Petrol, Politicians & Pensioners

As those of you from outside the UK may be aware, we are looking at a tanker driver strike here. This is not a strike over pay but one about health and safety of the drivers during, what can only be described as, their somewhat hazardous working day.

Unfortunately, some numpty politician here has sparked panic buying and, however many times he or his colleagues now talk to the media about him being wrong and there is no need for it, the damage has been done. You cannot now tell the driving public that, should the strike go ahead, there will be at least a weeks notice and that there are a number of military tanker drivers undergoing training in case they are called in to deliver fuel.

This morning, with less than 40 miles worth of diesel in the tank, I was forced in to visiting our local petrol station to enable me to continue going to work (a round trip of 130 miles a day). I was greeted at my first stop by queues onto the main road which prompted me to try another outlet. At the second there were still queues but these were by no means as bad. Whilst sitting and waiting for my turn, I noticed that, along with the obvious repmobiles and works vans, 50% of the vehicles lining up were pensioners. I also noted that, as they got to there allotted pump, nearly all these pensioners were also filling up the plastic petrol cans used for storage. Why is it that, these people who have all day to do things and, let's face it, very little distance to travel, feel the need to potentially bring this country to a standstill. They would be the first to complain that the buses were not running or that there was no food on supermarket shelves and yet, it is these very same, frankly selfish, people who will cause it with their 'wartime' mentality. Their cars have probably not used a whole tank of fuel since Christmas so why do they need it now? Is it so they can put their cars and petrol cans in their garage, lock the garage doors and then sit smugly in their homes knowing that at least they will be able to drive anywhere they like should the need arise - even if it is just to the local bingo hall.

On a purely selfish note, it might also stop me going to Brands Hatch on Sunday......but that's not the point!!

That brings my rant to an end for now but, as you can probably tell, it did make my blood boil. Now, I have to calm down and breathe :)

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