If the miners had had mobile phones, they'd probably have been counted as offensive weapons, and proof of conspiracy.

DougR - the media here have been overwhelmingly in favour of the petrol blockade. Problems for essential swervices, hospitals cancelling operations, schools shutting down, nurses unable to make housecalls to cancer patients - that's all been the fault of the government.

The people who'd be talking about "holding the country to ransom" if it was the unions calling a srtrike are talking rapturously about "people power"; the unions have been trying to persuade people to call of the protest and get back to work.

And the very same people in the media who last week were denouncing the French lorry drivers for doing the same thing, and ridiculing the French giovernment for backing down are now praisingthe English lorry drivers, and calling on the British government to back down.

It's all very bizarre.

But it's a bit frightening, how very vulnerable our whole society is. It's like a bicycle - stop it, and it falls over, just like that. But if you don't stop it, it's headed straight out over a cliff.

(And thanks DougR for your peaceful and courteous response to a crack by me about "fuel crises" that you could well have bridled at.)