Classics May be Banned

[Benzowner]

Surely the best way to sort this is that if a car is known to be gas guzzler or inefficent compared to modern cars hit it with a higher tax, seems fair to me, it means you can still drive around in your older car. It also means that if the older car is still efficent then then you can still drive it. I knew something like this older car ban would turn up some day.

gary

My older, at present 9 year old E320 gas guzzler had 53k miles at an average of 19mpg. The average 12k per annum 1.6 escort should cover 108k miles at prolly 25mpg, forget what the manufacturers say they should do as the americans say "do the math" A general rule, as has been mentioned, would, imo, be and is toatlly unfair. What would happen, is as is happening in Japan, the cars would be sent to some third world country and still used so the green issue then becomes a load of bo**ocks

 

[hawk20]

Isn't there one country in Europe that gives grants to people who remove their over-ten-year-old car from use? Sort of grant to update. Remember reading about it somewhere and somewhen.

I don't dismiss this story because there are groups campaigning for almost everything nowadays. And the speed with which environmental measures get taken up and introduced is pretty scary.

It is quite clear from lobby correspondents in the know that the Chancellor did not know the details of the VED changes he introduced. And even the week before, the AA (who were in consultations), say no details were ready from the civil servants. Darling seems to have believed the tax changes would benefit "most car owners". In fact, other experts show about 90% of cars will pay more.

Secondly, Gordon Brown specifically, and on purpose, only raised tax significantly on cars bought after his March 23rd, 2006 budget. The logic was sound. Big engined cars bought before then cannot be undone. Tax should affect future decisions not penalise people who took decisions perfectly legally before the tax changes were made. I applauded his logic on this.

BUT now his Chancellor, under his supervision, has chosen to increase taxes on cars bought long before March 23, 2006. You can trust nothing that is said any more. Sensible economic planning is impossible if Chancellors and govts keep moving the goalposts.

 

[BTB 500]

Surely the best way to sort this is that if a car is known to be gas guzzler or inefficent compared to modern cars hit it with a higher tax

We've been there, many times.

A 5 litre 'weekend car' that does 1000 miles a year is much less harmful to the environment than a modern 2 litre car doing 12,000 miles a year. So which should be hit with the higher tax?

 

[andrewcliffe]

if classics were banned my business would close and 15 people would be out of a job.

 

[barryj]

What is the point of the higher Tax? I own a 3 litre as my daily drive, a 3 litre as a weekend car, and my wife has a 5.5 litre car. None have fuel consumption at the top of their agenda.................... this may be wrong of me but that isnt what this is about.

To make me change my ways they would have to tax me to death, a couple of hundred quid here and their isnt going to make any difference at all (and most people with higher performance, larger engined, gas guzzlers will say the same).

The point I am making is that if the reason for the tax hike is to put these cars off the road it wont work. So my question is will collecting more tax from us stop the planet from warming up quite so fast?

Probably not as has happened several times before, the last time being several million years ago....................................and if you believe the hype then there werent many AMG Mercs around then.

Blinkers fitted and working.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

There are lots of people out there in the same position though who will just pay up.

A couple of hundred quid x lots of people x lots of cars = lots of spondoolies to squander

 

[hawk20]

What is the point of the higher Tax? I own a 3 litre as my daily drive, a 3 litre as a weekend car, and my wife has a 5.5 litre car. None have fuel consumption at the top of their agenda.................... this may be wrong of me but that isnt what this is about.

To make me change my ways they would have to tax me to death, a couple of hundred quid here and their isnt going to make any difference at all (and most people with higher performance, larger engined, gas guzzlers will say the same).

The point I am making is that if the reason for the tax hike is to put these cars off the road it wont work. So my question is will collecting more tax from us stop the planet from warming up quite so fast?

Probably not as has happened several times before, the last time being several million years ago....................................and if you believe the hype then there werent many AMG Mercs around then.

Blinkers fitted and working.

Reluctantly I have to agree. Normally I have argued that many politicians believe (rightly or wrongly) all the global warming stuff and therefore will tax us for green reasons.

But I must admit that this last budget clearly raised taxes on so many different cars, and by not very much, that it was clearly designed to raise revenue and not to change behaviour.

 

[st13phil]

Motorcycle News reckon that all motorbikes will be legislated off the roads soon due to loony European politicians. I don't buy that rag anymore as it follows the same format week in week out.

Hmm... MCN - it's not known as More Cr*p than News for nothing, you know

 

[hawk20]

Some laugh at the prospect that motorbikes might one day be banned but the case for doing so is remarkably strong. Last time I looked the death and serious injury figures were totally horrific. And the length of time the average 17 year old goes before being killed or seriously injured was mind -bogglingly short. Any one know the lastest figures or a good link?

 

[BTB 500]

Do motorbikes cause more injuries/death than cigarettes?

 

[chriswt]

Do motorbikes cause more injuries/death than cigarettes?

I rather share the road with or indeed be hit by a fast move out of control cigarette.

 

[BTB 500]

I rather share the road with or indeed be hit by a fast move out of control cigarette.

Me too

But seriously, AFAIK the vast majority of bike accidents only result in injury/death for the rider. Not all, but then the same applies to smoking (passive smoking).

 

[barryj]

I rather share the road with or indeed be hit by a fast move out of control cigarette.

Are you saying that as a biker about cars? most of the accidents are caused by blind old buggers pulling out on us........................a good argument for taking peoples cars off them when they hit 65.

 

[hawk20]

Are you saying that as a biker about cars? most of the accidents are caused by blind old buggers pulling out on us........................a good argument for taking peoples cars off them when they hit 65.

Young people have far more accidents than older people. Massively more.

 

[barryj]

Young people have far more accidents than older people. Massively more.

Only ever been T boned by old gits and I tend to use my own experiences when I make a comment........................lies, lies, and damn statistics! The source of your data I assume comes from insurance companies? I have a reliable source (bloke down pub) who says that the majority of old people are too scared to go to their medical when they reach the age that they need one to continue driving and hence have no insurance.

 

[gary350]

We've been there, many times.

A 5 litre 'weekend car' that does 1000 miles a year is much less harmful to the environment than a modern 2 litre car doing 12,000 miles a year. So which should be hit with the higher tax?

I do 1500 miles a year in my 3.5 ltr and I have argued the case for me doing small mileage many times its a bit like council tax I am in a high tax band and there is only 2 in the house, a house 4 down from me has 6 adults (6 cars as well)and they pay the same CT as me that is also not fair but do I expect politcians to sort it out, no.
Anyone that thinks that older inefficent non green cars will not get some sort of penalty (or ban) sooner or later form a queue for the nurse.

gary - dont tax me I recycle plastic bags

 

[gary350]

I have a reliable source (bloke down pub) who says that the majority of old people are too scared to go to their medical when they reach the age that they need one to continue driving and hence have no insurance.

I think its far more likely the younger driver has no insurance and more than often no driving licence as well, in fact the car may not be his in the first place, sorry I live in Wales thats the norm for around here.

gary

 

[barryj]

I live in Wales too (I am sorry you feel the need to talk it down) and I would disagree, you would be surprised how many pensioners drive around oblivious to the fact they have none of the legalaties that they need to drive.

 

[Ade B]

Young people have far more accidents than older people. Massively more.

We should ban them, or at least tax them more.


Ade

 

[gary350]

I live in Wales too (I am sorry you feel the need to talk it down) and I would disagree, you would be surprised how many pensioners drive around oblivious to the fact they have none of the legalaties that they need to drive.

Does your friend in the pub have the evidence to prove this.

gary

PS - The Wales thing was a joke chill out.