T
thrawn
Guest
Sorry not to have a url, I received it in this format. Any thoughts on
this? Would you believe these 9 ''contributors'' to the ''survey''
are isolated individual motorists, indeed ''a selection of the views
we have received so far'' ?
Or like me do you detect a certain homogeneity and similarity of the
style and content of the writing? Oh, and the first contributor just
happens to be Mr McArthur-Christie of the ABD and notice the last one
is one John R.J. Prescott.....
Your say: The future of motoring
31 August 2006
· Whatcar.com readers have their say
· Send us your opinions
· Read selection of readers' views
Recently we ran a story on why various groups believe the cost of
motoring is about to soar because of road charging, rising fuel costs
and tax increases. Motoring costs due to soar
We asked for your opinions on the future of motoring, and below are a
selection of the views we have received so far.
You can still send us your views by clicking this e-mail link Click on
this e-mail link to tell us what you think.
- - - - - - - - -
'I'm the Association of British Drivers' Policy Director and I don't
own a car. I don't want to either.
Owning a car in modern Britain is overtaxed, over-controlled and
over-legislated. If I try to drive somewhere, because of council-caused
congestion, I get there late and frazzled. If I fill a tank I get
charged 85% tax. If I try to park I get rogered for parking charges
that go up every year like a rocket. If I exceed a recently lowered
speed limit by a few MPH I get slapped.
I now cycle or ride a motorcycle. Public transport is a joke - we
have a major client in Leeds, and to travel cattle-class we have to pay
£100 each for the ticket. How, in a modern society, where mobility is
key, does that work?! I get on the motorcycle instead.'
Mark McArthur-Christie
Director of Policy
The Association of British Drivers
'Why does this seem like a surprise? The government wants to force us
out of our cars but knows that the British car driver pays millions
towards their tea fund!
It's sickening that we get shafted whichever way we go. Greener cars
still get hit! Get gas guzzlers get hit even harder. Paying tolls? What
a joke! Why should I have to pay to use a piece of road when I already
pay through the nose in road tax, fuel and insurance?
It's a case of rip off Britain at its best.'
Mark Mortimer
'Motoring journalists should stop winding up the 4x4 lobby into a
frenzy about additional costs as a vehicle such as a Jaguar XJS or
similar saloon does exactly the same damage to the environment as an
average 4x4, which is transport but using fuel in a greedy fashion.
Greedy use of fuel is not down to just 4x4s. Take the Honda CRV 2.2
CDTI for example, as it will perform very well in comparison to most
small family cars, so can you please relate vehicles into the
following:
Unreasonable at any cost band= £3600 per year (any exotic sports or
daft 4x4)
Uneconomical band = £1800 per year (BMW X5, Discovery or any V6 engine
powered car)
Reasonable = £250 per year (band D carbon emissions)
Economical £150 (band C carbon emissions)
Very economical £100 (You've probably got the idea)
Then the real issue of someone owning an uneconomically car can be
discussed effectively.'
Robert Hedges
'How can road charging possibly be the best way to tackle congestion?
Are those in government so far removed from the day-to-day life of most
Britons that they believe we're sat in our cars on weekday mornings and
evenings simply for the fun of it?
I am often in London and use public transport for that kind of journey.
This is not always practical or possible though, especially when
travelling long distance or to areas that are not well supported by
public transport.
Additional tax hikes and charges do nothing other than line the pockets
of the Treasury because most people have no alternative other than
their car.
The car should have a place in this country as a method of transport,
however until public transport improves and changes (e.g. try using the
tube at 8am with a child and a baby in a buggy...) people won't be
discouraged out of it and the environmental line the government sells
is fraudulent.'
Daniel Jeffery
'Presently I travel from Harrogate to Bradford by car. I do carshare
with a fellow colleague. There is no direct public transport between
the towns so this is not an option. I fear with the increased costs
which would also hit my wife badly as she has a similar issue with
public transport and her work place, we will both be forced to either
find other work closer to home - which has already proved very
difficult in a small town like Harrogate or our son's future will
suffer badly as a consequence.
It seems the government is happy to keep taking more and more tax but
is doing nothing to offer reasonable alternative modes of transport.
While it's a real problem that we all have to deal with, the only
solution I see being offered is to increase tax to prevent people
travelling but no alternative to the travel. We have to work for a
living and we have to get to our work places.'
David Booth
'I refuse to let any featherbedded politician decide what I can and
can't do with regard to my motoring requirements.
If I want to buy a 4x4 or any other large car then I shall do my utmost
to afford it.
