Thursday, June 05, 2008

Mad Rush for Petrol Before Price Hike


Last night just before 7.00pm, a friend sms'ed me to let me know that petrol price in Malaysia would be increased to RM2.70 per litre from RM 1.92 by midnight, a 41% increase.

I didn't think much of it until I was caught in massive traffic jam on the way back. There were long queues at every petrol station in town, in fact throughout Malaysia.

I did a calculation that if you have a 50-litre tank capacity and the tank was 50% full when you queue up for refilling, there will be a saving of RM19.50. RM29.25 if the tank is 25% full. With the time and the petrol wasted in the queuing, one wonders whether it was worth the while to deliberately get into the queue and the jam.

I wonder this is a phenomenon typical in Malaysia or in some other countries as well. Is this a kiasu culture as well ?

No comments: