- Some stations across the UK ran out of fuel due to a shortage in drivers who can deliver fuel after Brexit.
- Transport secretary and prime minister have both warned against panic-buying
- TikTokers film people stockpiling gas regardless of their intentions, and some clips go viral.
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Numerous TikToks showing people panic-buying gas in the midst of Britain’s ongoing fuel crisis have gone viral.
There are many British gas stations ran dry last weekendDue to a shortage of fuel delivery truck driver drivers after Brexit. The Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), which represents around 5,500 of the UK’s 8,000 stations, warned Sunday that up to two-thirds were at risk. “partly dry and running out soon,”According to BBC.
ReutersReports said that cars queued up at gas stations throughout the country on Sunday night. Various fuel industry bodies such as Shell and BP published a Monday update. Joint statementSaying that there is plenty of fuel, and adding that “the issues that have arisen are due to temporary spikes in customer demand.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Grant Shapps, Transport SecretaryThe, and President of British motoring and car association AAEdmund King and others have warned against panic-buying or stockpiling. King stated that every vehicle in the country would need to fill up its tank at once. “put a strain on the system.”
TikToks are going viral this week as people film others contradicting the advice. Videos under #fuelshortage or #petrolshortage were viewed over 80 million times. Many videos taken at gas stations showed people buying large amounts of fuel.
One TikTokUser posted the following @chief_fybroThe app has more than 1,700 followers. This viral clip has been viewed more than 3 million times. A man fills a container at the petrol pump while being surrounded with other containers that seem to have been filled.
Overlaid text appeared to refer the man to as “a” “clown”It was speculated that he was buying gas for two months.
More than a million people also watched TikTokPublished by @girlwithlonghairdThe user has nearly 16,000 followers. This clip appears to have been reposted from Snapchat. It shows a man filling up a large gas container at a petrol station.
The “funny laugh no no no”You can hear the TikTok sound in the background of any video. It is featured in over 2 million videos within the app. The sound features someone saying it as part of the trend. “no, no, no”Before laughing, is often added in videos that seem lightheartedly regret for things such as Sending a joke request accidentallyFor your ex to send money or You mistakenly think your phone is a fish.Then, throw it in the water.
Text is placed over the footage to suggest that people like the man being filmed may be responsible for the fuel crisis.
Some commentators referred to the people as “people”. “selfish,” and others shared stories of panic-buying they purportedly witnessed — one user said they saw a person fill up seven containers with petrol, while another said they saw someone trying to fill up petrol with a plastic bag.
According to BBC some gas stations have introduced a £30 cap for each customer purchase. PRA claimed that this was not mandatory because they don’t want gas station workers to be at danger. “confronting”Customers
Brian Madderson, Chairman of PRA, also stated that Thursday “there’s been no easing off of the pressure from drivers wanting to refuel whenever they can, wherever they can,”BBC Reports
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