Selfish selfish selfish UK panic buying

Bill Masen - September 27, 2021

From a small very localised shortage of fuel tanker drivers on Thursday last week affecting only approx seven service station, to total nationwide panic buying over the weekend and today.  Fuel stations report increased demand of 500%,  others report that demand has risen from a typical station being refilled twice a week to them now needing refilling three times daily. UK government has had to suspend competition laws and is trying to deploy the military to deliver fuel supplies..  And stocks of bottles of propane currently appear non existant. Fights and arguments in service stations between drivers, thefts of fuel increasing.

Localised shortages of bread, milk, flour, chicken, pork, beef, lamb in the supermarkets.

This ARTIFICIAL crisis is being engineered by the media who took a small localised supply issue and inflated it until it has become a national crisis.   I see none of this milk of human kindness many of you lovely folks keep referring to.

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Yep, the media have driven this with no thought of the consequences. Emergency vehicles and staff all struggling to get fuel in their tanks because the media have manufactured a crisis out of a non-existent problem. 

Thankfully I don’t drive and I’m sure the bus depot has it’s own supply. but TBH even if the buses stopped running, It would only mean I couldn’t get to work and I really am not going to get bent out of shape over it.

On the home front, I have plenty of supplies and re-supply as I rotate stock has not been a problem. 

 

Just seen an artcle in our local paper showing a women driving a tiny ford fiesta filling her car plus EIGHT jerry cans of petrol over 160 litres. 

 

You probably saw the news over here about the Colonial Pipeline cyber attack the East Coast had. People were panic buying then and even filling up trash bags with gasoline that were leaking profusely as they filled them and then they just set them in the back of their truck bed!! Makes no sense to us on lookers, but people were in a real right state of panic and feeling that if they don’t get any they can now, it will be gone later.

There was some shortages and panic buying for a week or two there but then things got restored and probably 99.5% of people are just filling up as normal and don’t have any fuel reserves. 

My point is that this is artificial, and this is temporary. It won’t draw out for months, and my guess is that things will be sorted out in a few weeks.

 

That’s it exactly, by the end of the week it will all be back to normal as the media move on to make another crisis out of a non existent drama. 

 

You have it right, another crisis another day. I like to be somewhat prepared so that I am not forced to be out there panic buying with the hoards of others.

 

I agree with you, I absolutely hate being around those people panic buying. That’s why I watch hurricanes closely and buy early if I want more of something, then stay away from everyone.

 

So now the UK media is reporting…

People sleeping in their cars at fuel stations to ensure they are at the front of the queue

Knife fights over queue jumping

Punch up brawls in service stations

People filling multiple Jerry cans as well as fuel tanks

People queuing at service stations with people only managing to add about $2 of fuel to their tanks, as their tanks are already full.

People puncturing fuel tanks on cars with plastic fuel tanks in order to steal petrol

A woman recorded filling two 1L water bottles with petrol.

All this is going on when there is no shortage of fuel and only a modest shortage of tanker drivers. just imagine how the masses would behave if their was REAL fuel shortages.

BTW panic buying of certain food stuffs continues unabated.

 

Good morning Bill,

That “human kindness” is part of advanced-level civilization.

We don’t have that type of civilization here.

Soon, even firefighters will be issued helmets with 3A protection against small arms.

 

HERE in the UK we have a major issue in many cities of gangs of thugs deliberately starting fires in dumpsters or stolen cars, then when the fire service attends the gangs attack the firefighters with bottles, stones and petrol bombs, and try to wreck the fire engines.  Paramedics and ambulances are frequently attacked in the UK.   Most of our cops, medics, fire fighters have to wear bodycams when on duty.  I know its a terrible generalisation but I tend to believe that in a disaster or crisis in RURAL  areas people try to help each other out. BUT sadly in many british cities a crisis or disaster often turns into an excuse for mob violence, looting, arson etc IF there is not a strong police presence.

