Thought it'd be easier to have a general thread, rather than the posts being lost across various threads.

We've seen continuing the impact of a national driver shortage on the bus industry over recent weeks, we've seen energy firms starting to go bust because of the price of gas, and now we have hysteria and panic buying on petrol. 'Fuelled' by the media... 
https://news.sky.com/story/energy-crisis...s-12416286

We can only hope that people use their loaf before going out to panic buy bread...
https://www.itv.com/news/2021-09-24/warb...n-unfilled

(24 Sep 2021, 10:37 pm)Adrian wrote Thought it'd be easier to have a general thread, rather than the posts being lost across various threads.

We've seen continuing the impact of a national driver shortage on the bus industry over recent weeks, we've seen energy firms starting to go bust because of the price of gas, and now we have hysteria and panic buying on petrol. 'Fuelled' by the media... 
https://news.sky.com/story/energy-crisis...s-12416286

We can only hope that people use their loaf before going out to panic buy bread...
https://www.itv.com/news/2021-09-24/warb...n-unfilled

These energy suppliers going bust, are anything but suppliers. They're brokers, making as much money as they can in as quick a time as possible. Having seen the behaviours of one of these 'suppliers' from the inside, I can testify as to what they're really like. I did start wonder if there was any mis-selling claims whirring away in the background. https://www.google.com/search?q=energy+b...is-selling&oq=energy+broker+miss&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0i13j0i390.3715j0j4&client=ms-android-huawei-rev1&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

Its ironic this gas situation is coming home to roost across the northern hemisphere (see the bloomberg info graphic in this link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-58650634) just as winter kicks in.

I've posted elsewhere (this forum and on social media) that the driver shortage in the PSV and HGV sectors is clearly a combination of factors. Again, having seen things from the inside, it doesn't surprise me to see the race to the bottom come back and bite these organisations aggressively on their bum cheeks.

Can we not just say 'common sense' and that'll just be a catch all for everything?!

(25 Sep 2021, 8:40 am)streetdeckfan wrote Can we not just say 'common sense' and that'll just be a catch all for everything?!

Very true

Short of Social Thinking, care, respect, understanding, self awareness, empathy, forward thinking, planning ability, grasp of reality, grasp of true world position, grasp of how it has destroyed it's own future .

Apparently we are not short of fuel, yet we are short of fuel. Is this going to result in fewer, busier, buses running? I was planning a trip down to Darlo, this week, but not sure I dare, now.

(26 Sep 2021, 7:10 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Apparently we are not short of fuel, yet we are short of fuel. Is this going to result in fewer, busier, buses running? I was planning a trip down to Darlo, this week, but not sure I dare, now.

Would've though bus travel should be ok for a while yet.  They will prioritise supplies to critical industries, in just the same way they won't allow ambulances, police and fire to run dry.  There have been reports of the Army being drafted in to drive tankers, which as short term fix should also mitigate some of the worst of the disruption.

The UK is short of... Integrated transport options.

(26 Sep 2021, 7:10 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Apparently we are not short of fuel, yet we are short of fuel. Is this going to result in fewer, busier, buses running? I was planning a trip down to Darlo, this week, but not sure I dare, now.

(26 Sep 2021, 7:10 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Apparently we are not short of fuel, yet we are short of fuel. Is this going to result in fewer, busier, buses running? I was planning a trip down to Darlo, this week, but not sure I dare, now.

We're only short of fuel because everybody went out and bought all the fuel at once giving no time for fuel stations to stock up!

(26 Sep 2021, 9:30 pm)streetdeckfan wrote We're only short of fuel because everybody went out and bought all the fuel at once giving no time for fuel stations to stock up!

It's no real surprise, when the media run a 3 minute reel on garages being out of fuel, no one to drive tankers, then add 5 seconds worth of 'do not panic' to the end of it.

Reminds me of when the Chronicle spent a week bigging up McDonalds reopening last year, then ran stories on the day of traffic being backed up for over an hour queuing. Irresponsible media and idiots aren't a good combination.

(26 Sep 2021, 9:53 pm)Adrian wrote It's no real surprise, when the media run a 3 minute reel on garages being out of fuel, no one to drive tankers, then add 5 seconds worth of 'do not panic' to the end of it.

Reminds me of when the Chronicle spent a week bigging up McDonalds reopening last year, then ran stories on the day of traffic being backed up for over an hour queuing. Irresponsible media and idiots aren't a good combination.

At least the panic buying seems to have stopped now, at least where we've been today. We filled up at Costco this afternoon and it was dead!

As for McDonalds, even now the queues at the one in Bishop seem to be horrendous all the time. But it only ever seems to be the drive thru, we just order on the app, pull into the empty click and serve bays, and drive off past the people who are still waiting in the queue that we drove past on the way in!
Their takings must be through the roof, I don't remember it ever being that busy pre-covid!

(26 Sep 2021, 7:10 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Apparently we are not short of fuel, yet we are short of fuel. Is this going to result in fewer, busier, buses running? I was planning a trip down to Darlo, this week, but not sure I dare, now.

