£9.00 a gallon? That is outrageous! The cheapest I have found this week is 110.9 so I'm happy for another week or so.

This website I use www.keepmoving.co.uk have a new petrol price checker online so you can see the closest petrol to you.

grey_man:

So here we go then, remembering my (outrageous ?) projections on petrol prices that I wrote about before on this post.

I have (in this case) the misfortune to live in Exeter.

There is only one garage in the city with any petrol today. Sainsburys, Tescos et al all ran out last Saturday and the rest of the garages bar one ran out on Sunday.

So today the one garage that has petrol (Foxhayes Garage in Exwick) is charging ... wait for it ... £1.999 per litre for unleaded. In English thats £9.00 per gallon.

Basic Econoomics innit. Sadly, only two ways to ration scarce goods and services have ever been invented - form a queue here or pay the price that the market will bear.

And I thought I was joking when I said earlier on this post that I was thinking about getting a horse ......

So here we go then, remembering my (outrageous ?) projections on petrol prices that I wrote about before on this post.

I have (in this case) the misfortune to live in Exeter.

There is only one garage in the city with any petrol today. Sainsburys, Tescos et al all ran out last Saturday and the rest of the garages bar one ran out on Sunday.

So today the one garage that has petrol (Foxhayes Garage in Exwick) is charging ... wait for it ... £1.999 per litre for unleaded. In English thats £9.00 per gallon.

Basic Econoomics innit. Sadly, only two ways to ration scarce goods and services have ever been invented - form a queue here or pay the price that the market will bear.

And I thought I was joking when I said earlier on this post that I was thinking about getting a horse ......

Vicissitude:

C'mon stick to insurance Vic,You sure are out of your depth on financial matters.

No, it's not excessive when you consider the size of the global company. Their share price is 641.00 as I write, which is pretty healthy. Do you understand how the profits of this particular company are calculated and how much the revenue helps support the UK economy by form of premium, invested premium reserves and it's place on the stock?

I actually feel a little bit embarrased for you backfoot. It's pretty evident that I'm very much in a comfortable depth on the financial matters in the insurance industry and have a broader understanding of business and economics. Please... read a book!

I wonder what that young guy RGB would have to say about that last paragraph!!

Yes it's obviously a non starter for you.

The point remains that a lot of us choose the car over public transport and then complain about petrol prices.There are more economical alternatives ,taking into account the cost of running vehicles but we choose to retain our independance and our cars.

Time for a rethink? Soon?

OK Backfoot - you suggest public transport

That's great when it is available - but for me (in deepest darkest somerset) - it is NOT available - unless you want to wait 2 hours to get to town - then another 2 hours to get anywhere from the bus depot then another 2 hours to get back !!!

From 8th May : BP non-executive director Sir William Castell spent more than £200,000 on shares in the oil giant today, his second big purchase since joining the board in 2006.

Sir William, who chairs BP’s safety, ethics and environment assurance committee, bought 32,500 shares at 615.5p each. It lifts his holding to 82,500 shares following a purchase of 50,000 shares last June at 587p each.

BP shares have gained around 15% over the past month, helped by profit for the first quarter of 2008 rising to $7.6bn from $4.7bn in the same period last year. While crude oil production fell slightly, to 818m barrels of oils a day from 832m, the company reaped the rewards of higher oil prices. The price of a barrel of crude oil hit $100 in January and has since moved past $123.

Perhaps we should follow his lead?

No your link was the first I heard of it.Can't really get my mind round what good it does.The biggest losers from the associated disruption are the hauliers themselves,followed by the general panic buying and misery for people and businesses going about their daily lives.

Who is the protest aimed at? The OPEC producers ? Increased demand from emerging countries? I am afraid we have to face up to fact that there oil is a diminishing resource with increasing demand and the price has and may continue to go up.

We could lobby the Govt. to reduce petrol tax and VAT.Oh but they have got to pay for the 10p tax abolition/reinstatement, so that is probably a non starter.

We can all walk more,use public transport.

I know Graeme sorry.

I think that there is a lot of discontent over escalating prices,not just oil. As I have tried to explain some of this is partly laid at the Government's door and some of it is driven by changing world dynamics.What we have to be careful about is not jumping to the wrong conclusions and targetting the intermediaries who are essential to the successful operation of our dwindling manufacturing and production economy.

I have always tried to limit my travel but obviously the essential jouneys are ever more costly and it is helping to fuel food price increases and other costs of manufacturing and distribution.Tricky times ahead.

Time at the bar, gentlemen, please. Can we get this back on topic, now? Thanks...

Personally, I think we're yet to see the worst of the oil price rises. Are you having to cut back in other areas so you can afford fuel? Should the oil companies or the government be doing more to help us out? Are we going to see a consumer campaign as we did a few years ago? I know I'm having to be much more careful about the journeys I make as well as the energy I use around the house.

Vicissitude:

Ref: backfoot post at Wed, May 14 2008 8:59 AM:

Because what I had written was a little OTT, which I recognised and rectified by voluntarily removing the post - an adult action! Although now, I'm not so sure it was OTT as you proved every point I wrote about!

My name is also not 'Baldrick', so would you kindly refrain from referring to me in any manner other than the name 'Vicissitude' as my choice of screen name. In actual fact, it might be an idea if you didn't refer to me at all as I no longer care for your opinion on any previous matter or that in the future.

Dearest Vivivicdude,

Humour bypass duly noted.

Ref: backfoot post at Wed, May 14 2008 8:59 AM:

Because what I had written was a little OTT, which I recognised and rectified by voluntarily removing the post - an adult action! Although now, I'm not so sure it was OTT as you proved every point I wrote about!

My name is also not 'Baldrick', so would you kindly refrain from referring to me in any manner other than the name 'Vicissitude' as my choice of screen name. In actual fact, it might be an idea if you didn't refer to me at all as I no longer care for your opinion on any previous matter or that in the future.

Vicissitude:

backfoot:

It's not a good idea to keep drawing attention to it either.Anybody reading it will think you are an idiot.

Ref the insulting second part of your comment, which you decided to slip in after, I might suggest you quit whilst you're behind!

Also, backfoot, could you kindly refrain from calling me 'David' and 'Mr. Brent' please? My real name isn't 'David' or 'Mr. Brent' and your continuous use of this terminology is giving me cause for concern RE: harassment. I've only asked this once, and polite in doing so. If you have any problems understanding this, might I suggest reading http://www.moneysupermarket.com/community/content/ForumUsage.aspx. Thank you!

Aaaahhhh Viccy,

There ,there.

Priceless.The forum is full of you belittling,speaking down to and patronising other members, yet when you get the tiniest bit of your own medicine, you squeal to the beak. Harassment!!........lol..........your myopic imagination has no bounds.

Isn't it ironic, amongst all your quote dissection,and allegations of off topicness, that you kept up the barrage of trying to justify yourself over your Aviva share price faux pas.That's whats rankled you big time and you just can't let it drop.Your protest suggestion has curried no favour with anyone else,is fundamentally flawed and you are feeling all forlorn.I commented on it throughout using analogies from the insurance sector of why it is flawed and you have taken it all so personally, feeling challenged on your pet subject.(Yes we all know how good you are at it.)....yawn.

This from the person who previously chose to make a public apology for being a nob........in your own words.

Have a nice day, Baldrick.

Cheers.