Post Peak Italy
Posted by Ugo Bardi on December 12, 2007 - 1:03pm in The Oil Drum: Europe
Today (12/12/07) is the third day of lorry driver strikes in Italy. They are protesting over high fuel prices and theatening to bring the country to a halt. As of yesterday Reuters were reporting 80% of gas stations were without fuel.
The effects are already visible. This morning, Florence was eerily quiet, nothing of the usual traffic jams - no trucks whatsoever to be seen. Driving my electric motorcycle, I passed in front of many gas stations, all those I saw were displaying the sign "esaurita" ("out of gas").
Reports are coming that the situation is becoming ugly in southern Italy. (in Italian). Those lorry drivers who refused to go along with the blockade saw their tires punctured when they stopped at service stations. On the highway near Naples plenty of trucks are reported to be stuck with flat tires and broken windows. The press reports that supermarkets are running out of food.
The mainstream Italian press is not linking these events to the high prices of fuel, preferring to focus on other issues, such as the request that Italian truckers are protected from foreign competition. But there is no doubt that the main issue here is the price of fuel. Despite an old tradition of small and efficient cars, recently, Italians have been embracing the "SUV culture" with great enthousiasm. The country's transportation system is mostly based on fuels derived from imported crude oil. Italy is also something of a weak link among industrialized countries and the high prices of oil appear to have caused a reduction in consumption, as seen in the following graph (sorry, it is in Italian; "prezzi" = "prices", "consumi" = consumption")
Source: ASPO-Italia blog
So far, nothing special had happened, probably people had cut their fuel use for non essential needs. But, at present, the high prices are starting to be felt also in essential services, such as goods transportation. The problem takes the shape of a truckers' blockade, but it is a symptom of a much deeper problem.
The government has issued an injunction to force lorry drivers to stop the blockade. Very post peak, indeed.
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Ugo welcome to TOD:E as a contributor. This is a hell of post to start with.
Report on Euronews
If the hints that the blockade can spread to other states are not just speculation we could be in for some interesting days in Europe.
Thanks Luis. Yes, I think Italy is an interesting case; peak oil troubles may start here first, then spread to the rest of Europe. We'll see. Anyway, as you may imagine, "peak oil" is an absolutely taboo term in the mainstream press, here.
This is a link to the UK organisation "Transaction 2007". This also has been only lightly mentioned in the UK media.
http://www.transaction-2007.com/
See also a similar organisation that brought the place to a standstill in 2000. They followed a French blockade that was very 'successful'.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/breakfast/4243042.stm
This year they plan to begin their action on Saturday 15th December, I don't read that they are co-ordinated with the Italian action (except by 'happy' co-incidence).
Report on BBC World News.
Latest news from Italy (Dec 12, 10 p.m.): the Truckers' strike seems to be over. The government and the unions have reached an agreement. The blockade is being lifted; the situation may go back to normal in a few days. It was only a test, apparently. A taste of things to come
Ah Ugo, that's too bad. I was looking forward to pictures of chaos and carnage. This is the market at work. Italy has just saved us a few hundred thousand barrels.
Your involvement in electric vehicles looks smarter now, doesn't it? remember to gloat when you are out driving :)
Yup; fortunately I wear a helmet!
About electric vehicles, with my electric motorcycle truly I felt nearly invulnerable to the crisis; especially considering that I also have PV panels that I can use to charge the batteries. Enough for gloating a bit under the helmet. But also I saw that it is not enough. All what I can do with the batteries I have now (need to be replaced) is about 25 km on a level road - and here it is everything but level. When my wife's car ran out of gas, the little electric thing was all what we had, and it is not much. Still, this morning, we have no gas for the car and it will take at least one more day before the service stations nearby will be refilled. We live in a suburban area, very much American style. Public transportation exists, but it is very poor. So, this morning me and my wife will be using the electric motorcycle to go to work together. The little thing is, actually, a one seater and with my wife on it we look like one of those 1950s pictures, when Italians would ride their Vespas with the whole family; man, wife, two children, and maybe a cage with a canary inside. A classic post peak picture!
More from where that came from: Lords of the Logistic
I have seen people in Morocco carrying a live ram on a motorcycle! (and two people riding it) Infinite is the variety of logistics
Sounds dangerous: I hope they had it tied down :) Fullgrown rams, atleast where I come from, weigh in at 100-120+ kg. I've carried sheep in cars a number of times, usually they just defecate and pee everywhere, but my father once got a ruined windshield when the young and agile male lamb he had in the passenger seat tried to jump through it head first. Stupid sheep, don't they know windshields are laminated? he should have aimed for the side window..
Jaha - skotter er enda dummer en sue. Troffet vi i Cork?
skrek ulv
Pigs?