Panic at the petrol pumps

Friday 13th June 2008, 11:50AM BST.

Fuel queues at Morrisons in Shrewsbury.Fuel queues at Morrisons in Shrewsbury.

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  1. 1
    Mark Williams

    Why are people so stupid? There is no need to panic but at all. The only reason filling stations are running low is because of the unexpected high demand due to panic buying. It really doesn’t help anyone.

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  2. 3
    macca

    sorry, can’t comment at the moment. Gone to fill up.

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  3. 4
    Briss of Bridgnorth

    Oh no – I must rush out to buy fuel, or I myself and my family will starve to death in a matter of hours unless we can go to the shops in our 4 x 4! Get a grip you pathetic bunch of wimps, only 1 in 10 garages will be affected and walking for a change wont hurt any of you.

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  4. 5
    ruth

    if people didnt take 5 jerry can with them to fill up there wouldnt be a problem…im a courier and i need diesel to do my job no diesel no job so thanks to all the greedy people out there you are putting people like myself out of a job..

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  5. 6
    Cycle

    Fill up while you can must fill up quick bah

    Get walking lazy humans

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  6. 7
    BRIAN(2)

    It’s just what we british are good at….Panicking and qeueing!!!

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  7. 8
    BRIAN(2)

    What amazes me is most of these idiots qeueing have 3/4 of a tank anyway, only drive 10 miles a day at most and that would last most of them 3 weeks.

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  8. 9
    Pete

    Come on if we did not panic we would be fine as there is always a 7 week reserve I found out about from a shell employee but because of panic buyers it leaves people that are in need of fuel in trouble.

    The strike only effect shell so why bombard the others

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  9. 10
    lol

    My conspiracy theory is Its not realy a true strike. Its shell trying to make more money and mr browns counting his extra quick tax.

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  10. 11
    patrice stains

    i personally am panicing if we run out fuel I will have to catch the 44 bus. Its full of tramps and thats no place for my children.

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  11. 12
    Lucy

    I ACTUALLY need to fill up as I am going to leeds tomorrow for the night and I can’t get petrol. There are large queues and many petrol stations have shut completeley. Absolutely ridiculous.

    Some woman is filling up everytime she drives past a petrol station putting in 4 or 5 quid everytime. What a MORON

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  12. 13
    Matt in Albrighton

    The problem is that it is the media coverage and over zealous selfish buyers that causes these problems. Even the Shropshire Star’s headlines ‘Panic at the petrol pumps’. How ridiculously over sensational. Panic?. Mild over reacting I would call it.
    One day we will experience real problems and because we have been ushered like children and over sensationalised every trivial story we really won’t know what to do.

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  13. 14
    Lyndsay

    This is so stupid with people panic buying, if i’d have known that people would I wouldn’t panic that I will have no fuel by the weekend before myself and partner go to Somerset for our holidays on Monday. Lets hope we can make it there!!

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  14. 15
    john simpson

    This is crazy – we must all stop moaning at market forces, we embrace them when they kept prices down, now accept them or you must be a socialist.

    Waht we should all do is seuize this opportunity to get fit and walk and cycle more.

    Come on shrewsbury – on your bikes!!!!

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  15. 16
    Drew Peacock

    It will just give retailers another excuse to jack up the price of fuel. Ripping off panicking buyers. And with regard to the striking drivers,(who turned down 6%+ pay rises over the next 2 years!) SHAME ON YOU!!!!!

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  16. 17
    jason

    This country makes me laugh…why the heck are people panicing?! When it snows, people stock pile food and panic on the roads, and now just because some lorry drivers are striking people assume there’s going to be no fuel?! It’s only Shell, it’s not like weve been told weve ran out of fuel across the board! What a shambles, people who are panic buying…you are embaressing yourselves!!!!

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  17. 18
    Persona Non Grata

    Headlining your lead story Panic at the Pumps before it was even mid-day did not help!

    I have driven past 3 petrol stations this afternoon, Sainsburys, Asda and Shell(Stirchley) none of which were particularly busier than any other Friday.

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  18. 19
    shane

    why not fit a (hho) too your vehicle i have and works well .

    IT WILL CUT FUEL BILLS AND Reduce Emissions

    Improve mpg in town, open road and motorway conditions. it is possible to double a vehicle’s mileage. Obviously not all vehicles, loads and driving conditions will gain the same. you can expect a 20%-50% improvement in fuel economy, with many seeing gains of 80%-100%!

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  19. 20
    Sarah

    Greedy people. Why not use the bus or train to get to work, or even walk? It will do you some good!

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  20. 21
    Norman

    I put the blame firmly at the door of the media,let’s have some responsible reporting from Ketley for once.
    I can see the headlines already
    “Exclusive -Snow Shortage this Xmas”,Tescos,Asda and Sainsbury’s all reporting massive queues and will opening around the clock as people stock up before it’s all gone.

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  21. 22
    Bloke in Telford

    I think The Smiths song “Panic” sums it up perfectly.

    It is easy to get swept up in the Hysteria with when you get such “Respected” Publications such as the Daily Mail and Shropshire Star proclaiming “Panic at the Pumps.”

    I reality it would be better reported with a little responsibility.

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  22. 23
    spindrift

    The media have a lot to answer for concerning this. If headlines are run along the lines of “Panic Buying of Petrol Has Started” / “Government Urges Public Not To Panic Buy Petrol”, then the sheeple of this country will do exactly what they are warned not to do. If headlines stated that a strike was imminent by Shell drivers, but just 1 in 10 of filling stations would be affected, then I suspect that there would be no problem. Inflammatory headlines instigate knee-jerk reactions.

    Talking of inflammatory, John Simpson needs a visit from the IT police to remove his computer equipment. A more clear example of a keyboard warrior I have not yet seen.

    Sarah, how will taking the bus or train to get to work do me some good? No, really. I’d like to know. Some people don’t have the luxury of working 15 minutes from home. I have a meeting at Aylesbury at 9.30 a.m. on Tuesday morning. If you know of a more efficient way of arriving there on time, I’d be interested to know the details please.

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  23. 24
    devon salopian

    sorry i don’t smoke but i must fill my lighter up

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  24. 25
    Man

    This might be the same country that weathered the Battle of Britain, but the people have certainly changed…

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  25. 26
    Katie

    i would love a 6%+ pay rise over the next 2 years!

    ive got half a tank, that should last me a week!

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  26. 27
    Blue eyes

    Muppets panic buying over the weekend were the same morons who were in such a hurry to get onto a forecourt that the rules of the road and common sense went right out the window!

    If people didnt panic buy then there wouldnt be an issue with stock levels. I fail to see how it is so difficult.

    Also, Patrice Stains, comments like yours are just stupid! The 44 buses are not FULL of tramps! Its full of people trying to get from one place to the other and I for one, take offence at the implication that all people using the 44 buses are tramps!

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  27. 28
    woman

    An up-to-date web site/helpline telling us which garages have fuel would be useful and may stop us driving round trying to find one which has! Also, next time limiting each purchase to something like £20 would keep more of us ticking along and those who are afraid – maybe having to visit loved ones in far off hospitals – reassured that supplies will last. Well, at least Honda have announced today production of a few non petrol/diesel car – good news!

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  28. 29
    John Smith

    I have another comment for patrice stains
    Both of my daughters use this bus service, one is a full time student and definately NOT a tramp, the other is gainfully employed and educated and chances are earns more than YOU do (she’s no tramp either) ! Kindly keep your offensive comments to yourself!
    As for this petrol business, utter twaddle, if people restricted themselves to one tankful, and didn’t turn up with several cans to fill there would be more than sufficient to go around.

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