From: howdHol@yaooho.com   
      
   I've read a bunch of articles blaming "panic buyers" for the gasoline   
   shortages in the UK following stations not receiving deliveries. That's   
   basically BS, isn't it? It sounds like it's basically conflating anger   
   over closures with panic buying, when they're two very different things.   
      
   British fuel company reps are acknowledging the major distribution   
   problems but keep saying it's a problem of panic buying, and the press   
   keeps repeating that line.   
      
   The main evidence seems to be long lines of drivers -- but isn't that   
   what you would expect when supplies fall short?  I'm not seeing anything   
   beyond anecdotal claims that people are filling up more than they   
   "should" be.   
      
   I can imagine there might be minor fluctuations when someone buys two   
   gallons on Monday, one gallon on Tuesday, and three gallons on Wednesday   
   to keep their tank full. But I'm struggling to see how that would close   
   any stations compared to simply buying six gallons on Wednesday. Gas   
   purchases are so streamlined that it would seem like the incremental   
   increases in transaction times can't be a major issue at most stations.   
      
   And what's more, a lot of people are going to avoid trips when stations   
   are closed for delivery problems. If they think they have to search and   
   wait in line for gas, many people will postpone optional tank emptying   
   trips for sightseeing or shoe shopping. Won't this largely or fully   
   offset any spot panic buying?   
      
   I can see how some products could fall victim to panic buying. Things   
   which are easy to store and usually have limited distribution, like hand   
   sanitizer, could see a person buying ten times as much as they normally   
   use and sticking it on a shelf.   
      
   But it's almost impossible for almost everyone to radically change total   
   gasoline purchases without driving a whole lot more. People rarely have   
   any significant gas storage capacity -- at most they might top off the   
   tank of a car they don't drive very often. But otherwise, if you burn   
   ten gallons a week of gas, you won't be buying significantly more than   
   that. There's no way to fit 30 gallons in a 10 gallon tank.   
      
   It's not like the gas supply doesn't typically handle a significant   
   amount of ebb and flow in demand -- I looked at stats for the UK and   
   you'll often see a day to day variation of 25% or more in gasoline   
   sales. And gas stations don't get daily deliveries -- supplies are   
   closer to weekly.   
      
   It seems like reporters are just swallowing a line being fed to them by   
   suppliers who want to shift the blame for closed stations to the public,   
   right? I just don't see how some people putting five gallons in their   
   tank today instead of tomorrow would have much effect, especially when   
   other people are delaying optional driving.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)