Petrol Price - 1st April

simonaspinall

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

People in my office have been panicking this morning about petrol hitting £1.20 a litre.

Oh no! Car drivers simply have no resourcefulness or imagination. Hypermobility is not a sustainable trend - Expecting to live miles and miles from work and having it cheap and easy to get there is not realistic.

Petrol price rises - Surely the only proven way to lower car traffic on the road apart form the petrol strike at the beginning of last decade.

Once again AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

For the ultimate hypocritcal nay-saying...
read: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010 ... -fuel-duty

then read: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/ma ... n-recovery

takethehighroad

Are you sure this isn't a scam for April Fuel's Day?

simonaspinall

I hope not - They get what they deserve.

Admittedly it is sh*t for business - Maybe a tax-concession could be claimed back as the economy can not operate without motorised transport.

But to commuters, 'leisure' drivers, 4x4 school runs et al - AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Ho hum

The economy will stutter as commuters find that they are spending more on fuel and less on discretionary items hence stifleing any increase in GDP.

I can see why you dislike commuters, but have you really thought through the full economic consequences of contiually increasing fuel prices?

simonaspinall

Well it won't really impact - It will mean about £2-£5 per car/4x4 per fill-up. Even the craziest of commuters will be paying only about a tenner a week extra if they have a heavy foot in a petrol 4x4, which probably means they can afford the hike anyway.

But it does annoy them, which means it makes me happy (i'm not bitter to the core I promise).

And to add to the schadenfreude i had a great sunny commute on my bike this morning!

Yup - It's all coming up Simon today. Not that i'm tempting fate or anything.

Pokerface

You're an ass.


Not everyone has the luxury of being able to cycle to work or live within an easy community distance.


Petrol price increases don't annoy me. People like you do. Not just an April's fool, but one for the entire year!

Cressers

I'm a non-driver and petrol taxes annoy the hell out of me as well. We all end up paying for increased transport costs. How dare the state impose itself by tax in a transaction between two other parties?!

The fuel tax protesters should have pushed harder back in 2000 rather than relaxing their grip and letting the govt reorganise.

Homer J

Pokerface wrote:

You're an ass.


Not everyone has the luxury of being able to cycle to work or live within an easy community distance.


Petrol price increases don't annoy me. People like you do. Not just an April's fool, but one for the entire year!

+1

Heckler1974

I work for the people that deliver to the shops the food you buy every week. When the petrol price goes up we have to pass that increase onto the shops or we'd go bust, they have to pass that increase onto you the consumer or they'd see a minor depreciation in their huge profits. Ultimately you pay for a petrol increase whether you drive or not and arguably doubly if you do drive.

Not so funny now huh?

simonaspinall

Pokerface wrote:

You're an ass.


Not everyone has the luxury of being able to cycle to work or live within an easy community distance.


Petrol price increases don't annoy me. People like you do. Not just an April's fool, but one for the entire year!

That's the whole point - It isn't sustainable. People living miles from work isn't sustainable, regardless of the reason why that is.

People have largely set-up their lives around a car which is madness - Petrol prices have been volatile for decades - yet people still insist on operating like they do! Talk about building your house on sand.

I do a 14 mile commute each way on my bike - A commute that was started from having pretty much no cycling experience. This tax will unfairly hit businesses and people who really need cars - and in all fairness these people should have concessions.

To those able-bodied people who drive because it's convenient and because they are frankly lazy and have chosen to live miles from work and use the car as a default option, I make no apologies about my laughing squarely in their face - They make my journey to work horrible 99 days out of 100 - bullying and no respect.

simonaspinall

Heckler1974 wrote:

I work for the people that deliver to the shops the food you buy every week. When the petrol price goes up we have to pass that increase onto the shops or we'd go bust, they have to pass that increase onto you the consumer or they'd see a minor depreciation in their huge profits. Ultimately you pay for a petrol increase whether you drive or not and arguably doubly if you do drive.

Not so funny now huh?

I did point out the idea of a tax break for business as trade does rely on motorised transport

bompington

Not so funny for some people in rural places either - on Radio Scotland this morning there were plenty of people texting in to comment on how sick a joke "£1.20 by April" is when a litre already costs £1.29

The argument about living far from work being a luxury has some vailidity, but the logical implication is that everyone has to live in cities with housing and jobs allocated on a totalitarian basis - some people might make a case for that but is it really what we want?

Cressers

Though what you say is true about the situation where people commute stupidly far to work, I ask again, where do you get the justification for making what has become to many a nessacity of life more expensive? Don't confuse the long-term solution to an unsustainable lifestyle with a shoddy tax-grab.

nottscobb

How do the bike parts you buy get to the shops you buy them from, and how do they get from the shop to you if you use online shops? Road transport. If the cost of transporting these goods goes up, the cost of the goods will go up and you will have to pay more. This goes for everything that you buy.

I agree with your sentiment that it would be nice if this meant less cars on the road but that just won't happen. What will happen is that everyone will have less spare cash. hahaha????

