Panic buying is so foolish
By MichaelJay
@MichaelJay (1100)
April 25, 2008 4:08am CST
In UK we have a situation where one of the largst oil refineries will be closed for a few days by a strike.
Rumours and tv coverage are hypeing this into a big deal.
I went to get diesel for the car today and queued for 40 minutes as silly, selfish pople were topping up their tanks in some cases with just a few litres of petrol or diesel.
I do think the media plays a role in this by spreading alarm and despondency. I can see this being a real problem by the weekend, where none exists really.
Greedy garage owners are putting the already exorbitant price ($6.00 US at leat!) up by sneaking a few pence on the price per litre.
What is your opinion of panic buying?
1 person likes this
4 responses
@gemini_rose (16264)
•
25 Apr 08
Panic buying really annoys me, I just watched a news report that has said that there will be no fuel during the strike, which will now make things 10 times worse. The more people are told not to panic buy the more they do, it is the news reports that are mainly responsible for it, and it will just make life extremely difficult for everyone else now.
1 person likes this
@kezabelle (2974)
•
25 Apr 08
Really I sometimes wonder if I watch the news with my eyes and ears closed I didnt even hear about it lol. So definatley no panic buying in this house although really if I get stuck without petrol the worst thing is I cant get my eldest to preschool so I dont see the point really missing a couple of days of preschool wont hurt anyone might try my patience but thats it lol.
Media do hype it up a lot and that in turn causes a lack of petrol because people panic and buy it all up if they just got the amount the needed it would last longer for sure.
1 person likes this
@Angelwhispers (8978)
• United States
25 Apr 08
Here in the US there is something similar going on and I see it building. people are being told and encouraged to stock pile rice and Wheat products as prices are expected to sky rocket. It is crazy and I do believe media driven. Every day the news stories are just a little more alarmist than it was the day before. Crazy. Insane.
1 person likes this
@newzealtralian (3930)
• Australia
9 May 08
The media hypes everything up these days. We buy things only when we need them, or when there is a good special on. If we need petrol when it is more expensive, then we go without something else, like takeaway, but we wouldn't top the car up a couple of litres just because the price could increase.
