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 ???
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
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!!
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
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
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.
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 :)
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 ???
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?
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!
I sort of agree but.........
It a good thing for the environment............Isn't it :)
Now I'm going to run
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.
Absolutely KT ...
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.
We will Betula if good eco friendly fuels are allowed - but as said before the plans are rubbished or kept under wraps
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
They had a v successful French Revolultion (albeit with the then french monarchy) time for the peeps here to rise against Monsieur Brun! Parceque ???
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.
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
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
Am holding back the reins here :o for fear of offence - golden MP pensions, allowances etc - nooo , give the nag her head :) Time for a new board Dan methinks!
Interesting to note that, although diesel was always cheaper than petrol, since the lorry blockades of a few years ago, diesel is always more expensive.
it makes you wonder if it is the government holding a warning over the lorry drivers not to cause any more problems or they will make matters even worse.
cj :)
Interesting to note that, although diesel was always cheaper than petrol, since the lorry blockades of a few years ago, diesel is always more expensive.
Good point - How did that turn around??
I believe the price of diesel went up above petrol several years ago because it was said to be environmentally unfriendly, so an extra tax was put on it.
I found this site which shows petrol prices in Europe.
http://www.aaroadwatch.ie/eupetrolprices/default.asp
Diesel is more expensive here but petrol is cheaper than in some European countries such as Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands and Finland . France was a lot cheaper than the UK a couple of years ago but we noticed last year that we were paying as much over there as here. On the Price Comparison site it shows the petrol price in France to be marginally lower than here.
On the subject of France, I believe lorries over 7.5 tonnes are not allowed to drive on any roads in France on a Sunday. I think Nick queried this.
We owe it to future generations to cut down on fuel wherever possible. Public transport in Salisbury has improved dramatically and there are several Park and Rides. Our nearest one saves my OH some petrol and the cost of parking. I have my own car but do use the bus whenever I can.
Our electricity bill has actually gone down. This is because we have put in more insulation and changed to energy saving light bulbs. I swapped my home insurance when it was due and paid less than last year. Unfortunately we have oil fired central heating and this has gone up hundreds of pounds a year.
I would like to see the Government bring in regulations for all new homes to have solar panels and, wherever possible, small wind turbines. It would also be helpful if the prices for solar heaters and wind turbines were a lot cheaper.
What about multi-fuel cars with a solar panel instead of a sun roof? Could they not design ones with some sort of turbine fitted into the roof so that batteries could be charged?
We have got to realise that fossil fuels are limited and the more we can do now to cut down on our use, the better it will be.
I'm sorry to be a pain here, but isn't the idea to get us to use less ? or are we turning into Americans ?
There IS a finite amount of oil.
Our use IS rising.
The world demand IS also rising which is driving the price up.
Yes, I know a thick wedge of the pump price goes in TAX, but if the Government don't get it from fuel, it will get it from somewhere else (speed cameras, parking tickets ?)
Is every trip you take REALLY necessary? How many houses only have one car these days ? Yes, it will have an impact on today's lifestyle, but what about our tomorrows ?
Yes, we can reduce our use of plastic bags, but isn't that just p1ssing in the wind compared to our car usage.
(and don't start me of the excessive use of cardboard use around Easter eggs)
Are we complaining now just because we've had a long period of economic stability and growth with rising standards of living, and we've go too accustomed to a comfortable life.
Have we become a 'spend now, worry about it later' nation ?
As for those feeling the pinch today, just wait until April, when the 10% tax band disappears and the starting rate becomes 20%.
I'm now off to my nuclear proof burrow before you lot put me in a saucepan, gas mark 5.
Whilst I can see all viewpoints here, particularly the environmental ones, until the government improve the public transport system there is no way people are going to reduce their car usage to a level that will make any difference. I wish I could use my car less, but it's essential for me to care for my grandmother who is unable to use public transport due to her age and mobility, not to mention the lack of helpful routes to where she needs to go. I'd also love to get a more environmentally friendly car but find myself totally priced out of the market. I car share where possible, I use the train for uni but the bottom line is the government seem to be taking about 75% in tax, yet I fail to see where this is going in terms of environmental issues with regards to transport.
OK, the government do have to do something about it - But so do we - We owe it to us.
Little changes like getting rid of plastic bags is good, but as long as we make sure that the next step is better by far - Not by 0.00001%
Every little thing helps, but along with those ideas we have to have the big ideas working.
Quote from: Paulines7 on March 06, 2008, 01:03:02
Our electricity bill has actually gone down. This is because we have put in more insulation and changed to energy saving light bulbs. I swapped my home insurance when it was due and paid less than last year. Unfortunately we have oil fired central heating and this has gone up hundreds of pounds a year.
You may be able to find an alternative for the heating oil one of my neighbours has oil fired heating/hot water & after doing a bit of research on the internet we found that you can use either waste vegetable oil or biodiesel instead of kerosene. Which you use depends on the type of boiler you have. In his case it was only possible to use biodiesel but this has still resulted in huge savings on his energy bill and is a slightly greener alternative.