Crapaud

I drive for a living. Fuel prices have been quite high for a couple of years and, along with the recession, a further increase could well spell financial doom for me. Reposession's a spectre that's been haunting me for a while now and this increase could be the straw that breaks the camel's back.

There's nothing quite so offensive than someone taking joy in others misery.

simonaspinall

Cressers wrote:

Though what you say is true about the situation where people commute stupidly far to work, I ask again, where do you get the justification for making what has become to many a nessacity of life more expensive? Don't cofuse the long-term solution to an unsustainable lifestyle with a shoddy tax-grab.

It isn't a necessity of life - It aids convenience in life and means people can get from a to b to c to d etc more quickly and easily - But this is not sustainable. Today it is a tax increase, tomorrow and in years to come oil will simply rise and rise in price and then it really will hit people hard.

Think of the millions of journeys which are not necessary by car as well as the number of cars that are not necessary. If drivers used the car for genuinely essential journeys consider how well the roads would work, how clean the air would be, how much fitter people would be, how much cheaper public transport would be.

The drop in petrol demand would or should mean a drop in price if it was significant enough.

There will be groups that are hit unfairly, which the government has to factor in - most essentially those who are not as able bodied and older people and of course trade.

I think it's important to make the difference between how people drive for work and too work...

Cressers

What is it you actually want to address? The problems of 'peak oil' or the fact that, shock horror!, people are able to move around with relative ease?

simonaspinall

nottscobb wrote:

How do the bike parts you buy get to the shops you buy them from, and how do they get from the shop to you if you use online shops? Road transport. If the cost of transporting these goods goes up, the cost of the goods will go up and you will have to pay more. This goes for everything that you buy.

I agree with your sentiment that it would be nice if this meant less cars on the road but that just won't happen. What will happen is that everyone will have less spare cash. hahaha????

Read the post above - I pointed out trade should have a tax-break in fuel duty.

This general rant is aimed at commuters, leisure drivers and people who make un-necessary journeys.

zanes

simonaspinall wrote:

This tax will unfairly hit businesses and people who really need cars - and in all fairness these people should have concessions.

And of course, that should be decided by you in your sad little mind. Or, if you didn't, you'd have to write up little "reviews" as to why the concessions are wrong, impractical etc.

Stop trying to tell others how to live their lives and judging their lives by your bitter and twisted life. Labour supporter per chance?

spen666

Cressers wrote:

I'm a non-driver and petrol taxes annoy the hell out of me as well. We all end up paying for increased transport costs. How dare the state impose itself by tax in a transaction between two other parties?!
The fuel tax protesters should have pushed harder back in 2000 rather than relaxing their grip and letting the govt reorganise.

Erm so how do taxes get raised then?
no taxes, no schools, no raods, no hospitals, no army , no social services, no police etc


Not really thought that through have you?

simonaspinall

zanes wrote:

simonaspinall wrote:

This tax will unfairly hit businesses and people who really need cars - and in all fairness these people should have concessions.

And of course, that should be decided by you in your sad little mind. Or, if you didn't, you'd have to write up little "reviews" as to why the concessions are wrong, impractical etc.

Stop trying to tell others how to live their lives and judging their lives by your bitter and twisted life. Labour supporter per chance?

Ok then, what's the alternative to the transport problem...?

The only thing (so far) to lower car usage is petrol prices/supply and soft campaigns have had no effect, in fact the opposite.

What's your idea if my mind is sad and little and shouldn't be taken seriously?

pneumatic

bompington wrote:

Not so funny for some people in rural places either - on Radio Scotland this morning there were plenty of people texting in to comment on how sick a joke "£1.20 by April" is when a litre already costs £1.29

+1

1.20/litre isn't news where I buy mine.

spen666

simonaspinall wrote:

Heckler1974 wrote:

I work for the people that deliver to the shops the food you buy every week. When the petrol price goes up we have to pass that increase onto the shops or we'd go bust, they have to pass that increase onto you the consumer or they'd see a minor depreciation in their huge profits. Ultimately you pay for a petrol increase whether you drive or not and arguably doubly if you do drive.

Not so funny now huh?

I did point out the idea of a tax break for business as trade does rely on motorised transport

Businesses rely on their employees as well, so give them tax breaks?

Hang on, now everyone has tax breaks- we'll need higher tax rates to raise sufficient revenues

zanes

simonaspinall wrote:

zanes wrote:

simonaspinall wrote:

This tax will unfairly hit businesses and people who really need cars - and in all fairness these people should have concessions.

And of course, that should be decided by you in your sad little mind. Or, if you didn't, you'd have to write up little "reviews" as to why the concessions are wrong, impractical etc.

Stop trying to tell others how to live their lives and judging their lives by your bitter and twisted life. Labour supporter per chance?

Ok then, what's the alternative to the transport problem...?
TBH I don't know, but there again I'm not the one ranting on forums about others lifestyles.

