So, why did the panic start in the first place? Blame the HGV driver shortage. We don’t have enough people to drive the tankers from the depots to the pumps. It’s like having a fridge full of pizza but no one to deliver it. Heartbreaking.
Brexit and COVID waved a magic wand and poof, thousands of European drivers decided they’d rather go home. The UK government suddenly realised that driving a lorry is actually a vital, skilled job. Who knew, right? Not them, apparently.
This means that while there’s petrol sitting in depots, it’s not getting to your local Tesco garage fast enough. So, when one station runs dry, it looks like the apocalypse. It’s not. It’s just a logistical hiccup the size of a really large truck.
The Panic That Made It Worse
Here’s the ironic bit: the panic itself made the shortage real. When you saw that queue of cars snaking around the roundabout, your brain went, “I MUST GET FUEL NOW.” But you didn’t need it. Your car had half a tank. You were just being greedy.
Petrol shortages: Map shows areas hit hardest by UK's fuel crisis
The government begged us, literally begged us, to “go about your normal business.” But nobody listens to Uncle Boris when his shirt is untucked and he’s waving his arms. We just kept queuing. We queued for hours. For petrol. Like it was Glastonbury, but with less music and more exhaust fumes.
Some people even filled up plastic bags with petrol. Yes, plastic bags. I’m not joking. That’s a fire safety violation and a bad episode of Jackass rolled into one. Please, don’t do that. Your car is not a soup container.
