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Originally Posted by Russ D
I remember a poll in the Mirror at the time which showed that most people were in support of the protests before and as it started, but once they saw how inconveniencing the whole thing was, they started to turn on the protestors, especially that guy who started it all, can't remember his name right now.
This is just like when people who provide a service to the public go on strike - it's as if inconveniencing the public directly will gain them sympathy and support. About 10 years ago I was out of work and there was a postal strike. My giro arrived 6 days late. OK I was living with my parents at the time and didn't need the money as much as some, but if I'd had children to support, what would the Royal Mail have expected me to say? "The kids will go without food, the house won't have any heating, but good on you fellas, you stand up to your bosses!"???
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Being withing the AA at the time was great because unlike a newspaper like the mirror, the AA doesn't have to pander to the political bias of the majority of it's members.
Unlike with postal strikes, or other public service strikes (anyone noticed an increase in them since labour got back in?) where the strikers don't react to the effects on the public, the fuel protesters did, it was looking like the blockades were going to affect deliveries of essentials etc, and they called them off, despite a large portion of the public wishing them to continue until labour reversed the recent tax hikes.
I remember when it started, and I first saw Bliar trying to make them out as the bad guys, thinking "he's going to do something that will help the truckers and farmers slightly, but do nothing to help the majority of motorists who back the campain", and I believe he did.
The protesters were doing something that the ordinary motorist couldn't really do, taking a stand against the disgustingly high taxes levied on Britain's motoring community!