That’s if you were one of the many people who spent hours queuing for fuel because I think it was madness. There was no strike called! It appears this small nugget of essential information failed to register. What is it about the British and queues?

The media managed to whip up a storm out of nothing and it appears half the population dropped everything and headed for their local supermarkets’ fuel pumps. Anecdotally some were putting in between five and ten litres only.

This media generated firestorm then created the shortage that we had all heard about and for 48 hours the end of the world was nigh. The worst part was the unbelievable stories about people storing petrol and the accidents that unfortunately unfolded as a result.

I have made no changes to my lifestyle and driving and the whole thing has passed me by. I felt vaguely guilty when going to my local garage with two Jerry Cans for my tractor, mower and chainsaw but I can say that in Ross-on-Wye hysteria did not takeover as it was business as usual at the BP station.

So who gained from the public’s mass action?

• The Tanker Drivers who have had a big lashing of overtime out of the blue when keeping the network fully stocked

• The Garage Operators who in many cases put their prices up because they knew the public would pay.

• The Petroleum Companies who all got a great boost to sales at the end of the financial year.

• The Government who got a windfall in VAT and Duty due to the mad rush once again at the end of the Financial year.

Who lost out?

• Yes the Public - for not looking at the facts and believing the Media. Together we paid more, queued more and created a shortage when there was none.

Thus I apologise for saying – 'All the world is mad except thee and me, and sometimes I have my doubts about thee'.