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UK Supply chain issues - Food and now fuel.


Butch

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UK is seeing some supply chain issues hitting home now. A few empty shelves in Tesco but nothing too serious, still plenty of fresh milk, bread, eggs and poultry plus frozen goods are all available. Shortages of some tinned items and a few others. Veg and fruits in abundance.

There are still issues trying to obtain some stuff like Garden furniture and building materials, but on the whole although a few items are in short or zero supply, we're not close to anarchy yet.

However, that might change because as usual the Daily Mail has predicted the end of civilisation for the right wing demographic and the guardian painting a similar picture for the middle class lefties.

Local petrol pumps are dry, diesel went first followed by petrol. Garages now closed due to zero stocks closed , no thanks to to BP saying there is a driver shortage initially so supplies would be disrupted, and 5 of their premises needed to temporarily close, however there might be an ulterior motive as reported (behind paywall - sorry) https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2021/09/24/bp-sparked-fuel-crisis-drive-ease-visa-rules/

there is no fuel shortage, but there is a shortage of qualified drivers to deliver the stuff. This is, in part, due to BP and Hoyer farming labour out to agency workers who found the T&C's unacceptable and quite rightly went elsewhere for their employment. It was a race to the bottom to see how much they could save, and now those actions have come back to haunt them.

The situation isn't helped by media sensationalism because there were the same amount of deliveries last week, the same amount of drivers available and the same amount of fuel around.

Madness, sheer madness.

Edited by Butch
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Next will be stations with fuel bumping up the price knowing people will be needing fuel as they run empty. Was out earlier and every one I went past had a massive queue outside. I've got enough for about 100 miles according to the trip computer. Plenty for work all week. 

Supermarkets have been pretty much full, just the odd items missing for a day or two. 

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I've just driven past our local BP station.  Short queue  -  148.9/ltr.  200yds further on, Sainsbury's petrol; long queue  -  133.9/ltr.  Who's daft enough to buy Bee Pee these days.  I think they're taking the piss. 

Yes  148.9/ltr!!!!!

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Price gouging already going on, plus fights at the pumps.

I remember the last time we had issues like this in 2000ish when the drivers blockaded the refineries due to the high cost of fuel, one independent garage started charging something silly like £2 a litre, only to go out of business when things got back to normal as everyone in the local area boycotted it.

Not sure when pumps will be operational again, but it has highlighted how much of a knife edge our society is on these days, and the more disillusioned I get with it. The more I see, the more I look forward to having a relatively more simple living experience in the Phillipines when we retire.

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59 minutes ago, Butch said:

Price gouging already going on, plus fights at the pumps.

I remember the last time we had issues like this in 2000ish when the drivers blockaded the refineries due to the high cost of fuel, one independent garage started charging something silly like £2 a litre, only to go out of business when things got back to normal as everyone in the local area boycotted it.

Not sure when pumps will be operational again, but it has highlighted how much of a knife edge our society is on these days, and the more disillusioned I get with it. The more I see, the more I look forward to having a relatively more simple living experience in the Phillipines when we retire.

Yep... sign of the times.

 

Just looking forward to getting back to Thailand. Selling the car when I leave. I can walk when I get to where I'm going. I can live on noodles, veggies and coffee if I have to. 

Got to get away from this madhouse rat race. I've reached the limit. f**k everything.

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Petrol has gone up considerably this year in my neck of the woods but thankfully we have no shortages; plus I am on a friend's commercial card lock account so get a decent discount through that and really don't drive as much as I used to since i have fully retired. I have to agree with Glasseye that if/when I finally have enough of life in the west, I doubt I will ever own a car again - I don't mind relying on public transit overseas. 

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1 hour ago, maipenrai said:

Petrol has gone up considerably this year in my neck of the woods but thankfully we have no shortages; plus I am on a friend's commercial card lock account so get a decent discount through that and really don't drive as much as I used to since i have fully retired. I have to agree with Glasseye that if/when I finally have enough of life in the west, I doubt I will ever own a car again - I don't mind relying on public transit overseas. 

With the ease of walking and/or picking up a grab, bus, train, or even plane who needs a car. Nothing but problems and expense in my opinion. And what happens if you get in an accident and seriously hurt or kill someone ?  You're f***d.... the money you can save is huge, and you can always get to where you want to go - without even worrying about where to park the car.

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3 minutes ago, Glasseye said:

 Nothing but problems and expense in my opinion. And what happens if you get in an accident and seriously hurt or kill someone ?  You're f***d....

