From: office@REMOVETHISwhhvs.co.uk   
      
   On 30 Sep 2021, Michael Trew wrote   
   > On 9/29/2021 10:06 AM, Howard wrote:   
      
   >> 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.   
   >   
   > (Snip)   
   >   
   >> 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.   
   >   
   > As I see it, and what happened in the US, many more people bought   
   > fuel than normally would in that time period, also in larger   
   > quantities than normal.  I saw videos of people in the US filling   
   > 55 gallon drums and more with fuel.  IMHO, the pumps should shut   
   > off after a "reasonable" amount of fuel, maybe 30 gallons.  Much   
   > more than that is excessive for a fuel trip.   
      
   To stop people adding to the length of the queue by topping up with   
   small "just in case" amounts, wouldn't it be more efficient to set a   
   minimum purchase, rather than a maximum?   
      
   "You want to top up when your 40-litre tank[1] is still half full?   
   Sorry, you need to buy at least 30 litres, so come back when you're   
   down to a quarter of a tank or less."   
      
   [1] That's the size of the tank in my Honda Jazz.   
      
   --   
   Cheers, Harvey   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)