This is only the second time I've put any petrol in 'The Compact Royce' since returning to England last October. I only take her out once a week, on Mondays, to do my main shopping trip of the week, the rest of the time she stays in the garage.
Having read reports of 'no petrol' at various outlets, I was prepared to be turned away. I've been allowing the tank to run down to a minimum, because I wanted to change from 95 Octane to 98, and was trying to get the higher Octane fuel as pure as possible in the tank (if that makes sense). I was on my last drop of 95, and if they didn't have fuel I'd have been in the poo. Luckily all was well.
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Back in France I was putting-in about €50 of Petrol every two weeks. Here I've put-in about £60 after more than six months. A huge saving thanks to living in town.
I would love to live without a car, but for the moment it's impossible.
I got to the Supermarket filling station right on the dot of 7am (opening time), and instantly a queue started to form behind me. This is all due to a bunch of self-centred Eco-Zealots who have been chaining themselves to supply pipes at refineries, and causing trouble.
If they wish to chain themselves, or glue themselves, to pipes; leave the buggers where they are. The authorities shouldn't be pampering to their idiotic behaviour. Either that, or move them elsewhere and chain them to a pipe where they can't disrupt normal petrol deliveries. Let their mates feed them, and cut them free!
People are chaining themselves to pipes at refineries?? How did they get there? Did they drive in their cars? The same cars that will need petrol to get them home again and anywhere else they want to go?
ReplyDeleteThese people epitomise hypocrisy.
DeleteMaybe we should empty their fuel tanks, cut off the gas supplies to their houses and just give them a toy windmill to power their lifestyles?
ReplyDeleteThey'd cry and stamp their feet if we did that!!!
DeleteWe don't seem to have supply problems up here...yet. Ours is brought in by ship / tankers so perhaps that is why.
ReplyDeleteI think this was a weekend blip; I don't think there's a serious lack of petrol anywhere. Scaremongering by the media.
DeleteThe problem is worst in the south east and East Anglia because of the Tilbury refinery blockade. Deliveries are still slow here although the protesters have been moved. The north and west of the country have been little affected.
DeleteWe have an oil depot near here...Buncefield, and local radio were interviewing a woman who was causing trouble there a few days ago. When asked how she had got there, she refused to answer. I just hope that these people don't cause any " leaks" or other problems with their antics. There was a huge explosion at Buncefield in Dec. 2005 caused by a leak of some sort. The bang woke me up. Luckily it was just after 6am on a Sunday and therefore not many people about. A nearby office block was badly damaged, luckily empty at that time and windows were blown in for miles around. Not much traffic on the nearby M1. Not fun if that should happen again!
ReplyDeleteThey're idiots. The whole world runs on oil or oil products. No planes would fly, no refinery visits made, and no lawns mowed. We'll get there in the end, but no thanks to these protesters.
DeleteI well remember the Buncefield explosion - I had business with one of the IT companies with offices/data centres facing the depot, with severe disruption to their services (I believe that a number of NHS trusts were using this company for hosted IT services and suffered major disruption.)
DeleteGlueing and chaining to pipes doesn't seem to be a very good protest, but it seems to have worked if petrol is in short supply. How odd.
ReplyDeleteAh, would you be able to expand a little on your change from medium octane to high octane and if there is a noticeable difference?
DeleteThey have changed the contents of petrol in recent times, and I believe that some cars don't like the new 95 Octane one. My car was coughing a bit recently, so I decided to change to 98. It does seem better.
DeleteThe situation in rural Norfolk is dire, Of course there is no shortage of fuel but there is a supply chain problem when the protesters stop the fuel getting out of the refinery to the depots and filling stations which is exactly what they wanted to achieve. They now plan to "stop London" with their protests over the Easter weekend.
ReplyDeleteThey obviously don't have jobs to go to. Maybe instead of handing out fines to these people they should stop their dole payments.
DeleteMany of them are students - Easter holidays.
DeleteIt is no coincidence the timing of the protests. They have been planned for months and I alerted my family to them in January. However, there is not much one can do about it in preparation.
DeleteWhatever/whoever they are, they're a pain in the backside; like the Extinction Rebellion people before them.
DeleteBoth groups are involved.
DeleteA friend wasn't able to fill his tank completely the other week. He hit the £100 credit card limit at the pay-at-pump. He has a diesel gas-guzzler.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how long his £100 worth lasts?
DeleteWith regard to eco-warriors, you have a big heart.
ReplyDeleteI've got an even bigger BOOT.
DeleteNow we are staying at home more, no away to doctor visits, we notice petrol increases less. We put 20euros in the tank and it gets us about for a week, or so. I'm glad we've got no protesters, at the moment
ReplyDeleteWhen we're back in France, I think we'll try to shop more locally again, and forget the delights of Leclerc.
DeleteSome people must have a cause and they work to disrupt at all costs. Are the protesters being removed and arrested? Recently, gas prices have gone down in the US. Current price per gallon is $4.09.9. Biden released reserves to make this happen.
ReplyDeleteI do know that one of the worst of them has been prosecuted, but he is almost a professional protester. I have no idea how much petrol costs here; I'm ashamed to say I never look at price per litre, just what I have to pay.
DeleteE10 fuel is hygroscopic so absorbs water, I suspect that is causing the misfire. Don't keep it more than a couple of months or so. If your car is over ten years old don't use it without checking as the ethanol can destroy seal in the pump and injectors. I use E5 as when consumption is factored in there is little cost difference.
ReplyDeleteIf you have a high performance car or bike then there are many better fuels available in 205 litre drums. The cost is horrific so they are not a sensible every day option.
I shall be making a long trip tomorrow, so I hope I'll see a difference. I was warned about this, and am probably experiencing the reality.
DeleteYes it is real, garden mowers and such have to be run on posh fuel. You should be okay but if the misfire continues the fuel suppliers have cost you serious money.
DeleteI am not too sure about the rationale behind adding ethanol to fuel - the CO2 emissions difference is marginal when reduced mpg is factored in, it takes land out of food production, and the fermentation and purification steps are all significant generators of CO2. It seems to be just another bit of virtue signalling that ultimately costs the end user. Certainly for anyone with an older vehicle the compatibility issues are serious.
DeleteI have not driven my car much. A tank of gas lasts a month. Unfortunately, sitting around has caused my left rear brake to begin sticking. Thank goodness I am married to my mechanic. We have a good barter.
ReplyDeleteCars are such a pain. I would love to be without all that worry and expense.
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