Common sense is what many lack

CORRESPONDENT Will Woodward has highlighted the shortage of HGV drivers (“Could driver shortage be Brexit bonus?”, September 28).

All of this has been going on for years and I fail to see what it has to do with government.

I’ve seen it before in the Fens in the early 70s. Companies were hauling coal from Wales, they were fighting over each other to get contracts, and eventually lots went out of business; that wasn’t Parliament’s fault, it was theirs.

Sadly, with this current problem the Government have little hope of solving it because they need to import the one commodity that is missing– common sense!

Alas, that has been in short supply for years; it’s not helped by the media either, using inflammatory language, such as “panic buying”.

I wish people would get it in their heads in times of “panic” you do not go shopping!

What we are looking at here is one of the seven deadly sins – avarice/greed. People will strip shelves of products in seconds; mind you they are encouraged in this behaviour by the trade who have “early hours” sales that attract clientele to queue all night so that they may “grab” bargains for no reason other than to prevent others having them.

The parent that boasts of sending its offspring to nursery to learn to “share their toys”, an attitude that soon evaporates with age.

Are we watching the ugly face of capitalism in full flow. What’s the alternative, nationalisation? I hope not. Those that are old enough will remember that, and the unions of the miners, dockers, railmen and car workers holding this country to ransom for years.

It’s not an environment I would wish to return to.

For those that have been/are storing petrol in illicit containers, I’m guessing that you are not very bright. Do you have a paintbrush that has plastic bristles? Stand it in a glass jar of petrol and observe what happens to the bristles, whoops! I hope you are not keeping petrol in a plastic container...you have been warned! Should you suffer severe inconvenience from fire or spillage you will get no sympathy from me whatsoever.

Proper petrol containers are certified for a reason, what a pity we can’t “certify” the owners. I’m sorry but there is no other explanation for it, you are stupid.

All the niceties have been tried and exhausted, you now deserve to suffer from your own deeds.

MC Haines, Chaddesden