Especially if the Police report is "bought". I don't care if you face the most stringently honest judge in the land if the Police say that you were driving whilst drunk on the wrong side of the road then that IS what happened!

Now I am based in Pattaya I never intend to drive a car or ride a Motorcye ever again!

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I lived in Pattaya for 10 years and always got around on a motorbike with the ex wife. I only got a car when I moved to Hua Hin and I had child with my present wife.

Having a car in Thailand is not essential but it is a bonus and I loved having it. I also wouldn't have a baby, young child, transported on a motorcycle.

Here in Wales it has become more essential as we don't live in the big city and school trips, family and supermarket visits do benefit from a car.

Yesterday I drove to Merthyr from Neath, a journey of about 25 miles and 35 minutes driving time. The road A465 takes me all the way with little infrastructure along the route except for a KFC and a McDonald about half way.

Most people from outside the area do not know that hidden next to the KFC off the roundabout behind the trees is an ESSO garage. I filled up there yesterday, no queue, pumps unused, in and out in 3 minutes.

Only negative was the price of petrol had gone up by about 4 pence a litre since I was last there and I paid £1.39 a litre.

In Merthyr the queue for the petrol station nearest to where I dropped Porn off had crazy queues that were blocking a roundabout yards from it, the police were needed to keep the traffic moving..crazy.

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5 minutes ago, Horizondave said:

I lived in Pattaya for 10 years and always got around on a motorbike with the ex wife. I only got a car when I moved to Hua Hin and I had child with my present wife.

Having a car in Thailand is not essential but it is a bonus and I loved having it. I also wouldn't have a baby, young child, transported on a motorcycle.

Here in Wales it has become more essential as we don't live in the big city and school trips, family and supermarket visits do benefit from a car.

Yesterday I drove to Merthyr from Neath, a journey of about 25 miles and 35 minutes driving time. The road A465 takes me all the way with little infrastructure along the route except for a KFC and a McDonald about half way.

Most people from outside the area do not know that hidden next to the KFC off the roundabout behind the trees is an ESSO garage. I filled up there yesterday, no queue, pumps unused, in and out in 3 minutes.

Only negative was the price of petrol had gone up by about 4 pence a litre since I was last there and I paid £1.39 a litre.

In Merthyr the queue for the petrol station nearest to where I dropped Porn off had crazy queues that were blocking a roundabout yards from it, the police were needed to keep the traffic moving..crazy.

Thing is, there is no less fuel yesterday than the day before, so if people had just stuck to normal buying habits there would not be a problem with supply. Sure, the odd station had some pumps closed occasionally but they were soon back open. People draining pumps in a day will cause a problem!!. Thick cunts can't see that. 

Same with food, some products missing a day or two but soon shortly back in stock.If people could see they are only exacerbating the situation, but you might as well bang your fucking head against a wall. 

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21 minutes ago, galenkia said:

Thing is, there is no less fuel yesterday than the day before, so if people had just stuck to normal buying habits there would not be a problem with supply. Sure, the odd station had some pumps closed occasionally but they were soon back open. People draining pumps in a day will cause a problem!!. Thick cunts can't see that. 

Same with food, some products missing a day or two but soon shortly back in stock.If people could see they are only exacerbating the situation, but you might as well bang your fucking head against a wall. 

It is all down to the influence of the media.

When 'beloved' presenters (who are not experts) on ITV and BBC speak many viewers listen and shape their day, their lives on what is said.

When Kate Garaway basically rejected what Grant Shapps was saying about only 5 BP stations being closed out of over a 1000 and made throwaway comments about fuel shortages before Christmas it was inevitable what was going to happen.

I read an article yesterday about an influencer with 2m followers who after being criticized online for having thin lips went and got Botox with bad results. The 'influencer' who had been influenced then went online to worn her fans not to have the procedure. Why do people listen to these idiots, she was 19.

Facebook, TV, Instagram for me are all bad influences on people. People seem to have lost the ability to make informed decisions on real data, real fact; the trouble is that these days that information is likely to be misleading, fake or a downright lie.

Normality doesn't sell.

 

 

Edited by Horizondave
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14 minutes ago, Horizondave said:

[...]

I read an article yesterday about an influencer with 2m followers who after being criticized online for having thin lips went and got Botox with bad results. The 'influencer' who had been influenced then went online to worn her fans not to have the procedure. Why do people listen to these idiots, she was 19.

Karmic justice, love it.

And if she really got Botox for thin lips, I am not surprised about the bad results and the problem will only be temporarily. That injected Botulin toxin will be flushed from the system in four to six months. If however she got injected with filler, she will have a problem for the rest of her life.

