Time to take Action

[Nick65]

Right, this is taking the pss and something really has to be done.

Just went past BP in Poole - Diesel now £1.12 a litre. This is totally obscene and something needs to be done about it.

But what???

Thinking caps on time I feel!!!!!

No more boycotting certain Companies - We need to get to the crux of this matter once and for all.

We are the voters and we are the people who should be telling our MP's that we have had enough of these shenanigans - After all WE ALL pay them and they should be doing what we tell them - It's in the interest of the country - It's in your interest whether you think it or not.

The cost of your goodies at home will go up - From the latest Stranglers CD to your kebab - After all, no company is going to accept the cost of paying for this - You will pay for it. This time we just cannot walk away from this situation.

This is not a political movement, this is a return to sanity - And yes I voted them in as well  ???

[Nick65]

[posie]

I'm with you on this one.  Although they are not too bad down here £1.04 - £1.06 is about average in my town for unleaded, if it goes up much further I won't be able to run my car, my insurance has gone up as well (despite no claims being made on it), my food bill has gone up, as has my gas, electricity and water.  As a mature student with two growing kids, life is starting to get very difficult and if it gets much worse I'll have to give up my studies and then I will be REALLY pi***d off as I've worked hard to get this far and I'm in line for a 1st.  But what can we do?  People have talked about boycotts, lorries have done a go slow.  Maybe we should do what the Italians did, simply park across the motorways until the government gives in.  Although knowing them they'd clamp us and charge us for that as well!   :P

[springbok]

Posie I know how you feel.  I don t have a car anymore, it had to go.  I had a Peugoet Diesel and just couldnt afford to run it anymore  :'(

I am a mother of two, on my own and normal commodities have gone up.  I am too trying to study and only yesterday was talking about going back to work full time as the cost of living has got ridiculous.  But then calculated the price of child costs!!.. for Two children.. its going to be nearly £100 a day!!!!. 

What shocked me the most was the price of bread, it has gone up almost 50p in as many months a loaf!!!

January 18th, my gas and electric went up 15%.  I have recently changed to another company hoping that the cost will go down.  Currently with BG!!.

This country is in trouble, and as cost of living goes up... wages doesnt seem to follow suit!!

[Nick65]

I have to use my car as I am Disabled - But I do not use it on my better days - Can't really afford to.

Send e mails to everyone you know, get them to become involved in this matter - I know there are going to be far more people saying "Why bother?" or "Nothing will change?" so we have to persuade these people - Not by shock tactics but by facts - We must have a water tight project that is United - Stunts are not acceptable anymore - This concerns every single person on this and every website across the world

These collusions between Car Manufacturers, Petroleum Giants, The Governments and OPEC must be stamped upon once and for all and not only must we tell them, but we must all work towards a new solution for cars - Let's face it - Cars will always be here, so why not invest properly in the alternatives - Make sure the governments stop Petroleum Giants and Car Manufacturers from buying up these good ideas and then destroying them.

The Governments must support these new ideas - After all we voted them in - We pay the wages, but we sit here "Doffing our hats"

It is time to Speak out and do it authoratively

[grawrc]

Posie, Springbockgirlie - keep shifting for your power bills but read the small print.

I am appalled at the price of petrol/diesel in this country (mind you it was thatcher that sold off our homegrown oil and gas to fund her warmongering) while in USA they are still fuelling gasguzzlers for pennies.

We are so overtaxed here for just about everything. I don't know what the solution is but we do need to let our elected representatives know we're not happy. Problem is if they don't get voted in at the next election they will already have their seats on the board and sinecures set up.

Little old cynical me. xx

[Suzanne]

As I understand this, the majority of the price for petrol etc is due to tax - namely to curb emissions and usage and pay for  environmental improvements etc. As we are building new roads all the while it doesn't have seemed to be effective! Surprising when the same policy for cigarettes (increase the duty) didn't work either, it was the realisation of the health impacts that started to switch people off tobacco. Perhaps the third times the charm so to speak as it is being mooted that to curb binge drinking the price of alcohol needs to increase - probably through increases in duty.