HMRC are short of a few quid by the sounds of it! 
https://news.sky.com/story/stanlow-refin...s-12410388 

Whilst the pandemic has undoubtedly had an impact (who buys aviation fuel during a global lock down?), surely the rest of it boils down to poor/incompetent (or dare I say it - corrupt) financial management. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-me...e-39482509

https://unearthed.greenpeace.org/2015/04...n-scandal/

https://www.cityam.com/future-of-stanlow...n-the-air/

https://lbndaily.co.uk/essar-oil-uk-clos...ncing-deal

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(26 Sep 2021, 10:10 pm)streetdeckfan wrote At least the panic buying seems to have stopped now, at least where we've been today. We filled up at Costco this afternoon and it was dead! 

As for McDonalds, even now the queues at the one in Bishop seem to be horrendous all the time. But it only ever seems to be the drive thru, we just order on the app, pull into the empty click and serve bays, and drive off past the people who are still waiting in the queue that we drove past on the way in!
Their takings must be through the roof, I don't remember it ever being that busy pre-covid!

The Jet garage at Harlow Green was closed for fuel purchases when I passed it earlier.
Sold out?

(26 Sep 2021, 9:30 pm)streetdeckfan wrote We're only short of fuel because everybody went out and bought all the fuel at once giving no time for fuel stations to stock up!

There is no fuel shortage, fuel companies like many others have lost drivers to big hauliers and supermarkets with higher pay and better comfort packages.

(27 Sep 2021, 6:41 am)54APhotography wrote There is no fuel shortage, fuel companies like many others have lost drivers to big hauliers and supermarkets with higher pay and better comfort packages.

There is a shortage of fuel anywhere outside of a refinery because of the shortage of drivers and panic-buying.

All good saying there's plenty of fuel at the refinery, but I can't fuel my car directly from it!

(27 Sep 2021, 2:38 pm)omnicity4659 wrote There is a shortage of fuel anywhere outside of a refinery because of the shortage of drivers and panic-buying.

All good saying there's plenty of fuel at the refinery, but I can't fuel my car directly from it!

And there is only one reason. Tory Brexit.

(27 Sep 2021, 2:52 pm)54APhotography wrote And there is only one reason. Tory Brexit.

Haha

(26 Sep 2021, 9:18 pm)Adrian wrote

My parents' power went out, earlier, after tornadoes down their way. Mum said it was like 1974 again, with all the shortages

(27 Sep 2021, 9:18 pm)BusLoverMum wrote
My parents' power went out, earlier, after tornadoes down their way. Mum said it was like 1974 again, with all the shortages

And some on here think that is funny...

Hmmm

RHA chappie makes selective comments about driver/fuel shortages, ensues panic buying and public outrage about the so called 'driver shortage' and puts pressure on the government to allow EU migrants back to drive HGVs....

I'm sure it's a coincidence that the RHA have been lobbying government on behalf of their members to have HGV drivers on the occupation list....

(28 Sep 2021, 12:14 pm)Chris 1 wrote Hmmm

RHA chappie makes selective comments about driver/fuel shortages, ensues panic buying and public outrage about the so called 'driver shortage' and puts pressure on the government to allow EU migrants back to drive HGVs....

I'm sure it's a coincidence that the RHA have been lobbying government on behalf of their members to have HGV drivers on the occupation list....

I don't know why we keep referring to it as a 'so called driver shortage'? It's abundantly clear that a labour shortage exists, the same as it does in other low-paid/poor conditions sectors such as hospitality and the social care sector.

As for allowing EU migrants back to work; if I was one, I don't think I'd want to come back after years of being treated like second-class citizens in the UK.

We've made our own bed, as they say.

Apparently the BBC have today ramped it up again. If there was a problem with the supply Jarrow would be taking two trains a day again. Its all down to drivers. It's Autumn and the prospect of staying loyal and battling freezing rain and snow to connect hoses and stand whilst filling subterranean tanks, whe offers are there for more pay, to sit in your cab and have others unload/load is a no brainer..

(28 Sep 2021, 12:33 pm)Adrian wrote I don't know why we keep referring to it as a 'so called driver shortage'? It's abundantly clear that a labour shortage exists, the same as it does in other low-paid/poor conditions sectors such as hospitality and the social care sector.

As for allowing EU migrants back to work; if I was one, I don't think I'd want to come back after years of being treated like second-class citizens in the UK.

We've made our own bed, as they say.

I say 'so called', as it's been rumbling on for a number of years now.  The RHA aren't shy in throwing around figures to support their cause.  There's no shortage of HGV license holders, just people actually using them to earn a living.  Granted, pockets exist in certain parts of the country, and at certain times of the year.  But nowhere near as the likes of the RHA would have us believe.

Haulage firms very rarely train their own drivers from scratch.  Newly qualified drivers struggle to find substantive work.  If there was a real shortage, these two factors alone are within the industry's gift to resolve.

A stiff upper lip. The country has gone soft.

Charles

(28 Sep 2021, 6:46 pm)Charles41 wrote A stiff upper lip. The country has gone soft.

Charles

Most people would with the current shower in charge (and the shower supposedly opposing them).

Agree entirely, worst politicians in history. Which is apt given this is the worst society in memory.

(29 Sep 2021, 7:05 pm)54APhotography wrote Agree entirely, worst politicians in history. Which is apt given this is the worst society in memory.

Did you not watch Horrible Histories?

(29 Sep 2021, 10:37 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Did you not watch Horrible Histories?

Not my cup of tea, but I did watch Nazi's - A Warning from History. The use of rhetoric from that time happened here and in the US, and too many traits ring true.

Turns out there's a shortage of clowns in Northern Ireland!

We've plenty going spare..