Law abiding motorists again

We often hear the whines from the unacceptable face of motoring
about how motorists "have to pay road tax".

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/pol...cle3359650.ece reveals
the reality behind these claims. Other than using the incorrect
term, "road tax", the article is not too bad.





--
David Hansen, Edinburgh
I will *always* explain revoked encryption keys, unless RIP prevents me
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2000/00023--e.htm#54

David Hansen wrote:
We often hear the whines from the unacceptable face of motoring
about how motorists "have to pay road tax".

They _do_ "have to"[1].

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/pol...cle3359650.ece reveals
the reality behind these claims.

Yes - it confirms they are true. Most motorists actually _do_ "have to
pay road tax". The fact that 5% evade it has no bearing on that claim.

Other than using the incorrect
term, "road tax",

It may not be the term that those who wish to obscure its real function
prefer to use, but it is nothing other than a "road tax". Take a look
at the OCED definition:
road tax. noun Brit. a periodic tax payable on motor vehicles using
public roads.

It couldn't be clearer.

the article is not too bad.

Would you recommend similar strong-arm tactics be applied to those who
are a month late with the payment of other bills? Would yo have
televisions crushed for late payment of the telly licence fee? What
about those who pay their gas or electricity bills late?

Notice it also goes on to talk about the measures of chipping etc.,
which would, as with ID cards & passports, simply make breaking the law
almost undetectable in the case of those willing to buy forged documents.

The most cost effective solution would be to abolish the tax. That way,
law abiding citizens would not have to fund the ridiculous measures,
which are failing anyway, that are being used in a futile attempt to
collect the few last pounds of the tax.

Another benefit of abolishing ANPR enforced motorist specific
taxes/penalties, such as the road tax, the London congestion charge, and
speed camera revenue, would be that all of the main motivators for
carrying false number plates would be removed.

Us cyclists would also benefit from the removal of one of the causes of
motorist resentment of us, their requirement to pay road tax to be
allowed use the roads.

[1] Acknowledging the few well known exceptions to do with age, VED
band, energy source, etc.

--
Matt B

"I wonder what your point was?"

Possibly that the acres of newsprint devoted to "lycra nazis" strikes
one as strange considering there are more untaxed cars on the roads
(1.25m) than regular cycle commuters (1m)

Matt B wrote:

The most cost effective solution would be to abolish the tax. That way,
law abiding citizens would not have to fund the ridiculous measures,
which are failing anyway, that are being used in a futile attempt to
collect the few last pounds of the tax.
Yes, OK then. let's raise the money needed by increasing the penalties
for speeding. Then the law abising motorist would have to pay nothing.
Roger Thorpe

Roger Thorpe wrote:
Matt B wrote:

The most cost effective solution would be to abolish the tax. That
way, law abiding citizens would not have to fund the ridiculous
measures, which are failing anyway, that are being used in a futile
attempt to collect the few last pounds of the tax.

Yes, OK then. let's raise the money needed by increasing the penalties
for speeding. Then the law abising motorist would have to pay nothing.
Roger Thorpe

Why target only those who "commit" one specific victimless technical
offence to make up the difference? Why not raise the money needed to
run the country fairly, and based on the ability to pay. Motorists
already pay more than their fair share through fuel tax?

--
Matt B

Matt B wrote:

Roger Thorpe wrote:

Matt B wrote:

The most cost effective solution would be to abolish the tax. That
way, law abiding citizens would not have to fund the ridiculous
measures, which are failing anyway, that are being used in a futile
attempt to collect the few last pounds of the tax.


Yes, OK then. let's raise the money needed by increasing the penalties
for speeding. Then the law abising motorist would have to pay nothing.
Roger Thorpe


Why target only those who "commit" one specific victimless technical
offence to make up the difference? Why not raise the money needed to
run the country fairly, and based on the ability to pay. Motorists
already pay more than their fair share through fuel tax?


Oh, you didn't actually mean 'law abiding' then!
Roger Thorpe

On 22 Jan, 15:35, Roger Thorpe
wrote:
Matt B wrote:
Roger Thorpe wrote:

Matt B wrote:

The most cost effective solution would be to abolish the tax. *That
way, law abiding citizens would not have to fund the ridiculous
measures, which are failing anyway, that are being used in a futile
attempt to collect the few last pounds of the tax.

Yes, OK then. let's raise the money needed by increasing the penalties
for speeding. Then the law abising motorist would have to pay nothing.
Roger Thorpe

Why target only those who "commit" one specific victimless technical
offence to make up the difference? *Why not raise the money needed to
run the country fairly, and based on the ability to pay. *Motorists
already pay more than their fair share through fuel tax?

Oh, you didn't actually mean 'law abiding' then!
Roger Thorpe- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

There's an elderly lady near me who does a quarter mile detour to
avoid crossing a road where drivers speed so much she is too scared to
cross the road. She's never been hit by a car though, so she's not a
"victim" of speeding, according to the speedophiles. KSI rates are all
that matters to the pro-speeding lobby, the fact that people who have
not been killed or crippled by speeding drivers are motivated enough
up and down the country to lobby, protest and march for lower speed
limits in their neighbourhoods makes no difference to the pro-speeders
because these people are not "victims."

Scrap the points, treble the fine for speeders so they begin to
realise that even if they are lucky enough not to kill someone their
behaviour is still aggressive and anti-social.

"spindrift" wrote in message
...

Scrap the points, treble the fine for speeders so they begin to
realise that even if they are lucky enough not to kill someone their
behaviour is still aggressive and anti-social.

Even trebled, the fines would be insignificant.

Drop the fines, increase the points to base of 5 points, plus one extra
point per 10% over the limit.

12points is disqualification, surplus points to disqualification /start/
when the license is renewed.

Oh yes, mandatory full extended retest and mandatory driving lessons with L
plates before the test can be retaken.

The success of drink driving has shown how productive removing the licenses
of criminals can be.

(and similar penalties for red light jumping/pavement cycling
etc...impound/destruction of bikes etc...)

pOB

On Jan 22, 3:49 pm, spindrift wrote:

Scrap the points, treble the fine for speeders so they begin to
realise that even if they are lucky enough not to kill someone their
behaviour is still aggressive and anti-social.

Nahh..
real traffic police. Pull the car over. Clamp it for 4 hours.

That'll learn 'em that speeding doesn't pay.

...d

PoB wrote:

The success of drink driving has shown how productive removing the licenses
of criminals can be.


ie not very!

http://uk.virginmoney.com/newscentre...ar-driver.html

http://bloodbus.com/phpBB2/viewtopic...7977 a62c9035

http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/mos..._for_court.php

30 seconds googling gives hundreds of reports of people driving whilst
banned