It's OK for politicians to come up with these grand ideas as long as we
continue to pay their inflated salaries and expenses.
Voters should question their MP as to where they stand on these issues
and vote accordingly. At the moment this country is like a communist
state!'
Frederick Humphrey
'The Labour Government is supposed to be there for the working man.
All they seem to be doing is making driving a rich man's sport. We need
our cars to survive, but not under Blair's hypocritical corrupt
Government.
Prescott was offered a free Prius, but did he show the country what was
needed of them? No, he turned it down because he was too important to
drive something like that.
Does the cabinet show us, the voting public, how to drive more
economically? No, it votes itself £50,000 Jaguars for each and every
one of them.
Then it has the audacity to tell us that we need to drive smaller cars,
or it will force us to by pricing motoring out of our reach, but still
forcing us to pay for Prescott and his cronies to cruise around in
absolute luxury, one car for him and another for his lunch.
It makes me sick to my stomach.'
R Cleal
'The government needs to start giving motorists value for money.
Motorists are voters and we are getting a very raw deal.
Roads are falling apart, the motorway network is failing and despite
the massive tax motoring rakes in, little is re-invested.
The car is essential to the economy and considering how much it
contributes already to the government's income any suggested increase
feels like a kick in the stomach.'
Tony Foote
'I have been looking at new cars and I'm torn between a higher
performance car with undoubtedly bigger bills or a economical one that
will hopefully not bankrupt me.
I think if company car drivers actually paid the true cost of their
vehicles then perhaps such draconian measures may have been avoidable.'
Lisa Boyd
'As usual the government are considering reactive measures to deal with
a problem they caused. I think they need to look at why most households
need two cars.
Most families need two cars because both parents have to work in order
to keep the household running. In recent years hikes in council tax,
fuel and energy prices, national insurance and interest rate rises add
to the problem. Both my wife and I require a car to do our job, but
neither employer offers us a company car. Its not possible to get to
work using public transport.
The proposals are outrageous and unsustainable and would destroy our
economy. They should be financially encouraging scientists to come up
with a viable alternative solution to oil. They have known for decades
that there was only a finite amount of oil available. What will we do
when the world's oil runs out? Answer: We won't have a road crisis
and everyone will have to buy a horse... problem solved - everyone buy
a 4x4!'
John R.J. Prescott
this? Would you believe these 9 ''contributors'' to the ''survey''
are isolated individual motorists, indeed ''a selection of the views
we have received so far'' ?
Or like me do you detect a certain homogeneity and similarity of the
style and content of the writing? Oh, and the first contributor just
happens to be Mr McArthur-Christie of the ABD and notice the last one
is one John R.J. Prescott.....
Your say: The future of motoring
31 August 2006
· Whatcar.com readers have their say
· Send us your opinions
· Read selection of readers' views
Recently we ran a story on why various groups believe the cost of
motoring is about to soar because of road charging, rising fuel costs
and tax increases. Motoring costs due to soar
We asked for your opinions on the future of motoring, and below are a
selection of the views we have received so far.
You can still send us your views by clicking this e-mail link Click on
this e-mail link to tell us what you think.
- - - - - - - - -
'I'm the Association of British Drivers' Policy Director and I don't
own a car. I don't want to either.
Owning a car in modern Britain is overtaxed, over-controlled and
over-legislated. If I try to drive somewhere, because of council-caused
congestion, I get there late and frazzled. If I fill a tank I get
charged 85% tax. If I try to park I get rogered for parking charges
that go up every year like a rocket. If I exceed a recently lowered
speed limit by a few MPH I get slapped.
I now cycle or ride a motorcycle. Public transport is a joke - we
have a major client in Leeds, and to travel cattle-class we have to pay
£100 each for the ticket. How, in a modern society, where mobility is
key, does that work?! I get on the motorcycle instead.'
Mark McArthur-Christie
Director of Policy
The Association of British Drivers
'Why does this seem like a surprise? The government wants to force us
out of our cars but knows that the British car driver pays millions
towards their tea fund!
It's sickening that we get shafted whichever way we go. Greener cars
still get hit! Get gas guzzlers get hit even harder. Paying tolls? What
a joke! Why should I have to pay to use a piece of road when I already
pay through the nose in road tax, fuel and insurance?
It's a case of rip off Britain at its best.'
Mark Mortimer
'Motoring journalists should stop winding up the 4x4 lobby into a
frenzy about additional costs as a vehicle such as a Jaguar XJS or
similar saloon does exactly the same damage to the environment as an
average 4x4, which is transport but using fuel in a greedy fashion.
