The Petrol Crisis

Last week, the Government issued a warning of sorts to motorists that there was a potential strike on the horizon, by the petrol tanker drivers. But unfortunately, they were a little too severe in their warnings, and this led to panic-buying across the country. Cue queues for hours at the pumps, everyone desperate to fill their cars, the pumps running dry, and people even taking dangerous and unnecessary measures to ensure that they obtained enough fuel. All manner of containers were being used to hold petrol, such as paint cans, watering cans, and goodness knows what else. There were even reports of a lady who ended up with third degree burns after moving some petrol through her kitchen, whilst the hob was on. Which of course led to an explosion, and her disastrous consequence.

After letting the country send themselves crazy for a few days, the Government came back on TV, and told us that we’ve nothing to fear. It was just a precaution to keep us updated. In fact, if, that’s if the tanker drivers were going to go on strike, they would legally have to give us a 7-day period in advance, to allow us to prepare.

Well thanks very much. All that for nothing. They don’t even know if there is definitely going to be a strike at all. The British Government does us proud once more.

I watched all of this from afar (after refuelling, of course), and then today’s Thought of the Day hit me. What if, just what if, in a few days from now, the petrol prices were to decrease? Okay, petrol (or anything in fact) rarely decreases in price. But it does occasionally. Just sometimes.

What if this was all a clever manipulation from the Government to squeeze a few extra pounds out of us? To frighten us into panic-buying, before the prices were reduced?

Or, it could just be a genuine caring act from the Government to make life as smooth as possible for us…

Watch this space.