Don't Panic

[Ozzy]

<<SNIP>>
Now the haulage companies are screaming about the problem they created and the government is denying reponsibility for the problem they (and their predecessors of whatever colour) allowed to develop.

This whole post needs to be printed, framed and sent everywhere.
No one is asking the MP's and RHA in the media why the overseas drivers were in the UK in the first place plugging what was clearly a shortage of drivers which is exposed now they've gone. Everyone is just shouting "It's Brexit's fault"...

Great breakdown of events...

 

[Deleted member 59730]

No one is asking the MP's and RHA in the media why the overseas drivers were in the UK in the first place plugging what was clearly a shortage of drivers which is exposed now they've gone.

Freedom of movement. No one asks what has happened to all those UK workers earning high salaries in Germany, France, Italy etc etc. Yes, its Brexit's fault that our highly skilled and talented workers no longer have the opportunities we once had as of right.

 

[InsuranceBroker]

Civil unrest is always the fault of the government and the media as the two are joined at the hip. If 2020 failed to show this as evident, then I don't know what it will take for people to understand the truth. There is no point debating the 'cause' of what the current issue is because the true 'cause' will be hidden behind the smoke screens of a reactive public instead of highlighting the strategy of the key players who do nothing without reason and the reason is always profit.

 

[Ozzy]

No one asks what has happened to all those UK workers earning high salaries in Germany, France, Italy etc etc.

I feel I've missed something here then as I had no idea all our HGV drivers left the UK to work abroad causing the overseas drivers to come to the UK to plug the gap, but then again surely if that was the case then they'd have all returned to the UK when the overseas drivers left the UK?

PS. I voted remain before you think any different.

 

[Ozzy]

There is no point debating the 'cause' of what the current issue is because the true 'cause' will be hidden behind the smoke screens of a reactive public

Fair and wise; fair and wise ... unless you're shouting at MP's as I am currently

 

[InsuranceBroker]

Fair and wise; fair and wise ... unless you're shouting at MP's as I am currently

Shout away, by all means. If we held our appointed representatives accountable, instead of waiting for them to lead us from the issues they create, then we'd live in a much better world.

 

[Ozzy]

Posting this in here as it's somewhere relevant;
The BBC have got in touch with UKBF, they are asking if any London based UKBF members are available to discuss the fuel shortage on TV tomorrow.

If you are London based and effected by the fuel issues right now, and would be interested in the TV opportunity, drop a DM to @JCR

 

[thetiger2015]

I feel I've missed something here then as I had no idea all our HGV drivers left the UK to work abroad causing the overseas drivers to come to the UK to plug the gap, but then again surely if that was the case then they'd have all returned to the UK when the overseas drivers left the UK?

PS. I voted remain before you think any different.

Why would anyone want to return to the UK? Even if British drivers are working overseas, they'll be getting paid more with a better quality of life and cheaper living. Why return to the UK, to fill in a gap, when they might get dropped again later?

That's exactly the offer on the table for overseas workers. Come and help us out until Christmas Eve, then go away again because we don't want you. I can imagine queues of overseas workers trying to get home on Christmas Eve because the visas have expired...again. Why bother.

 

[Clodbuster]

3 month visa - could not get more ridiculous.

 

[Ozzy]

3 month visa - could not get more ridiculous.

The majority of the visa's are not for drivers. They are for poultry pluckers, just to make your day even more entertaining

 

[Mark T Jones]

The majority of the visa's are not for drivers. They are for poultry pluckers, just to make your day even more entertaining

Ah, the Pheasant plucker.

How about his mate?

 

[Deleted member 59730]

I feel I've missed something here then

You must know full well that I meant all workers not just HGV drivers. Bankers, artists, filmmakers, farmers, scientists etc etc. And yes, I have met British drivers, plumbers, electricians etc settled happily in the EU.

 

[IanSuth]

Why would anyone want to return to the UK? Even if British drivers are working overseas, they'll be getting paid more with a better quality of life and cheaper living. Why return to the UK, to fill in a gap, when they might get dropped again later?

That's exactly the offer on the table for overseas workers. Come and help us out until Christmas Eve, then go away again because we don't want you. I can imagine queues of overseas workers trying to get home on Christmas Eve because the visas have expired...again. Why bother.

The only reason for doing it will be £

People will only do a short term gig if it pays big £ so you would actually perpetuate the issue - local drivers doing the long term lower paid work with short term mercenary hires coming in for the xmas rush

This is exactly what i meant about governments reacting rather than being proactive - it ends up costing us all

If we are going to be checking animal imports on Jul 1st we need 6 mth intensive training courses starting on Jan 1st latest to create the trained inspectors or we will have exactly the same issue as we have with drivers then with delays on food stuffs and empty shelves not least as the BVA's moratorium on min English language skills for vets ends on the same date
https://inews.co.uk/news/uk-vet-shortage-brexit-export-rules-pet-ownership-covid-lockdown-1129345

 

[Financial-Modeller]

In other news:
'Government congratulates itself for reduction in ICE cars on roads, and brings forward date for switch to EVs...'

 

[japancool]

You must know full well that I meant all workers not just HGV drivers. Bankers, artists, filmmakers, farmers, scientists etc etc. And yes, I have met British drivers, plumbers, electricians etc settled happily in the EU.

If you have in demand skills, you can settle anywhere. Freedom of movement is not required.

