at shortened delivery times which mean they cannot be as safe while driving what is basically a mobile bomb. The rules on these things are ridiculous, you can't move if it is between 20 and 80% full and an engine fire sparks a 5 mile evacuation. That is why they get paid so much.

If they have to be quicker it means the safety checks are done quickly and they may miss something and cause a disaster.

All this conveniently diverts from the real truth of the matter. We are massively over taxed on fuel.

[kieran07]

I'm off to start panic buying fuel.

[mjslonergan]

The addition of Co2 taxes on fuel was a tipping point, as if I am correct, the Co2 tax is applied as a percentage of the overall price after the imposition of duty, this tax should be removed for two main reasons, firstly it is punishing motorists into using alternatives that don't really exist! and secondly it is imposed to counteract something that is not really happening...

[Relentless Rob]

average driver wage is £45K which isn't exactly hard done by at twice the national average.

Where do I apply?

[andrewg1323]

How many tanker drivers get blown up a year? i like those odds i'll do it!

Panic buying round here too no buggers got fuel


i worked in a petrol station years abck when we had a similar shortage all the usual nobbers who put £0 a week in came and filled their tanks, we ran out for 2 days then had to cancel a few deliverys in the week after as nobody needed fuel

[jnoiles]

Much as it personally inconveniences me when petrol runs and out and much as I despise unions, I sort of side with the tanker drivers on this one. It's not a job that corner cutting should be applied to. It's a bomb, they're responsible for it and that's a big deal.

I hate driving in traffic with all numpties about and I'm only driving a car. If I was driving what they're driving I don't think I'd want someone truncating my timetable and making me take risks. As the driver it'd be me in the poo if it went wrong, not the company pushing me to make tighter deadlines.

[OilyFingers]

How many tanker drivers get blown up a year? i like those odds i'll do it!

Panic buying round here too no buggers got fuel


i worked in a petrol station years abck when we had a similar shortage all the usual nobbers who put £0 a week in came and filled their tanks, we ran out for 2 days then had to cancel a few deliverys in the week after as nobody needed fuel

It doesn't matter what the odds are. It only needs to happen once

[Renrut]

Surely its just a case of maths plus a half decent estimate of how long it would take to drive between the various points at a safe speed? Why is that such a difficult thing to work out

There are even legal limits on how long someone can drive for so that could be factored in. Seems a bit fishy to me.

And annoyingly nothing to do with the price of fish.

[MrT]

Panic buying in full force at morrisons near me

[fha772]

Panic buying in full force at morrisons near me

Yep, same in Derby, it's been a right pain doing my regular refill on the Audi, I did get some looks though when I paid the £130 for a tank full.
The only difference is, I was panic buying, that's the usual refuelling stop!!

[OilyFingers]

They are all flapping down here as well. The thing is they haven't set a date yet and that politico's comment hasn't helped either.