Greedy use of fuel is not down to just 4x4s. Take the Honda CRV 2.2
CDTI for example, as it will perform very well in comparison to most
small family cars, so can you please relate vehicles into the
following:
Unreasonable at any cost band= £3600 per year (any exotic sports or
daft 4x4)
Uneconomical band = £1800 per year (BMW X5, Discovery or any V6 engine
powered car)
Reasonable = £250 per year (band D carbon emissions)
Economical £150 (band C carbon emissions)
Very economical £100 (You've probably got the idea)
Then the real issue of someone owning an uneconomically car can be
discussed effectively.'
Robert Hedges
'How can road charging possibly be the best way to tackle congestion?
Are those in government so far removed from the day-to-day life of most
Britons that they believe we're sat in our cars on weekday mornings and
evenings simply for the fun of it?
I am often in London and use public transport for that kind of journey.
This is not always practical or possible though, especially when
travelling long distance or to areas that are not well supported by
public transport.
Additional tax hikes and charges do nothing other than line the pockets
of the Treasury because most people have no alternative other than
their car.
The car should have a place in this country as a method of transport,
however until public transport improves and changes (e.g. try using the
tube at 8am with a child and a baby in a buggy...) people won't be
discouraged out of it and the environmental line the government sells
is fraudulent.'
Daniel Jeffery
'Presently I travel from Harrogate to Bradford by car. I do carshare
with a fellow colleague. There is no direct public transport between
the towns so this is not an option. I fear with the increased costs
which would also hit my wife badly as she has a similar issue with
public transport and her work place, we will both be forced to either
find other work closer to home - which has already proved very
difficult in a small town like Harrogate or our son's future will
suffer badly as a consequence.
It seems the government is happy to keep taking more and more tax but
is doing nothing to offer reasonable alternative modes of transport.
While it's a real problem that we all have to deal with, the only
solution I see being offered is to increase tax to prevent people
travelling but no alternative to the travel. We have to work for a
living and we have to get to our work places.'
David Booth
'I refuse to let any featherbedded politician decide what I can and
can't do with regard to my motoring requirements.
If I want to buy a 4x4 or any other large car then I shall do my utmost
to afford it.
It's OK for politicians to come up with these grand ideas as long as we
continue to pay their inflated salaries and expenses.
Voters should question their MP as to where they stand on these issues
and vote accordingly. At the moment this country is like a communist
state!'
Frederick Humphrey
'The Labour Government is supposed to be there for the working man.
All they seem to be doing is making driving a rich man's sport. We need
our cars to survive, but not under Blair's hypocritical corrupt
Government.
Prescott was offered a free Prius, but did he show the country what was
needed of them? No, he turned it down because he was too important to
drive something like that.
Does the cabinet show us, the voting public, how to drive more
economically? No, it votes itself £50,000 Jaguars for each and every
one of them.
Then it has the audacity to tell us that we need to drive smaller cars,
or it will force us to by pricing motoring out of our reach, but still
forcing us to pay for Prescott and his cronies to cruise around in
absolute luxury, one car for him and another for his lunch.
It makes me sick to my stomach.'
R Cleal
'The government needs to start giving motorists value for money.
Motorists are voters and we are getting a very raw deal.
Roads are falling apart, the motorway network is failing and despite
the massive tax motoring rakes in, little is re-invested.
The car is essential to the economy and considering how much it
contributes already to the government's income any suggested increase
feels like a kick in the stomach.'
Tony Foote
'I have been looking at new cars and I'm torn between a higher
performance car with undoubtedly bigger bills or a economical one that
will hopefully not bankrupt me.
I think if company car drivers actually paid the true cost of their
vehicles then perhaps such draconian measures may have been avoidable.'
Lisa Boyd
'As usual the government are considering reactive measures to deal with
a problem they caused. I think they need to look at why most households
need two cars.
Most families need two cars because both parents have to work in order
to keep the household running. In recent years hikes in council tax,
fuel and energy prices, national insurance and interest rate rises add
to the problem. Both my wife and I require a car to do our job, but
neither employer offers us a company car. Its not possible to get to
work using public transport.
The proposals are outrageous and unsustainable and would destroy our
economy. They should be financially encouraging scientists to come up
with a viable alternative solution to oil. They have known for decades
that there was only a finite amount of oil available. What will we do
when the world's oil runs out? Answer: We won't have a road crisis
and everyone will have to buy a horse... problem solved - everyone buy
a 4x4!'
John R.J. Prescott
