CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
"drowning under the weight of motoring costs"
(25 posts)-
Posted 12 years ago #
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The RAC said some tax from drivers should be "ring-fenced for roads" to stop them becoming "one big pothole".
What, is this the RAC suggesting that roads aren't funded by the mythical "why don't you pay some" road tax?
Professor Stephen Glaister, director of the RAC Foundation, warned that... ..."The government's recent freeze on fuel duty, while welcome, is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic - ultimately futile."
Much like your arguments, Professor.
The Professor seems to think that more of the "motoring taxes" should be spent on subsidising driving. I assume from this he means fuel duty. What he doesn't seem to accept that these taxes are on the polluting and enfironmentally deleterious side-effects of motoring, not to pay for filling pot holes. He might as well be suggesting that we invest the proceeds of tobacco taxation in discount cigarettes.
Posted 12 years ago # -
If "motoring money" is used to fill potholes won't it also mean that cyclists get the benefit, no matter on what basis the charge is levied?
Posted 12 years ago # -
Depends if you want to cycle on Motorways and roads like the A9?
Filling potholes is good and proper, but I get the opinion from that article that the argument is more about reducing the "cost" of motoring rather than improving quality of the roads ("drowning under the costs of motoring"). And I really don't think that reducing its cost will do much to improve cycling.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Depends if you want to cycle on Motorways and roads like the A9?
Those types of roads for some reason tend not to be as badly affected as minor, or city roads for pot holes.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"Those types of roads for some reason tend not to be as badly affected as minor, or city roads for pot holes."
Less starting and stopping with heavy braking and accelerating forces plus fewer bits of road dug up for utilities etc?
That said, the M8 can be shocking in bits, as can the A90.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Less starting and stopping with heavy braking and accelerating forces plus fewer bits of road dug up for utilities etc?
Yup, all of those reasons, and some more on top probably.
So if more money is spent on repairing pot holes, it is likely at least (not assured of course) that cyclists *will *benefit from the repairs too.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"The RAC survey also revealed 92% consider themselves to be law-abiding motorists - but 65% admit to breaking the 70mph limit on motorways"
Yet more confirmation, as if it were needed, that Motorists are the most pampered group in British society - utterly lawless and yet capable of feeling both entitled and embattled.
If the cost of motoring is perceived to be too high, then average speed cameras should be installed along the entire strategic road network. The reckless criminals can then milked dry and the proceeds passed on to law-abiding people - not to mention, many people who would otherwise have died would now live.
Not that the BBC will ever think to mention "lawless speeding" as a potential cause of the next "motorway pile-up". No, it will be attributed to "ice", or "losing control", or "a dangerous road", or just a plain old "accident".
Posted 12 years ago # -
Yet more confirmation, as if it were needed, that Motorists are the most pampered group in British society - utterly lawless and yet capable of feeling both entitled and embattled.
Steady there, Turns out drivers, like cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders are people too and frankly the same could be said for any large enough sub-section of the British public.
Baseless generalisations drawn from sketchy research is what we all rally against when its quoted from the Daily hate or the chipwrapper.
Posted 12 years ago # -
"... utterly lawless..."
Bad, certainly, but I'm pretty sure I saw the grand majority this morning driving on the road and not the pavement, stopping at lights, indicating at traffic lights, actually driving at or under the speed limit, not using their mobile phones, and generally acting within the law.
I presume you don't like it when someone says that 'all' cyclists run red lights?
Posted 12 years ago # -
Turns out drivers, like cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders are people too and frankly the same could be said for any large enough sub-section of the British public
Invoking the plurality of the people will always preclude any further discussion on group dynamics.
Yet you cannot deny it was motorists who killed Diana !
And 85% of CCE forumites are scared of revolutionary zeal !!
Posted 12 years ago # -
Yet you cannot deny it was motorists who killed Diana !
I heard it was Phillip.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Goodness me no, it was Polish illegal immigrant asylum seeking single mothers on benefits stealing British jobs.
Posted 12 years ago # -
out of date stereotypes, WC.
romanian or bulgarian, surely.
Posted 12 years ago # -
Invoking the plurality of the people will always preclude any further discussion on group dynamics.
Indeed, it is a well documented fact that individuals can be identified entirely by a small sample of people who also use the same mode of transport.
Equally groups of users of similar-transport-modes can be neatly arranged in to boxes and will all have identical views and behaviour patterns...
Posted 12 years ago # -
people who also use the same mode of transport
don't beat around the bush, steveo !
if you're referring to them that killed the queen of hearts, then just say so !
unless... you're one of them...
Posted 12 years ago # -
unless... you're one of them...
I can neither confirm nor deny my involvement with any plots instigated by MI5 or MI6 nor can I discuss my direct report to a well known older gentleman with slightly outspoken opinions (he is certainly not a bunny hugger)
Posted 12 years ago # -
romanian or bulgarian, surely.
No, he's Greek and a member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I'm contractually obliged to take offence at the 'sketchy research' remark.
Posted 12 years ago # -
MI5 and MI6 learn everything they need to know about CCE a.k.a the Edinburgh and Central Scotland Revolutionary Cyclists's Archo-syndicalists Popular Muesli Knitter's Front from the daily digest the NSA sends them.
Posted 12 years ago # -
I'm contractually obliged to take offence at the 'sketchy research' remark.
...and yet strangely quiet on the tragic royal slaying by a certain group of like-minded road users.
this place is a nest of vipers !
Posted 12 years ago # -
*goes off to find whistle to gie it a guid blaw*
Posted 12 years ago # -
The only reason we've all not been secretly rendered to a CIA blacksite is because we have the 'rubbish cycling' thread. This provides balance to the forum and proves that we're not 100% eco-communists.
Posted 12 years ago # -
What a difference a year makes.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30507970
Low oil price to push petrol below £1 a litre, says RAC
That'll be the ever-escalating cost of motoring in action then.
Posted 10 years ago # -
Will we finally stop hearing the constant wailing about the "war on the motorist" now?
Don't hold your breath...
Posted 10 years ago # -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-31712673
Small Data: Petrol prices are rising againGet ready to start drowing again...
(It seems that despite all the media hype, it has been discovered that cars are running on refined petrol and not Brent crude).
Posted 10 years ago #
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