I may be speaking out of turn but this policy of try, try and try again - but only be repeating the same mistake seems a bit daft. Perhaps education, investment (in public transport) etc would be a better route.

[Nick65]

Yes Suzanne - We cannot jump into this - We have to do this the proper way - Not sure what it is yet, but if we can enough people together to start thinking as a Country, and not just individuals then we can surely crack this :)

[ninnyscrops]

http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1307834,00.html?f=rss

Sorry but all to do with revenue for the greater good of all  ???

[Nick65]

Ninnyscrops - I have read about it - And I do have concerns about what happens if someone breaks down though, but that's beside the point.

I seem to remember around Clermont Ferrand that lorries were not allowed to go on the autorutes at weekends - Is this correct?

Back to the point though - Does anyone know the percentage that the government get for petrol tax?

[ninnyscrops]

Was on your side......just didn't put it across very well  :(  If this hard shoulder thing goes ahead there will also be savings to the government of hospital care as the emergency services won't be able to get there on time - remember most MP's are driven by chauffeurs so they can always use the outside lanes.
Sorry rant over but got a £60 congestion fine today for the business and I'm sure I paid it but no record on my fastrack account - no email receipt at the office either 'cos they have problems sending those out too at the mo' - they admit to their system being down!

[kimbobill]

I sort of agree but.........

It a good thing for the environment............Isn't it :)

Now I'm going to run

[kt.]

This is where the Americans and dare I say the french do well. They are good at protesting to the government to force positive action in the peoples favour. Why aren't we as good at it?

Sooner or later there will be a huge knock-on effect:
when people cannot afford to run cars, they cannot get to work
when people cannot get to work, they cannot earn a decent living.
when they cannot earn a decent living.... they claim off the state
when they claim off the state, they cannot afford to spend as much (usually ::))
when they cannot spend as much, it affects business
when it affects business, it affects government - no tax revenue
No tax revenue then we are all screwed - unless you are an MP who gets all the perks and votes for your own payrise to pay for all these things.

Within a generation could we take a backward step; by people not being able to do the job they want because they cannot afford to live or work away from the community they have been bought up in.

[ninnyscrops]

Absolutely KT ...

[betula]

I think we need much better public transport.I try to use the bus as often as I can for local journeys.I have tried to use the train but invariably get delays.Obviously the car is the easiest but if we don't start cutting down our use of cars we will not have much of a planet left for future generations.

[ninnyscrops]

We will Betula if good eco friendly fuels are allowed - but as said before the plans are rubbished or kept under wraps

[DAVIESFOZZIE]

look you are wasting your breath if you think any politician is going to take notice if we pay £10 a gallon they are all out to feather their own nests i said this last time we had a fuel strike and i will say it again forget a blockade of fuel depots etc hit them in the place they only care about blockade central London in the city the underground call a mass strike only then will thay listen by the way i paid £1.10 a litre in caerphilly for diesel an dthis is a main town

[ninnyscrops]

They had a v successful French Revolultion (albeit with the then french monarchy) time for the peeps here to rise against Monsieur Brun! Parceque  ???

[arphamoe]

Ninnyscrops, re your congestion charge, I had the same problem a couple of years ago but eventually got it rescinded when I proved their systems were deficient. It took a long time but you have to be belligerent and persistent otherwise Red Ken and his monsters will walk all over you!
Dont let them do it.

[ninnyscrops]

Thanks arphamoe - daughter had a similar episode - she went into London in hubby's car then went back in with her own car later - she argued with her back teeth that she had paid it once therefore was it the car or the person - she won  ;D

[sheddie]

Hi,

Unleaded petrol is £1.04 a litre here in Newcastle, which maybe cheaper than in the South - but bearing in mind it was 43p a litre when Labour got in power - it makes you think!...

1997 they got in if I'm not mistaken? - how can it rise from 43p to £1.04 in that time! - scandalous. But then, someone has got to pay for Nothern Rock, alcoholics 'enhanced' benefits to buy booze etc etc..

Wah man! - sorry, rant over