Well tbf they were a foregone conclusion really. Still, if it took jerry-can-mandering to cover that up imagine what they're going to dream up to bury the news that they've passed the George Orwell bill, sorry I mean the proposed communications data bill
Meh, things are fine here. There were queues, but I didn't hear of any petrol stations that shut down. As for the Govt - they've been useless recently (IMO), but I don't think they handled this badly. The advice to top-up was a good one. Even keeping petrol in a jerry can in the garage was an okay bit of advice. It was the idiotic public who took this advice to mean "PETROL IS RUNNING OUT.... MAKE A RUN ON ALL PETROL STATIONS!!!111!!". Plus the woman who took this advice to mean 'Play around with petrol STANDING NEXT TO YOUR STOVE'.... that was - as others have said - a 'tad' unwise. And not at all what the Govt recommended. Ed Miliband buried his many meetings with his donors (aka Union paymasters). The Govt - for a change - didn't actually use this as an excuse to bury bad news.
It's Camerons divide and conquer strategy again. Whip up a frenzy of dislike and indignation at the tanker drivers and have a boot at labour for being buddies with the evil trade unionists who inconvenience us all. Or he is just an idiot who gave bad advice.
Politician to sky news - there might be a strike, it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a jerry can of fuel stashed in a garage. Sky news to public - tankers are going on strike, politicians advise you to stock up on fuel, already people are rushing to the pumps. Other news services - people are panic buying (true) - this leads to even more panic buying... Fire Dpt. etc. - DON'T DO ANYTHING STUPID! Real news escapes - see politicians comment to sky news but add definite dates to suit Existing law - No more than two fuel containers (10L metal, 5L plastic) to be stored in a fire resistant building attached to or within 6m of a house (garage) fuel not to be stored in a domestic situation (i.e. not in the house proper) Once again sky gets it out of proportion, are we surprised? No.
I find this map really interesting. I'm still trying to figure out what demographic or reason causes south east England and the great Manchester region to be so comparatively insane.
Isn't it just that there is a higher population density in those areas? Larger overall population = larger population of people that love to have a panic.
Sorry, yeah. Already considered this. Larger population density means more petrol stations and greater capacity at those petrol stations, so population density doesn't really account for it. Still trying to figure it out, could be something to do with who listens to sky news, or the government, could be something to do with devolved government taking some of the prominance in the news, as Wales and Scotland seem to largely have avoided it all, but then, why does the proper North of England, a very rural area where people are reliant on cars, have so few? Strategic stockpiles in various regions shouldn't account for it, because this isn't a problem of supply but rather of very short term demand.
Doesn't that presuppose the same % of petrol stations to population of petrol station users? And greater capacity at those petrol stations? - is that a fact? Have you considered per capita consumption (drivers) and no. of cars owners/users per dwelling? This has changed since the downturn in the economy. Isn't that also likely to be greater in more affluent areas?
