Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 7:06 am Post subject: Today in Spain I got scared
Today in my country.
Truck drivers go on strike because of gasoil prices. The strike begins today, and they won't let a single truck into the cities. There are already fears of lack of food in the stores. Gas station owners say they will have gas for just a week if supply stops. The governement forms a crisis team, including the Defence minstery.
I'm sure people is rushing right now to the stores. I know is just a strike, and things would be right again after some days. But I got the feeling this is gonna happen more and more often from now.
Wonder what would happen when the problem won't be expensive gas, but no gas at all.
Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 7:23 am Post subject: Re: Today in Spain I got scared
Karlos4 wrote:
Today in my country.
Truck drivers go on strike because of gasoil prices. The strike begins today, and they won't let a single truck into the cities. There are already fears of lack of food in the stores. Gas station owners say they will have gas for just a week if supply stops. The governement forms a crisis team, including the Defence minstery.
I'm sure people is rushing right now to the stores. I know is just a strike, and things would be right again after some days. But I got the feeling this is gonna happen more and more often from now.
Wonder what would happen when the problem won't be expensive gas, but no gas at all.
How is your preparedness with supplies?
Panic is for those not prepared.
We develop self confidence by mastering the skills needed to overcome any situation that arises to threaten our life
The real problem is that we are consuming more than is being produced. Oil is traded in a free market and you know what happens in a free market when demand exceeds supply. The only real hope is demand destruction. But then you have the peak oil depletion curve, which is an exponential downward curve. That means the the only way to stabilize the price is to lower consumption in tandem with supply. That means that we have to use less and less as time goes on, which will be painful, very painful. In Europe's case, the only relief the government can offer is lowered fuel taxes, which takes a bite out of social programs. We are all in a pickle, that's for sure. _________________ "That's the problem with mercy, kid... It just ain't professional" - Fast Eddie, The Color of Money
Joined: Oct 23, 2004 Posts: 5891 Location: New Jersey
Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 7:35 am Post subject: Re: Today in Spain I got scared
Karlos4 wrote:
Today in my country.
Truck drivers go on strike because of gasoil prices. The strike begins today, and they won't let a single truck into the cities. There are already fears of lack of food in the stores. Gas station owners say they will have gas for just a week if supply stops. The governement forms a crisis team, including the Defence minstery.
I'm sure people is rushing right now to the stores. I know is just a strike, and things would be right again after some days. But I got the feeling this is gonna happen more and more often from now.
Wonder what would happen when the problem won't be expensive gas, but no gas at all.
I can understand why you are concerned. In the US, gasoline and diesel supplies are delivered just-in-time, and therefore inventories are kept low. A small interuption to the delivery system and we will have shortages. I suppose the same is true in Spain, but I don't know that.
What do the strikers hope to accomplish? _________________ It's already over, now it's just a matter of adjusting.
Karlos, welcome to the forum and let us know what's happening.
What do truckers want ? Why don't they just raise their prices?
There are market inefficiencies that seem to keep demand propped up with people in the middle taking the hit.
Same thing in restaurants - they are slow to raise their prices (don't want to reprint menus, afraid of driving away cutomers, etc) but are complaining about profit loss due to increased flour costs and other inputs.
Ultimately, there has to be less consumption, less restaurants, less driving, less truckers. How we get there is the question.
Joined: May 26, 2004 Posts: 1190 Location: Zoorope
Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 9:21 am Post subject: Re: Today in Spain I got scared
Dunno in Spain, but here in Italy truckers ask for diesel tax cut and special help from govt to remain in business. No strike yet, but I've already stockpiled diesel and veg-oil just in case... _________________ **no english mothertongue**
--------
Objects in the rear view mirror
are closer than they appear.
Joined: Feb 02, 2006 Posts: 291 Location: Denver, USA
Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 9:32 am Post subject: Re: Today in Spain I got scared
Fishermen are also striking, or at least idling their boats, in portions of Spain. They hope the country's entire fishing fleet will join in soon. Also, Portuguese truck drivers have decided to commence a strike tomorrow. _________________ "It is certain that free societies would have no easy time in a future dark age. The rapid return to universal penury will be accomplished by violence and cruelties of a kind now forgotten." - Roberto Vacca, The Coming Dark Age
Joined: Mar 18, 2006 Posts: 1196 Location: Last outpost of Civilisation
Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 9:40 am Post subject: Re: Today in Spain I got scared
France here.
I can confirm this story, I have a mate who is a trans-European trucker & talked to him this-morning.
Word from the inside is that the protest is going Europe-wide 'some time soon'. The aim will be to force governments across the EU to cut fuel taxes for all sectors.
Joined: Dec 18, 2004 Posts: 4369 Location: One Mile From the Columbia River
Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 9:49 am Post subject: Re: Today in Spain I got scared
JPL wrote:
France here.
I can confirm this story, I have a mate who is a trans-European trucker & talked to him this-morning.
Word from the inside is that the protest is going Europe-wide 'some time soon'. The aim will be to force governments across the EU to cut fuel taxes for all sectors.
Off now to fill the jerry cans...
JP
Cut taxes? Make petrol and diesel cheaper? That way we'll burn through it faster so we can get The Large Show going sooner. Sounds smart. Really smart. _________________ Everything is Impermanent. Shakyamuni Buddha
Joined: Oct 23, 2004 Posts: 5891 Location: New Jersey
Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 9:50 am Post subject: Re: Today in Spain I got scared
JPL wrote:
France here.
I can confirm this story, I have a mate who is a trans-European trucker & talked to him this-morning.
Word from the inside is that the protest is going Europe-wide 'some time soon'. The aim will be to force governments across the EU to cut fuel taxes for all sectors.
Off now to fill the jerry cans...
JP
I mentioned on another thread that instead of reducing subsidies, high energy prices will increase subsidies - even here in the US (or at least a reduction in existing energy taxes).
Today South Korea increased subsidies dramatically, and Friday Chile did the same thing.
It appears that 'demand destruction' is going to be fought by all. This may lead to prices accelarating even faster than they should have - followed by outright shortages. _________________ It's already over, now it's just a matter of adjusting.
Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 10:46 am Post subject: Re: Today in Spain I got scared
considering most fuel taxes are used for transportation infrastucture building and maintence,cutting taxes makes sense, because the roads arent going to need to be maintained for much longer.
Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 11:00 am Post subject: Re: Today in Spain I got scared
As a regular viewer of peakoil.com he will have provisions to last him a year so a brief strike presents no problem.
In the UK we have already had small trucker protests (even a biker protest), and the call is for petrol/diesel tax cuts. There will probably be more such activity, and the general public's mood is receptive. For the current government this is politically unthinkable, and in any case it is unable to do so without resorting to even heavier borrowing to fund the cuts. However, the next government may do this as they will probably be cutting many of the current government's projects anyway. I am assuming a change of government at the next election. _________________ "The American people are watching the numbers climb higher and higher at the pump and they're waiting to see what the Congress will do." - George W Bush
Posted: Sun Jun 08, 2008 11:05 am Post subject: Re: Today in Spain I got scared
A strike will show the people the need to have at least some supplies on hand, including fuel (see JPL's post). While the govt may implement the tax cut, normal demand would stay the same. Stockpiling would increase demand. Prices will rise in a few months to exceed the tax savings. Truckers will be in the same boat, but having blamed the government already, who's next? _________________ If you want a picture of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face--for ever."
-George Orwell, 1984
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