Storing petrol

[whole diary]

[Bmblbzzz]

remembering that fingers were invented before forks.

Disposable cutlery can be useful for emergencies...

It's a bit hard to turn over your vegetable patch with your fingers!

Disposable cutlery should be avoided too, unless biodegradable/compostable.

I have an existing stash of disposable plastic cutlery for emergencies. The environmental  harm from manufacture has already been done, and nothing is to be gained by discarding the items unused.
I do not intend to buy any more plastic cutlery, any future purchases will be the biodegradable wood sort.

The ultimate in disposable cutlery is a piece of bread, particularly flat bread such as chappatti or naan, which functions as spoon and fork. As for washing up, it can be done in cold water, as it can also be done without detergents (sand is good). If water itself is in short supply, we probably have more pressing worries than dirty cutlery.

[TonyK]

If water itself is in short supply, we probably have more pressing worries than dirty cutlery.

Passers by are amazed when they see me produce water from my butt.

[Witham Bobby]

Passers by are amazed when they see me produce water from my butt.

I line worthy of the pen belonging to Mick Sturbs and read by Terry Wogan

[TonyK]

Moving back to petrol, things appeared normal this morning when I drove to Tiverton, or at least as normal as they get. Tesco had a couple of customers filling up, the expensive independent garage had its usual empty forecourt, and a fuel tanker driven by someone in civilian clobber passed by, en route maybe to the other indie, or Morrison. All was calm, with no pitchforks in evidence.

[Richard Fairhurst]

Spotted on Twitter...

[broadgage]

The situation does appear to have improved markedly.
The nearest filling station to me has a short queue, but not "rabid" as was the case a few days ago.

Heating oil deliveries are reported as being delayed by "a few days" I suspect that petrol and diesel was prioritised  over heating oil, a reasonable response. Outside the main heating season, heating oil is often available next day.

[Red Squirrel]

We've not seen any problems at all at our local filling station...

[grahame]

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-58735299

End of Furlough ...

The number of workers on furlough has fallen steadily this year as lockdown restrictions eased and businesses reopened but the latest figures available showed about 1.6 million remained on the scheme in July.

[snip]

But the foundation's recent research suggested that a small rise in unemployment was a "real risk" for those still on the scheme as it ends, particularly older workers or those in the travel sector.

[snip]

According to Citizens Advice, people could work elsewhere while furloughed - if their employment contract allowed.
Many forecasters, including the Bank of England, are expecting a small rise in unemployment now the scheme has ended.

It would be simplistic to suggest that there are people in the "travel sector" mentioned who could start helping goods travel around in lorries, wouldn't it?  Yet in reality in a changed world, this sort of re-use of people is very much on the agenda.    And that's whether the changes are due to climate change, Brexit, covid, an ageing population, the greed of business tycoons, the increasingly nanny state, globalisation or because it's the year of the Ox and the month of Libra at present.

[JayMac]

This is hilarious.

From the BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page):

Fuel supplies: Mortar tanker tailed by drivers looking for petrol

A tanker driver has told how he was tailed by about 20 drivers who were dismayed to discover he was not transporting petrol.

Johnny Anderson, who drives for Weaver Haulage, was transporting 44 tonnes of mortar from Bilston, Wolverhampton, to a building site in Northamptonshire. When he reached his destination, he saw a line of traffic backed up behind him.

"The man at the front... actually said 'You could have stopped and told us you weren't a petrol tanker," he said.

The incident came as lengthy queues formed at forecourts amid petrol and diesel supply problems.

Mr Anderson, from Harworth, Nottinghamshire, said he was delivering cement to the David Wilson Homes development at Overstone on Thursday. He was on the A43 when he first realised he was being followed.

"I didn't notice initially but then on the dual carriageway, I noticed nobody was overtaking me and saw a string of about 20 cars behind me," he said. "When I eventually turned left into a road that would take me to the site entrance, all these cars turned left with me."

Three-quarters of a mile later, when he stopped at the site entrance, he heard car horns honking, he said. Thinking something had fallen off his vehicle, he got out and saw the queue of vehicles.

"The man at the front wound down his window and asked me which petrol station I was going to," he said. "When I said I wasn't, he asked me 'Why not?' and when I said I wasn't carrying petrol, he actually said 'You could have stopped and told us you weren't a petrol tanker.'

"I couldn't believe it... I just went full McEnroe and said 'You cannot be serious!'

"Then the bloke behind asked me where the nearest petrol station was. It just beggars belief."

Mr Anderson, who has been driving double-bellied mortar tankers for about six years, said while it was "quite funny", there was also a serious side. "My cargo isn't dangerous but if they are following a petrol tanker, their training is to call the police if they think they're being followed," he said. "People need to stop and think... driving a tanker, no matter what the product, is quite a pressurised job, so following them puts extra pressure on drivers already under pressure without having to worry about absolute morons."

[broadgage]

And how much petrol was consumed in following the tanker ?
And fuel tankers have to display signs warning of the flammability of the contents, but I suppose you can not expect the average motorist to understand that.

[grahame]

And fuel tankers have to display signs warning of the flammability of the contents, but I suppose you can not expect the average motorist to understand that.

Doesn't everyone know their 3YE-1203 from their 1T-1910?

[broadgage]

And fuel tankers have to display signs warning of the flammability of the contents, but I suppose you can not expect the average motorist to understand that.

Doesn't everyone know their 3YE-1203 from their 1T-1910?

Not in detail, though I do know that 3YE is commonly applied to petrol tankers, and to other loads that present similar risks, not ONLY petrol.
The numeral 3 warns firefighters that water is not generally* appropriate, and that foam or dry powder should be used in case of fire.
The "E" warns that evacuation should be considered in the event of accident.

If you discover an emergency involving dangerous goods, ring the fire brigade and if possible tell them what hazchem code is on the vehicle or building.

* Water must not be used if the cargo is already on fire. Water can be used if say the engine or cab are on fire, to prevent the fire from heating the cargo.  Water CAN be used if an unrelated fire breaks out near near a petrol tank, to extinguish the fire and prevent spread, or to cool the petrol tanker.
If petrol or gas is already burning, water CAN be used to cool nearby buildings or tanks and prevent spread, but must NOT be applied to the fire.

[TonyK]

And how much petrol was consumed in following the tanker ?
And fuel tankers have to display signs warning of the flammability of the contents, but I suppose you can not expect the average motorist to understand that.

Or mortarist, for that matter.

[paul7575]

And fuel tankers have to display signs warning of the flammability of the contents, but I suppose you can not expect the average motorist to understand that.

Doesn't everyone know their 3YE-1203 from their 1T-1910?

The Highway Code does explain the existence, (but not the detailed meaning), of Hazchem signage - and I think the average motorist is supposed to have read it…

Paul

[broadgage]

As has already been said, the current petrol panic is largely due to panic buying with no shortage of the fuel at depots and refineries.
That however might change. Greenpeace have blockaded the Shell oil facility at Rotterdam. If this is long continued or repeated elsewhere then there is the potential for actual shortages.

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20211004-greenpeace-boats-block-dutch-shell-refinery