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34 minutes ago, coxyhog said:
A mate posted this on FB:
 
Petrol tanker drivers have an ADR qualification as well as a HGV licence. They need this for them to drive petrol tanker lorries.
There is a shortage of HGV drivers. That's a true fact.
However HGV drivers cannot drive a petrol Tanker lorry without having an ADR qualification.
The UK had ADR drivers last week. NOTHING repeat NOTHING changed much in a week. Maybe some holiday or some sickness but not, I doubt a dramatic change.
The ADR drivers that were driving last week are still driving this week delivering fuel. So nothing has changed.
The petrol panic we are now experiencing is all down too media hype.
It's not because of brexit because all the EU drivers went back to Europe. Which is some of the reasons being banded about.
These EU HGV driver's, left months ago, and yet the country was still getting fuel without problems up until today.
So what's changed? Nothing !!
Apart from the disgraceful media hype and scaremongering to make news. Too sensationalise the fact that a couple of petrol stations were getting a late delivery so they closed.
The Result of the media scaremongering!!
Massive panic and chaos by everyone. Which is now causing a shortage of fuel until the ADR drivers, that we already had delivering fuel a few days ago, can deliver again.
The media should be fined and penalised, severely for publicising false news and creating the crazy situation that has been going on all today. Disgusting. They should hold their heads in shame.

Food and fuel retail industry ain't helping either. They are pressurising the government to get foreign labour back with panic stories because they can keep the wages lower, now they are having to increase wages to get staff. They want it all in their favour and it ain't currently, drivers have the upper hand. Yes there are drivers shortages, but there has been for years, it's nothing new. 

Guess it's also karma for all those pricks driving round in gas guzzling SUV's, hope all the cunts runs out of fucking fuel. 

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17 minutes ago, galenkia said:

Guess it's also karma for all those pricks driving round in gas guzzling SUV's, hope all the cunts runs out of fucking fuel. 

& me in my petrol V8,but I don't do many miles....

I think we have half a tank in both cars & I think a full tank in my bike.I ain't queueing unless I'm on fumes.

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1 hour ago, Horizondave said:

It is all down to the influence of the media.

When 'beloved' presenters (who are not experts) on ITV and BBC speak many viewers listen and shape their day, their lives on what is said.

When Kate Garaway basically rejected what Grant Shapps was saying about only 5 BP stations being closed out of over a 1000 and made throwaway comments about fuel shortages before Christmas it was inevitable what was going to happen.

I read an article yesterday about an influencer with 2m followers who after being criticized online for having thin lips went and got Botox with bad results. The 'influencer' who had been influenced then went online to worn her fans not to have the procedure. Why do people listen to these idiots, she was 19.

Facebook, TV, Instagram for me are all bad influences on people. People seem to have lost the ability to make informed decisions on real data, real fact; the trouble is that these days that information is likely to be misleading, fake or a downright lie.

Normality doesn't sell.

 

 

 

A few years ago I derived the term "Pussification of America". The concept actually became apparent to me decades ago, but became "in your face" following the insane explosion of FB. It has now obviously spread throughout the world.

 

Basically... it is about fear, and the sad fact that most individuals are unable to think for themselves and are living on the edge of an imaginary cliff.... due mostly to their own stupidity and laziness.

The media has always been there, and yes it is manipulative. But, so many people are so thick and unable to look past what someone else shoves in front of them (whether well intended or not). All it takes is a little thought, preparation/planning and these things could easily be managed - especially in today's world. 

Perfect example would be nuclear weapons, or more recently the arms build up in the Pacific. Trillions of dollars pissed away for nothing. If major wars were to break out (over some small sliver of land, or some stupid misunderstanding) then economies would collapse and potentially millions could die.  For what ? Just because they were afraid that the cost of their iphone or pair of Nikes might rise a few pence ? Fucking insane. 

I want nothing to do with any of it. Complete fucking nonsense and a waste of the little time I have left.

 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, coxyhog said:
 
Petrol tanker drivers have an ADR qualification as well as a HGV licence. They need this for them to drive petrol tanker lorries.
There is a shortage of HGV drivers. That's a true fact.
However HGV drivers cannot drive a petrol Tanker lorry without having an ADR qualification.

If the U.K. government are so worried about people running of if fuel or shops not getting enough supplies for Christmas why don’t they increase the amount of hours a truck driver can do every week until after Christmas. 
At present a truck driver can only work 45 hours per week and must take every second weekend off . 

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