cars buck falling CO2 trend

[reohn2]

.......... If the governments of the World were seriously tackling pollution they'd insist we all rode bikes! It's all about selling new product

And there lies the problem,the whole economic structure we as a global socierty have built for ourselves is selling stuff,but it has to be the newest stuff,the latest thing,the hook by which the marketeers make monetary profit.
Selling any old crap is the norm and with vehicles bigger crap is better crap,has become a covert mantra,the number of SUV/4×4/crewcab 4×4 pickups I see on UK roads borders on the ridiculous.If you check out the fuel economy figures of these vehicles it's apparent they're fuel guzzling monsters.
It's all so much fashion at the expense of society's health and wellbeing,add to that the need for a car due to the lack of any sort of joined up public transport system and people are forced to drive,whch is a self defeating policy from an environmental POV and is rapidly becoming utterly ridiculous prospect at certain times of day.
Cycling anywhere is a percieved nightmare of unsafe practice to the uninitiated because of the car's dominance.
The freedom vehicle that was the car has become a ball and chain due to the total reliance of it for the vast majority of the populous.

[Cunobelin]

This simply reinforces the fact that the diesel agenda is a placebo to make it look as if we are doing something about pollution. Electric Vehicles are the same, their particulate emission is only a couple of percent below that of a diesel or petrol vehicle

There needs to be serious examination of the use of ALL vehicles and reduce use across the board

What's the "diesel aganda"?

Why will it not make a difference?

The "Diesel is very very naughty and stopping using diesel will solve all the world's problems" agenda

It makes little difference because the reduction in the problem causing particulates are only reducing by a miniscule amount, when reducing at all. However by moving from diesel, people can pat themselves on the back and feel smug that by using an electric or petrol vehicle they have "done their bit" and continue to pollute the atmosphere

HTHey can then believe the propaganda and pretend that the problem is solved and totally ignore the fact that the main issue of vehicle use itself is being ignored

[Mike Sales]

The "Diesel is very very naughty and stopping using diesel will solve all the world's problems" agenda

It makes little difference because the reduction in the problem causing particulates are only reducing by a miniscule amount, when reducing at all. However by moving from diesel, people can pat themselves on the back and feel smug that by using an electric or petrol vehicle they have "done their bit" and continue to pollute the atmosphere

HTHey can then believe the propaganda and pretend that the problem is solved and totally ignore the fact that the main issue of vehicle use itself is being ignored

Just as people were told, and wanted to believe, that petrol was bad and they could be green by driving a diesel.

[reohn2]

This simply reinforces the fact that the diesel agenda is a placebo to make it look as if we are doing something about pollution. Electric Vehicles are the same, their particulate emission is only a couple of percent below that of a diesel or petrol vehicle

There needs to be serious examination of the use of ALL vehicles and reduce use across the board

What's the "diesel aganda"?

Why will it not make a difference?

The "Diesel is very very naughty and stopping using diesel will solve all the world's problems" agenda

It makes little difference because the reduction in the problem causing particulates are only reducing by a miniscule amount, when reducing at all. However by moving from diesel, people can pat themselves on the back and feel smug that by using an electric or petrol vehicle they have "done their bit" and continue to pollute the atmosphere

HTHey can then believe the propaganda and pretend that the problem is solved and totally ignore the fact that the main issue of vehicle use itself is being ignored

Spot on!
The real problem is single occupancy car travel of any sort and lack of government action to change that.

[Bonefishblues]

Crikey, people really are dim, aren't they.

[reohn2]

Crikey, people really are dim, aren't they.

In light of recent events,yes I'd definitely agree with that.
Tell people what they want to hear and they'll believe it if it doesnt intefere with their baised thinking

[Bonefishblues]

What recent events?

[reohn2]

What recent events?

Look on any brexit thread or the orange trend across the pond,not to mention a uk government that promises much but does little about the real problems facing all of us
PS,I've edited my prevous post whilst you were typing

[Bonefishblues]

Not getting the parallel tbh.

