Toll roads.

[bothered]

The UK government is thinking of screwing us again. They want people out of their cars and on to the busses. First they claim the safest roads in Europe need to be safer so have speed bumps chicanes, speed cameras and extra traffic lights installed everywhere. This causes stupid amounts of congestion. The cameras raise millions every year but do little to improve road safety. Now they want to introduce 'congestion charges' nation wide. They claim this is the only way they can combat the congestion they have caused. This means lots of roads will incure a charge for using them on top of the higest fuel tax in the world and very high road tax, my road tax is currently around two hundred pounds a year. Oh, and some MPs are now saying road tax for bigger engined cars needs to be around 1,800 pounds a year. All this, so they claim, is aimed at reducing CO2 levels. The problem is that the levels are going up because of all the cars sat at traffic lights or waiting in the queues they have created. What a money spinner, cause the problem then charge people for it. Sometimes I wish I lived in France. If they tried this there there'd be riots. It seems the British will put up with any crap the goverment deal out.


[/rant]

[airbornflght]

Wow...that sounds like some bureaucratic bs to me.

[Leonardo]

Another case of 'do-gooders' meddling when they don't need to. And then, politicians see another means of raising taxes. We talk of greedy corporations and businesses, which of course do exist. But alas, I think governments wear the top hats when it comes to greed. They are never satisfied, never have enough.

[primesuspect]

Sounds like you live in America, bothered :-/

[bothered]

Really? I always thought America was more like France, where they wouldn't put up with that sort of thing. We are becoming famous for having a nanny state, this country is fast becoming knackered.

[Thrax]

If there's one thing American gov't is great at, it's taxation for obscure and absurd reasons based on studies conducted for more taxpayer dollars for something that only affects a microscopic fraction of the population.

[primesuspect]

Hey! We DID repeal the tax for the Spanish-American war just a couple of weeks ago, okay? :p

[airbornflght]

Hey! We DID repeal the tax for the Spanish-American war just a couple of weeks ago, okay? :p


prime example. the taxes for "The Big War" which is currently happening, might be over by 2341...

[madmat]

At least here the road taxes are charged on gas so the more you drive the more you pay although there are some crazy fascist states wanting to do away with that and start taxing everyone that owns a car for more money irregardless of whether they're driving 10 miles a week or 1,000.

[Leonardo]

Really? I always thought America was more like France, where they wouldn't put up with that sort of thing.Depends upon where in the United States you are. The Northeast and West Coast tend to be high tax states compared to most of the rest of the country.

[bothered]

At least here the road taxes are charged on gas so the more you drive the more you pay although there are some crazy fascist states wanting to do away with that and start taxing everyone that owns a car for more money irregardless of whether they're driving 10 miles a week or 1,000.
Putting it on fuel is the obvious fair way to do it but being fair isn't what it's about in the UK. It's like the idea of road tax is to pay for new roads and maintain the ones we have but the government takes far more than it spends already. The motorist has always been fair game because most people really don't want to give up their cars so the government knows it can screw them, and does.

[Donut]

At least here the road taxes are charged on gas so the more you drive the more you pay although there are some crazy fascist states wanting to do away with that and start taxing everyone that owns a car for more money irregardless of whether they're driving 10 miles a week or 1,000.

Sounds like my crazy fascist state. The gas tax goes up automatically every July. Last election, our Gov. pledged no new taxes, so every fee in the state went up. Marriage license, hunting/ fishing license, 4 wheeler, boat, car regis. etc. Now it costs me over 100 bucks to register a 15yr old truck! Town office clerk: but the book says it's worth this much... Tom says, but the former owner rolled the truck on its side, do you still think its worth that? But the book says....:zombie:

bothered, our taxes are high but nothing like you folks have to endure.