 

[Newchodge]

Ah, the Pheasant plucker.

How about his mate?

I think he's late.

 

[Ozzy]

I was on the phone to someone this afternoon and quoted the run on Northern Rock as an explanation on the fuel crisis happening now, and then I see this. I think my phones are tapped

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58709019.amp

 

[Bob Morgan]

There has been yet another leak from Downing Street, regarding the Petrol Crisis. Johnson was overheard speaking with the Queen " . . . we understand that you used to drive trucks during the war ma'am?"

 

[Peter Morris]

Everything seems fine now, no queues whatsoever.

 

[IanSuth]

Everything seems fine now, no queues whatsoever.

Depends where you are

This petrol station has queues but as it is on a busy junction that queue (going towards wokingham) is causing gridlock https://goo.gl/maps/9S8pTGhbKCkKryD58

 

[Mark T Jones]

This whole post needs to be printed, framed and sent everywhere.
No one is asking the MP's and RHA in the media why the overseas drivers were in the UK in the first place plugging what was clearly a shortage of drivers which is exposed now they've gone. Everyone is just shouting "It's Brexit's fault"...

Great breakdown of events...

Bullseye!

 

[Chris Ashdown]

What happened to the companies who have had containers stuck in the Far East, most will have sourced new supply's so they can continue to make money

What happened to the distribution companies, Transport organisations, major supermarkets etc, they foresaw the decline in numbers of HGV drivers and winged about it, but did nothing themselves to make the job more attractive

Then blame the Government for the shortage

General rule of business is you pay the going rate and make contracts that are based on the future costs where you see a possible problem coming, so why were drivers pay so bad

Who were the clever just in time companies that put massive pressure on drivers to either get to a destination at a fixed time slot or they refuse the goods. just the sort of pressure that makes you want to become a HGV driver

No one answer but hardly the governments fault

 

[Clodbuster]

No one answer but hardly the governments fault

You forget - the Government has to do and supply everything, right down to letting you go to the loo.

 

[WaveJumper]

Ok just heard the headline of the week as far as I am concerned "Kung Fuel Fighting"

 

[Pezza55]

The fuel crisis is insane, there is definitely some Karen out there with her tank full to the brim and 50 jerry cans in her garage. Wish people would use their heads and just fill up when needed, maybe don't take unnecessary journeys. Don't be a Karen guys!

 

[Fagin2021]

I need to fill 5 petrol cans to fuel my garden machinery for the last grass cut of the season. Looking forward to learning some new words.

 

[AllUpHere]

I need to fill 5 petrol cans to fuel my garden machinery for the last grass cut of the season. Looking forward to learning some new words.

I don't think it's lawful to have 5 cans full of petrol in the car at any one time anyway.

 

[Fagin2021]

I don't think it's lawful to have 5 cans full of petrol in the car at any one time anyway.

I just looked this up. I think you are right when it comes to storing fuel in a car (If you are storing the fuel containers in a vehicle you can store no more than 30 litres in no more than two containers).

However, the rules on transporting fuel are different and I think I'm ok.

 

[WaveJumper]

We use the VP Racing Fuels Motorsport Containers 20L each looks more professional too

 

[IanSuth]

I am on the fb page for a really good army surplus store in Plymouth (bogey knights) and they were getting hammered for suggesting people buy their 20l jerry cans quickly before they sold out

I think this is another "crisis" that just brings out the worst in people - everyone want to blame somebody for something whether it is the bbc/govt/rha for creating it or the people for panic buying or Fagin for wanting to fill his Jerry cans

Sad really

 

[Clodbuster]

After a single TV news report suggesting that a handful of BP outlets were running low on fuel went viral on social media and plastered on the printed media without a check and balance approach. It led to UK motorists being unable to buy petrol or diesel, despite a perfectly normal amount of the stuff being in the country. A leak from a meeting discussing the potential shortage of drivers has caused mayhem and will shortly begin panic buying of every commodity under the sun as Christmas is threatened.

 

[MikeJ]

It wasn't a single report. It was on at least three channels.

 

[The Byre]

Just when you thought that it could not get any worse, now there's this new shortage -

 

[Deleted member 59730]

This is fake news. There is no shortage. There are plenty in the Government.

 

[Clodbuster]

It wasn't a single report. It was on at least three channels.

No - it began with a single ITV report.

 

[MBE2017]

I wonder what’s worse, all the posters with their inane comments, or those people panicking about fuel.

 

[fisicx]

No - it began with a single ITV report.

And because most media organisations have sacked their journalists all they now do is nick stories from each other. You will probably find the whole online thing is automated so they don't even know what they currently report.

 

[WaveJumper]

I don't think its clowns its probably going to be Santa's and elves, sorry kids but grottos are going to be in short supply and if you thought the queues you faced in previous years was bad you not seen anything yet.

Had to drive from Essex to Telford and back today and have to say I have seen no evidence of the fuel situation getting better if anything it seems worse

 

[UrbanRetail]

Had to drive from Essex to Telford and back today and have to say I have seen no evidence of the fuel situation getting better if anything it seems worse

I passed through several towns/villages in my county today, which must be serviced by at least 40 fuel stations and all but 3 were closed by 4.30pm (if they opened at all that is).

 

[Clodbuster]

Obviously varies around the country, queued behind 4 cars early yesterday morning then my daughter drove straight in to the same forecourt about 5 hours later.