 

The problem here in these rural areas is the really large influx of people not from here. The traditional locals are 65 years old plus on retirement checks.

To this, add new people – especially the younger generation(s) – who hate the local churches (they’re reallly socio-political clubs), Salvation Army (abortion policy),  Red Cross, most of the “Old Guard” orgs.

Still, it’s safer than the cities. New plans for urban mobs involve Havana Syndrome events.  The BIG theme now is COG – Continuity of Government.

 

Should have mentioned; ……

… and the reason for the large influx of younger folks is that housing is just too expensive for them in the cities. It’s easy enough to see.

It’s even easier to see in California where draft legislation is written to look like method to alleviate housing shortage but when reading the draft is is clear enough … they’re using neon lights for those who read the otherwise boring stuff … that the legislation is really focused to allow for multi-family dwellings. This gives largest R.O.I. Return On Investment to user of the new legislation.  They give the most contributions to those supporting the legislation. 

A few months ago Ubique asked if it is safe to cook food at eg a roadside rest area. Here, this means a new danger zone for the prepper. I don’t even have some nuts if people around. Have been approached by some asking if they can “buy” some food from me.  They don’t have the $ and I avoid contact with strangers of any category.

The Social Security retirement checks, Medicare (old age medical program) and rest of welfare state drained away the investment capital so there are no jobs, no housing, not future for younger folks.

The prepper must understand this environment before evacuating, going out shopping, visiting a health care facility, …

Rural “churches” are mostly having those 65 years old or older. There are just about no young people at these rural “churches”.

America’s 2 fastest growing “religions” are astrology and Wicca. The corrolations as as clear as California housing legislation with their vast homeless population.

For a prepper: low profile; low visibility, situation awareness to the max.

Be prepared to make major changes to immediate plans.

 

Over here few youngsters can afford to get on the housing ladder, especially in the south.  Where as three bedroom houses can still be had for £150K up here, or two bedroom terraces for under £100K.  Down south you are looking at £500K for a small apartment, £650K for a modest house.

It will take the average young couple in the UK ten years just to save for a house DEPOSIT. And waiting lists for public housing is up to 17 years in some areas.

 

Wow Bob, I didn’t know California was so bad that you don’t want to eat food in public. I do not like you have to go through that, however I am glad to be on this forum to learn what is really going on around the world in ways that the media just can’t convey.

Especially to you Bill, I had no idea what it was really like in the UK right now. Sure I hear about the panic buying of petrol but that is some extra crazy stuff going on over there I had not seen. Thank you for sharing and hope things settle down soon.

 

It would not be prudent to look like a tourist or slightly wealthy in many a British city these days, My aunt had her bag stolen by a group of Roma in our local town centre ( all of whom were supposed to have been deported for previous street robberies) . Only a fool takes out his or her expensive cellphone on a public street these day.   My wifes tour group was targeted on many times during their visit to the US city of san francisco, agressive beggers, bag snatchers, pick pockets etc. The girls said as soom as they left the coaches or hotels they were targetted by criminals, and their guide said it was pointless to contact the local constabulary. ( london is no better)

 

Bill…………

Our ever dependency on everything makes these events unavoidable….

Without being replenished every day almost all our supplies would run out inside a week……. without an exception……..

There is also the dependency on supplies for what may be eventually an adversary (think current UK gas problems)

Its the future that generates more for some very rich, and penalizes others….. but then again its why we decided to prep….eh?

 

Greater Metropolitan London has a population of 13.879 million people, and only three days supplies of food. What would happen after 5 days without resupply of food or fuel?

 

Ahh exactly…..

It is the way the system wants it to be….reliant on them totally!

 

So around here overnight , fuel thieves crippled five school buses  by puncturing the bottoms of the fuel tanks to steal diesel, and a local farmer found the bulk of his 500 gallons of diesel all over his yard this morning after thieves smashed the spigot off the tank, took what they wanted and let the rest leak out.