A toxic mix of shock, dismay and anger was evident among drivers queueing at one of Glasgow's busiest petrol stations yesterday.
Morrison's supermarket at Anniesland offered some of the cheapest prices at 137.9p for a litre of petrol and 145.6p for a litre of diesel, and there were up to 40 cars waiting to fill up at any one time.
Even if no-one would admit to panic-buying, the impatient sounds of tooting horns and raised voices in the spring sunshine suggested otherwise.
"There was a queue like an execution at my local petrol station so I came here, and now I feel I've been caught up in something the Westminster Government's started," said one frustrated driver from Drumchapel who had waited for more than 20 minutes.
Eileen Martin, from Broomhill, said: "I thought I'd better fill up today when I saw the huge queues here yesterday. I didn't really know there might be a strike until that point. I feel the Government's created this situation on purpose. It's daft, because anyone who fills their tank today will need more petrol by the time the strike is supposed to start. It will cost me £45 to fill my tank, and hopefully, it will last me until after that."
Local resident Rikky O'Hara, who had just returned from a holiday in New York, was baffled. "What the hell's going on here? All I see is people running around and panicking. I had no idea there was a situation with petrol. It's like the 1945 rationing has come back. I left my car empty of fuel in case someone tried to nick it while I was away and now I can't get near a pump."
Those who needed their vehicles for work were even angrier. "I genuinely need to fill up today because my tank's on red and I need my car for work," said Ronnie Gallagher, from Scotstoun. "When I was driving here I didn't think I was panic-buying, but then I realised the queue was round the block so I decided to wait it out. I usually only put in £40 worth, but I've decided to fill up, even though it will cost me £65 to do so."
Bearsden taxi driver John Burns was angry. He said: "This is unbelievable. People are using fuel to carry fuel and wasting what they have in order to get more. Everywhere I go there are queues. When there's a strike on, petrol stations usually reserve a pump for police cars, fire engines, ambulances and taxis. But because there's no strike yet that hasn't happened. I've been waiting for ages and can't get on with my job."
Lollipop man Colin Wilson, from Summerston, added: "I'm absolutely shocked at the situation because there's no need for it. This is the Coalition's fault, whipping up a panic with their nonsense. The strike is only a possibility but the Government is making everyone fill up so they get their fuel tax. Well, I'm not playing their game. I'm sticking to my usual £25 worth."
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