The only thing (so far) to lower car usage is petrol prices/supply and soft campaigns have had no effect, in fact the opposite.
O hai, evidence!

What's your idea if my mind is sad and little and shouldn't be taken seriously?
See answer to one above. Generally though, I abhor people who seek to control others, take pleasure in others problems

[/b]

zanes

Hold on guys, everyone's against him. We must all be drivers like he hates and he must be the one that's right. Or.....

dg74

simonaspinall wrote:

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

People in my office have been panicking this morning about petrol hitting £1.20 a litre.

Oh no! Car drivers simply have no resourcefulness or imagination. Hypermobility is not a sustainable trend - Expecting to live miles and miles from work and having it cheap and easy to get there is not realistic.

Petrol price rises - Surely the only proven way to lower car traffic on the road apart form the petrol strike at the beginning of last decade.

Once again AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

For the ultimate hypocritcal nay-saying...
read: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010 ... -fuel-duty

then read: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/ma ... n-recovery

Man you're an idiot!

What about those of us who cycle but also need our vehicles for work? Fortunately I live 10 miles from work so if I want to cycle there I can but due to the nature of my work I sometimes need to take the car and the already over-inflated price of fuel is a massive bane of contention in not just my circle of work but I'm sure in plenty of others.

It's all great for people like yourself but hold steady on your thoughts because I am 100% sure that out there somewhere will be a cyclist or two with their own businesses that are JUST surviving this down turn and the last thing they need is another tax increase to push them further towards the edge.

finchy

Simon's right to say that this isn't a sustainable way to live, and things do need to change, but it should be addressed by improvements in public transport and local amenities, etc.

I don't really take pleasure in seeing fuel increases, as my parents will be quite badly affected - they're teachers and they can't really cycle into work with 150 marked books, laptops, lesson preparation, etc.

On the other hand, it might have the effect of seeing people drive in a more fuel-efficient (ie slower) way, so that would be a plus.

softlad

Homer J wrote:

Pokerface wrote:

You're an ass.


Not everyone has the luxury of being able to cycle to work or live within an easy community distance.


Petrol price increases don't annoy me. People like you do. Not just an April's fool, but one for the entire year!

+1

+2

well said PF....

simonaspinall

zanes wrote:

simonaspinall wrote:

zanes wrote:

simonaspinall wrote:

This tax will unfairly hit businesses and people who really need cars - and in all fairness these people should have concessions.

And of course, that should be decided by you in your sad little mind. Or, if you didn't, you'd have to write up little "reviews" as to why the concessions are wrong, impractical etc.

Stop trying to tell others how to live their lives and judging their lives by your bitter and twisted life. Labour supporter per chance?

Ok then, what's the alternative to the transport problem...?
TBH I don't know, but there again I'm not the one ranting on forums about others lifestyles.

The only thing (so far) to lower car usage is petrol prices/supply and soft campaigns have had no effect, in fact the opposite.
O hai, evidence!

What's your idea if my mind is sad and little and shouldn't be taken seriously?
See answer to one above. Generally though, I abhor people who seek to control others, take pleasure in others problems

[/b]

Firstly - It's a cake stop forum where there have been many posts including rants and strong opinions.

Secondly - I take it you haven't got any ideas, much like a lot of motorists and critics who howl with pain when taxation affects them yet aren't very quick when it comes to providing an alternative.

The government has to implement policy with bills, in this case taxation to apply financial pressure to raise revenue and affect society (in this case the transport network)

admittedly it's not doing a very good job of things but what's the alternative...? Let car transport continue as it is? What happens when oil is on a near irreversible rise due to rising global demand and petrol isn't high purely as a result of taxation?

Hence why un-necessary journeys should be curbed - which taxation has been the effective tactic of doing.

dg74

in case it has escaped the OP's attention that public transport in the UK is basically a disgrace - we're so far behind Europe that the whole thing needs a massive re-think and starting over. Maybe then people will leave their cars and take to alternative means but when it costs nearly £13 a week (one way though so that's £26 a week there and back) in bus fares to get to work and my car gets me there for a few quid less then until that mentality is addressed by the leaders of our country and prices for public transport comes down - the car is king.

Also for a lot of people the places that they work are now no longer in cities but tend to be in industrial estates in the middle of nowhere with again, absolutely terrible transport links to them but far easier to get to by car than bike.

zanes

simonaspinall wrote:

The government has to implement policy with bills, in this case taxation to apply financial pressure to raise revenue and affect society (in this case the transport network)

admittedly it's not doing a very good job of things

.........

Hence why un-necessary journeys should be curbed - which taxation has been the effective tactic of doing.

Spot the incongruity!

Ranting - Check
Poorly reading posts in reply- Check
Ignores calls for evidence- Check
Seems to have problems with large groups of people- Check

Conclusion- Another troll

Predictions- Will start posting vast amounts of emotive comment/reports, will play internet hard man briefly, will be gone by the end of this week.

Check the subject of the rest of the para I snipped before accusing me of quoting out of context, btw.