Quite simply, without all the politics guff, a good %age of this "crisis" has been caused by the media.

This was a non story, early on in the week, which has been snowballed into hysteria by ALL tabloid editors, and the bosses at the Beeb/Sky/ITN.

There is no strike, non has been announced (yet), but the sheep (the "Great" British public) have been whipped into panic.

If it wasn't so pathetic, it'd be funny.

Well acting on government instructions I've been out and panic bought some petrol today, couldn't find any at the first five garages I went to but Morrisons didn't let me down.

I like to think I've done my bit to keep Francis in a job...

Always surprised me how often you see people parked up in close proximity to a car fire on the motorway. While I applaud their willingness to stop and help out, some of them a really risking life and limb.

rlTories believe the tanker drivers' strike was their "Thatcher moment"rl

If that really is the message they're sending out to the constituencies, they'll be lucky to have any support left come 2015

rlDIYrl

Meme of the week.

You are a luddite - do you honestly think this process of filling tankers and transporting them and emptying them at filling station has reached its zenith!! There isn't a process out there that cannot be improved upon.

You need to stick to fishing or whatever you do now - no wonder you decided working was a bit too much for you.

I'd prefer that to being a tory-supporting, union-hating imbecile any day of the week.

You still have absolutely no idea of the logistics involved in hazardous cargo distribution but you "know" it can be improved, all at the expense of the workers performing the function.

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Oh BTW, I work to fish. Once all the expenses have been covered, I spend the rest on catching fish so that I can cook and eat them.

Plaice and turbot fishing tomorrow, I'll let you know how I get on

With the benefit of your knowledge, what would you do then?

Now I think you're being unfair on Sal, he knows what things are like and how to improve things in the real world. I'm sure with his in-depth knowledge of the petrol haulage industry he can provide numerous examples of how the processes and functions involved can be improved. In the same way that carers could be made more efficient by restricting their expense accounts. In the real world of course.

Actually there are quite a few. No physical process can be improved upon infinitely, and then there's the law of diminishing returns to consider. For someone who likes to bang on about the 'real world' you seem to have a remarkably superficial grip on how things actually operate there.

Perhaps the way the fuel is transported could be re-thought - does it need to be transported in vehicles? you speak as if you are an expert in this field - I doubt very much you have the slightest idea of what is involved?

What do you actually know above moving hazardous materials in today's world? I know you think you are an expert in every single area of discussion on here - some of us are not that simple we fall for your diatribe. How long is it since you retired to the river bank?

I said no one should put in a position where they need to break the WTD or put themselves in danger. The fact the company is expecting workers to be in the position is simply laziness on their part.

I would look for the bottlenecks in the process and apply some simple Kaisan techniques to improve matters - could I suggest the following reading - The Goal by Eliyahu Goldratt - this might change you view about process improvement and their benefits.