I don't drive so I find it difficult to take an interest in petrol prices. But I am completely dependendent on public transport which is awful in this area although I travel free with a disabled pass I have to fit my life around the buses the first bus is not until 10:00 & the last one home leaves at 16:45 which is something I have always found to be seriously restrictive & would like to see drastic improvements made to. Unfortunately all the meetings to discuss public transport locally are in the evening when I can't get there because it would leave me stuck 12 miles from home with no bus until the next morning.
Just thank our lucky stars that the pound/dollar rate is around the 2 dollar mark, otherwise how much would we be paying for our petrol.
All the more reason why we should buy British products to keep the price of the pound up.
another question isn't it more friendly to the environment to keep older cars on the road? As I believe most of the damage caused is in the production of the vehicle?
Quote from: Baccy Man on March 06, 2008, 08:39:11
Quote from: Paulines7 on March 06, 2008, 01:03:02
Our electricity bill has actually gone down. This is because we have put in more insulation and changed to energy saving light bulbs. I swapped my home insurance when it was due and paid less than last year. Unfortunately we have oil fired central heating and this has gone up hundreds of pounds a year.
You may be able to find an alternative for the heating oil one of my neighbours has oil fired heating/hot water & after doing a bit of research on the internet we found that you can use either waste vegetable oil or biodiesel instead of kerosene. Which you use depends on the type of boiler you have. In his case it was only possible to use biodiesel but this has still resulted in huge savings on his energy bill and is a slightly greener alternative.
Thank you for this helpful information Baccy Man. Does your neighbour make his own biodiesel or have it delivered?
Sorry to hear about your problems with transport. Is there not someone who lives nearby that would give you a lift to a transport meeting or are you really out in the sticks?
Quote from: Paulines7 on March 06, 2008, 09:39:07
Thank you for this helpful information Baccy Man. Does your neighbour make his own biodiesel or have it delivered?
My neighbour buys large quantities of waste vegetable oil & I turn it into biodiesel for him, I often help him out with things like this I also designed & built a sytem for him to use filtered rainwater for flushing the toilet.
The process of making biodiesel is very similar to distillation which is something I understand a lot better than he does you can buy it ready made but it is fairly simple & somewhat cheaper to make your own. I will try & find the info again so I can give you a few links.
Quote from: Paulines7 on March 06, 2008, 09:39:07
Sorry to hear about your problems with transport. Is there not someone who lives nearby that would give you a lift to a transport meeting or are you really out in the sticks?
Transport wise I am used to it I have lived here 8 years & I knew how bad the buses were before I moved in. I usually pass on something in writing to someone who is able to attend the public transport meetings which are held in towns 12, 18 or 30 miles away & ask them to emphasise the point that I can't attend myself because of the lack of public trasport. It has improved slightly over the years but still has a long way to go.
Quote from: Paulines7 on March 06, 2008, 09:39:07
Sorry to hear about your problems with transport. Is there not someone who lives nearby that would give you a lift to a transport meeting or are you really out in the sticks?
I really do think this is one of today's problems with society. We are all very self centered (me included). When I drive, very rarely is there more than one person in the car. When we just pop to the shops, I'm sure I could be getting something for the nextdoor neighbour to save them a trip (car milage) - but do I think of this - Nope, never.
The modern world has lost its sense of community, where we all help each other (and save many petrol miles).
Also, 6 years ago I could see that my parents were getting to the stage where they would need to use more public transport, be able to walk to the shops etc. So, after a lot of persuasion, they moved house to where all these facilities are already in place. An expensive and heart wrenching time, but now ... there are absolutely no regrets.
My brother lives out in the country, his kids constantly complain there's nothing to do and he complains that he is a full time unpaid taxi driver, and spends so much time and money commuting to work. I say tough - you chose to live there.
Why fight to force the councils to provide extra transport, just move to where it already exists.
These days we just sit back and complain that things ain't good enough and its up to someone else to put it right. Meanwhile, what are we, as individuals, doing ? Its easy to blame someone else.
I suppose 'transport-wise' we should bring back the old WW2 slogan "Is your journey really necessary?"
I was amazed this morning. I was walking down into the village to post some letters. Our drive is evens one side, odds the other. We are number 33 (on the odd side ;D). As I passed number 27, the occupant got into her car, backed out of the drive and drove in the same direction as I was walking. I passed her parents bungalow (No. 5) and there was her car parked :o Even if she was going on somewhere else afterwards, the walk there and back wouldn't have taken long.
I am beginning to think that 'man' is going to lose the use of its legs, simply because they refuse to use them.
On the subject of public transport. It is virtually non-existent round here. If you haven't got a car you go nowhere!!!
We live in the village of Alton (as in Towers). We get more coaches, cars, etc through the village in Summer, and could really do with a congestion charge. You have to plan your journey at the height of the season, because if you go out of the village in the wrong direction, and try to get back - you join the queue. Management at the Towers seems to think that issuing 20 free tickets to local residents makes it all right. I send for them each year as a matter of principle, but have very few takers. 2007 four, 2006 none (and unlike a lot of villagers I don't sell them).
valmarg
Not everyone is in a position to move to where the public transport is pesky
wabbit.If only life was so simple. :)