We are today seeing pictures on television of huge queues of cars trying to buy petrol and other pictures of closed fuel stations.

And yet the government says there is no fuel shortage. Well, someone said something to cause people to rush out and fill their vehicles. And we have of course seen it all before – visions of mothers dropping off their children at school and then dropping into the fuel station and getting about three or four litres of fuel into the tank – ready for the next school run.

Now, good housekeeping is of course a very good idea and running out of the commodities you use a lot would be sheer carelessness, wouldn’t it? But the British people have this amazing ability to create their own misfortunes.

Do you recall pictures of shoppers in supermarkets fighting over toilet rolls around the time of the beginning of the pandemic? Do you recall stories of people buying so many toilet rolls that they had to have several trolleys and then the supermarkets had to start to restrict sales? What a mess that all was!

And after the rush was over, one man brought all his excess toilet rolls, thousands, back to the supermarket expecting them to take them back and refund his money. I am sure you remember their answer and this man’s family probably now has enough toilet rolls to last them a decade or more. I wonder where they keep them. And when push came to shove, there were enough toilet rolls to go around anyway.

And there will be enough petrol and diesel to go around, just that it will take time for everyone to fill their tanks, and again, and again, while the delivery lorries manage to get around with refills. And guess what will happen then – everyone will have so much fuel in their tanks that sales will slump for a few weeks.

In the meanwhile, there is only one type of vehicle which can deliver fuel and that is a tanker. Whether supermarkets will decide to keep their tanker fleet afloat while they allow food deliveries to slow down is a decision I would not like to have to take myself! Stories of shops running out of food and even hotels without supplies to provide breakfast are also becoming more widespread.

Oh British public, just have faith and learn. When there really is a problem you will be told.

I can only say that I am glad I am not a cynic.

Perhaps a new way of delivery of goods to supermarkets should be thought about. What about sending large consignments by rail from major rail centres and then using the lorries to make their deliveries on a more local basis. And what about the white van man? There are thousands of such vehicles around with people eager and willing to drive them who would be very pleased to have some extra delivery work to collect goods to take them to local shops. Could the rail network absorb thousands of tons of extra freight? Shouldn’t such contingency plans be in existence anyway?

Must rush now though – off to fill up with petrol. The fuel station in our photo of the day tells us they have plenty of fuel in their tanks.

Adrian Leopard     26-09-21

Photo Carl Nenzen Loven