The Lexus Lane

lets not lose sight of the real objective here, which is to make money. its nothing to do with easing congestion. same as the congestion charge and emmissions charge in london. I pay road tax on my 3 road bikes, my 4 x 4 pick up and my smart car, I also pay tax on my insurance not to mention the amount of tax I pay on fuel. the easiest way to ease congestion is to get the 1 in 20 cars off the road that have no insurance/driving licence, enforce lane disipline on the motorways, invest in sensible priced public transport. the motorist is an easy target to raise revenue, which is why the speed camera scum now sit on bridges above motorways (statistically our safest roads).

Originally Posted by busasean

lets not lose sight of the real objective here, which is to make money. its nothing to do with easing congestion. same as the congestion charge and emmissions charge in london. I pay road tax on my 3 road bikes, my 4 x 4 pick up and my smart car, I also pay tax on my insurance not to mention the amount of tax I pay on fuel. the easiest way to ease congestion is to get the 1 in 20 cars off the road that have no insurance/driving licence, enforce lane disipline on the motorways, invest in sensible priced public transport. the motorist is an easy target to raise revenue, which is why the speed camera scum now sit on bridges above motorways (statistically our safest roads).

+1.

Enforcing lane discipline on the motorways and police busting people for parking in town in a manner which effectively narrows a 2 way street to a single lane, when "just nipping into the shop for 5 minutes" would make a far greater dent in congestion than all this anti-driver malarky. Other things that would help would be enforced temporary minimum speed limits at the scene of motorway accidents (to prevent rubber neckers driving by at 30 holding up the traffic for far longer than the original accident itself did) and a more centralised approach to road maintenance (esp. on motorways). None of these things cost that much money and all are certainly far cheaper than building new roads and road widening. None of them, however, generate revenue.

Quite why government is prepared to throttle the transport infrastructure, which, along with the telecommunications network (which oddly enough, they seem to leave pretty much alone), is possibly the single most important thing to modern industry is beyond me. When you consider that not only are many politicians in the pockets of big business, but that so much more tax could be generated by improving the roads, it's baffling as to why we have the current situation. I strongly suspect it's courtesy of that rather small, but oh so vocal minority, the ecomentalists.

[Stu]

Originally Posted by gettin2dizzy

Remember it's ok to spend £60 billion on a satellite tracking system for road pricing schemes, but not ok to suggest investment in new roads It's not green and not fashionable.

I paid £1.19 for a litre of diesel this weekend....(or 55 litres in total if you're going to be pedantic). I'm going to convert my car to run on ground up hippies this weekend.

Why not just run it on a mix of vegetable oil & diesel?

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Jdubya

Nice, and then you get done for driving without due care and attention by undertaking the cars in the picture..

Which would make any motorway filtering illegal?

Originally Posted by rubberduckofdeath

That usually ends in tears. The general public are stupid. In general.

Remember, 50% of people are of below average intelligence

Originally Posted by Dicky Ticker

Who employs these halfwits?

Profiteering halfwits who can smile a lot and sock cuck to get into positions of power.

Originally Posted by Flamin_Squirrel

... and to achieve the ultimate dream of tracking every vehicle too, it would seem.

Don't know about anyone else, but the irony of a Labour government that keeps coming up with schemes that only the rich can benefit from sure makes me laugh.

That red rose should be a red star with how they act. All salute Comrade Brown.


Seems the best form of transport in a few years is going to end up being a nitrous gixxer with no plate that you forgot to send off the V5 for.

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by Stu

Why not just run it on a mix of vegetable oil & diesel?

Ground up hippies don't burn as well, but it's a good fuel as it reduces the amount of methane in the atmosphere from all the $hit they talk

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Seems the best form of transport in a few years is going to end up being a nitrous gixxer with no plate that you forgot to send off the V5 for.

And its up to the previous owner to send of the details of a new owner so if the address is wrong they are stuffed. And if the DVLA can't located the new owner they blame and fine the old one.

[yorkie_chris]

False name etc. will sort that, at the expense of the previous owner, but if you're goign to run a totally illegal bike then thats probably near the bottom of thelist of offences

Originally Posted by Stu

Why not just run it on a mix of vegetable oil & diesel?

It's a common rail diesel. And after the service I've booked for next week (at ?250!) I'm not to keen to take that risk

I wish I bought an old old merc 190D to run on chip fat.

[yorkie_chris]

Veg oils a bit too thick in this weather, 50-50 works OK though.

But since you're slapping fuel tax anyway, why not just distill red diesel?