The proposition, paraphrased, is that people now believe that if we reduce diesel usage and transfer to other vehicles, all will be hunky-dory. I say that's to underestimate people.

[reohn2]

Not getting the parallel tbh.

The proposition, paraphrased, is that people now believe that if we reduce diesel usage and transfer to other vehicles, all will be hunky-dory. I say that's to underestimate people.

We're been sold a pup.
The car has been sold to you and me as freedom,and upto a point it definely is,but it's now becoming a liability due to saturation,manufacturers are pulling their tripes out to sell bigger better cars,ie;feel safer and look rugged in a 4x4/suv/crewcab pick up,or be green in an electric car,etc,be da man in an Audi A29 on the A29 or some such,etc,etc,and you cant really blame them in one sense because they're running an old program of marketing and sales based on marketing and sales,backed up by,all these jobs will go if we don't sell cars,and the oil companies wont make profit if they don't sell oil,so we simply have to keep making and selling cars,ad infnitum becase thats how it gotta be
The real problems are the vehicles themselves,because there's so many the roads get clogged and slowed down,as result the pollution increases astronomically due to cars sitting in jams or driving slowly along in them to the next jam,where people are most concentrated because people need to get to those concentrations of other people,and so by definition the problem grows.
You can fit far more people on a bus or train,but if the public transport is badly and disjointed people need to use a car,not because they want to anymore but because they have to,which leads to clogged up roads(have I said that already? ).
Which in turn leads to what were once nice rural and urban streets being clogged up with parked cars causing endless problems,and less pleasant areas to live and cycle and walk in.
The worst of it is government rely on the income from all the car use,so the government is reluctant to change the transport model other than tinker around the edges and build more roads,which they erroneously believe,or perhaps not,make it all better for ever and ever Amen,whilst at the same time mumblng lip service about sustainable transport such as cycling,whilst it puts more obsticles in the way of it!
My 2d's worth YVMV.

[thirdcrank]

One of the best examples of my dear old dad's saying "What would happen if everybody did it?"

But we do, do it and that includes me.

[reohn2]

One of the best examples of my dear old dad's saying "What would happen if everybody did it?"

But we do, do it and that includes me.

Me too,to an extent.
The problem being,many do because they must due to there being no real alternative for the many,who need to get into town and city centres to work.
On a local note to you and me,the train service across the Pennines for commuters has been in the news again lately,because it's a disgrace,and not fit for purpose and has been for years.

[Cunobelin]

The "Diesel is very very naughty and stopping using diesel will solve all the world's problems" agenda

It makes little difference because the reduction in the problem causing particulates are only reducing by a miniscule amount, when reducing at all. However by moving from diesel, people can pat themselves on the back and feel smug that by using an electric or petrol vehicle they have "done their bit" and continue to pollute the atmosphere

HTHey can then believe the propaganda and pretend that the problem is solved and totally ignore the fact that the main issue of vehicle use itself is being ignored

Just as people were told, and wanted to believe, that petrol was bad and they could be green by driving a diesel.

:::::::: and how Catalytic Converters would solve the problem even though over half of all journeys were under the distance they took to warm up and become effective. Further disregarding their fragility and that a large number were fitted, but stopped functioning shortly after.

[NUKe]

One of my lecturers at colledge Dr Hall used to tell us that catalytic converters were a conspiracy of the oil companies as they used about 10% more fuel, he was an advocate of lean burn.

Engines are more efficient, but we use them to drive bigger and bigger cars.

[craigbroadbent]

For many few pennies worth.
The CO2 target is a real issue for the car companies.
That is a lot of the reason for their dash for electric.
These don't solve all the issues, and are not Zero emissions in most countries, but do offer some improvements.

However, the congestion problem is vexing the car companies. Urban conurbations are growing and cars bunging up the streets.
Their solution is autonomous cars, preferrably shared. The only place these work at the moment is where there are no people or bikes etc, and has been for years.