tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16518767.post1975062770230929161..comments2024-03-10T17:40:19.660+00:00Comments on Part Five: Creating a crisis out of... Well, nothingSteph/venhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04426600866018393167noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16518767.post-91049391710622988972012-03-29T12:33:06.865+01:002012-03-29T12:33:06.865+01:00It worries me that the current government might ac...It worries me that the current government might actually be made up of intelligent people, as I'm also fairly convinced that they have pretty poor intentions.Cap'n Ricnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16518767.post-49767091420253464512012-03-29T11:30:36.818+01:002012-03-29T11:30:36.818+01:00Now, if I were really cynical, I would suggest tha...Now, if I were really cynical, I would suggest that it's a ploy to boost the economy - by panicking people into buying petrol all at once, they're moving a lot of money through the system quickly.<br /><br />Additionally, since almost everywhere has now put petrol prices up by several pence, that's even more money moving, <i>and</i> the Treasury gets a nice boost from the additional VAT that results.<br /><br />Good thing I'm not extremely cynical, really.Steph/venhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04426600866018393167noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16518767.post-40579358589512391412012-03-29T09:44:02.516+01:002012-03-29T09:44:02.516+01:00I'm not sure whether the government are numpti...I'm not sure whether the government are numpties or geniuses (in this particular case).<br /><br />Numpties - by telling people that if you're just passing a petrol station, topping up that extra third of a tank is a sensible precaution you risk the system grinding to a halt. If the average car has 50% of a tank in it, and suddenly you're telling everyone (and I really do mean everyone - they may think that it's a sensible precaution for an individual, but we're a nation of individuals) to keep the tank at 100%, you have effectively doubled demand for petrol. The garage forecourts operate on a just in time delivery system and so cannot cope with a doubling of demand with no notice. By announcing this, they have guaranteed that virtually every garage will run out of petrol.<br /><br />Geniuses - the garage forecourts will run out of petrol. If they do it now, while the tanker drivers are still driving, there is plenty of time to replenish stock before the petrol shortage caused by the strike. So suddenly we've all got full car tanks and the garages have stock. Much better to have a 1 day crisis now, and delay the strike-based crisis by a few days, than to have the strike-based crisis grip almost immediately.<br /><br />This could be a move of strategic genius.Cap'n Ricnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16518767.post-23846743999809645792012-03-28T15:50:29.873+01:002012-03-28T15:50:29.873+01:00Don't forget to stock up on stamps and pasties...Don't forget to stock up on stamps and pasties too!Chris Brindhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15060997991535798622noreply@blogger.com