Videos on social media have captured the chaos unfolding on the fifth day of supposed petrol “shortages” across the UK.
While Britain’s refineries actually have plenty of fuel, a shortage of HGV drivers means the petrol is not being distribution across the country fast enough.
Fuel prices are now skyrocketing as panic-buyers drain the petrol pumps, leading to widespread complaints from drivers, particularly those working for the emergency services who can no longer do their jobs.
The Army has now been put on standby in a bid to get the supply chains working again.
But there have already been several reports – and videos – of people pouring petrol into water bottles and taking more than their fair share of fuel.
According to The Independent, one woman filled so many water bottles with petrol she caused a 30-minute queue in Cobham Services on the M25 on Saturday.
Fights are breaking out across the country as people confront one another over their petrol shortages as well.
One man is thought to have been carrying a knife on Monday when he visited a petrol station, while other people have been seen furiously arguing with one another over the limited fuel supplies over the last few days.
Outside the petrol stations which have remained fully open, queues are also stretching down the roads outside, and oil companies have imposed a £30 spending limit to ration the supplies.
Chris J Ratcliffe via Getty Images
Ambulance drivers have complained that they are now suffering as well.
Emergency services driver Becky Hough tweeted on Friday: “To everyone that panicked and went to fuel their cars when it wasn’t needed, well done. On shift on an emergency ambulance, low on fuel and struggling to find somewhere that isn’t sold out.”
On Sunday, she wrote: “FINALLY! A BP garage that has let us use the reserves. However whilst fuelling we received verbal abuse from the public driving past, horns being honked and many hand gestures.”
Another ambulance driver also told LBC on Tuesday: “I was in the petrol queue for over an hour, and when the attendant actually saw that I was in patient transport, he let me jump the queue.
″The abuse I got yesterday was horrendous.”
