Rising fuel prices: European views

BBC News website readers across Europe have been reacting to the continent's surging fuel prices, which have prompted blockades and strikes in Spain, France and the UK.

Read some of their comments below and send us your own experiences.

We were travelling down from Nice last night and were very tired after our business trip. We were jumped upon by many of the protesters on the boarder and felt very intimidated by the way they jumped out in front of our van. We told them we had nothing in the van and needed to get back to our home where my children, 24 and 13, were waiting for our arrival. They told us we would be sleeping there and would not allow us through. We had nothing in the van so eventually they allowed us to pass. I agree that protests are needed to but scaring people at 0230 is not the way to go about this and should allow people to make up their own minds to join in any protests.
Nicola, Girona, Spain

I am a grower and exporter of organic fresh vegetables from Spain into the rest of Europe. Guaranteed, our season ends in July, but I still have crops in the ground that need to be harvested and exported to my supermarket customers. I am currently looking at sea freight alternatives so as not to let my UK customers down.
Jose Manuel Escobar, El Ejido, Spain

I live in Madrid, I have nothing to do with the strike, but in my work there is a lot of concern that the fuel is going to run out by the weekend, so all of them are filling their car's tank, and also they are talking about buying a lot of food before the stores run out of food. People are really concerned - some of them are not using the car, just for precaution and taking the bus. In work, all deliveries are being affected, nothing is normal, this is really affecting all of us, we want solutions fast!
Ariadna, Madrid, Spain

Being a new resident of the EU, by way of the US, I find the cost of fuel to be high here in Spain but appreciate the value Europeans place on this precious commodity. The high price discourages wasteful usage, such as SUVs in abundance. I believe the EU governments are reaping a windfall in taxes (VAT) at the expense of normal working people that must purchase fuel. It seems in order to cap the VAT for the time being and raise it slowly government revenues begin to flatten or fall. Here in Barcelona, today, I don't feel the impact of the strike, yet, but it's coming.
Rafael de Arce, Barcelona, Spain

Longer queues are starting to form at petrol stations here, as people fill up just in case. I also went to the supermarket early this morning as always but it was three times as busy as usual. If this carries on, petrol stations and supermarkets will be empty of fuel and fresh produce within a few days. Let's hope it doesn't last too long, everyone is affected by the massive hikes in fuel. This is the fault of governments which should have seen this coming years ago and prepared for it, together with the huge oil companies which probably "persuaded" them not to do anything.
John Wilkings, Benahavis, Spain

Well people think they have it hard in Europe, what do you think of the people working in poorer countries, like myself? The poor countries are suffering a lot more than the European richer counterparts, but I believe we are all suffering. It's about time we pulled the plug on Opec and all the other nasty oil companies, and take a leaf out of the Venezuelan president, but this time all of Europe stick together, so we can't be pushed. After all, we do produce our own oil, so we can be independent of the Arab states' oil.
Scott, Thailand

I have just spoken to my son who works for a Suffolk-based removal company and he and his work colleague are on a removal job for the company and they are stuck in a car park 100 miles from Malaga. They have been prevented from continuing with their work schedule. This morning they were "directed" by the Spanish truck protesters into this car park. As I spoke to him, he told me there were about 20 other lorries, there to. The Spanish police were ensuring nothing bad happened and just keeping civil law.
Ann-Margaret Barber, Stoke Holy Cross, Norwich, UK

The price of oil is already affecting my lifestyle. I am forced to walk more to get to where I need to go, only using the car when compulsory. I am just buying a few litres of fuel at a time. Before, I usually filled the tank up, but no more. Adgun Olosun, Ostbevern, Germany

The blockades have caused a fuel nightmare across France. We live in a small village 30 minutes from Poitiers and have been facing fuel shortages. People are panic buying which has led to most fuel stations running out. Our local fuel station has run out too. As it's 12 miles away I face another 20 mile drive to the next. Like some I didn't panic and rush out and fill up, but now with only a quarter of a tank left I don't think I can waste all that driving around trying to fill up.
Claire Brown, Menigoute, Deux-Sevres, France

It is not just the high oil prices which will force me to change the way I live but also the general costs of running a car. I will retire next year and had planned to buy a new smaller car. I am now planning to move into the city and go without a car altogether. Many people have been complaining about the rise in oil prices for some time in Germany but, judging by the traffic on the Autobahns, no one seems to be driving less. Not even warnings about global warming have had an effect.
Roger Pring, Munich, Germany

As an economist I understand that the current situation over oil prices is the only way to reduce petrol consumption and limit the damaging effects on the environment. As a result I cycle, despite the fact that here in Bulgaria we do not have special lanes and generally there are many accidents with bicycles on the road. Dangerous, but green!
Todor, Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Everybody but the richest will be affected by the rising oil prices. Personally I am affected because I am having to spend more money on food, transportation, clothes and so on. So many things depend on oil and it is impossible not to change the way you live.
Pavlin Lukanov, Sofia, Bulgaria

I'm affected as I ride a motorbike for fun and have a diesel guzzling 4x4 car. I pay horrendous amounts of road tax, despite the car being the most fuel efficient I have ever had, and having bought a diesel because it was supposedly greener. I'm looking forward to when oil runs out and I'll be able to use chip fat to power the car. I'm a little cynical about the Opec engineered oil prices, which are only benefiting the oil companies.
JC Lux, Luxembourg

I live in Berlin Germany where we have sidewalks, bike lanes and an excellent public transport system, which is affordable. As a matter of fact, I have never felt the need to acquire a driver's licence. Therefore there's no change in the way I live.
Daniela, Berlin, Germany

No, I am not affected. Either the oil is running out, or it isn't. If it isn't, there's no problem. If it is, I say we use it up in style and with gusto. I'm going to keep driving my big car as much as I can until petrol supplies either run out or become unaffordable. The alternative is to eke it out until we reach a point where motorists will only be allowed to drive their cars five miles a week, on designated days. Better to splurge now than end up measuring drops. Live with your foot on the accelerator, I say!
P J Molloy, Dublin, Ireland

My memory has served me well. Memory of the 1973 and 1980 oil shocks and ever since, I have tried hard to consider using fuel a privilege rather than a right. I am accustomed to using trains and cycling whenever I can. My car is very efficient and I drive it sparingly. There will be other price increases, such as foodstuffs, that will simply require adjustments, but no quality compromises. As a society, we have lived high on the hog for so long, mostly at the expense of others. No need to whine now.
M R, Munich, Germany

No it won't. Instead of flying I will take the train, since I hardly ever travel outside Europe anyhow. You can get almost anywhere in Europe by sleeper train in less than 24 hours. It's not that much worse than flying, and will only require a minor adjustment. I live in a city where you can cycle most places faster than driving and if it snows there is the metro. As for food, fresh produce has always been expensive and consumed a large proportion of my income, so nothing new there.
Matt, Vienna, Austria

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