The 'no such thing as road tax' argument irritates me intensely, it's just making us look silly. They don't care what the name of the tax is, they care that they're paying it and we aren't. I've found that whenever there's a comment about road tax, telling them that non-motorists are subsidising motorists, and hitting them with this shuts them up first time every time: I suspect that it might be the sight of Denmark that makes them go all quiet.
anti-cycling rants
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Re: anti-cycling rants
“I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
― Friedrich Nietzsche
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Re: anti-cycling rants
H'mm... actually everyone is paying it, it's just that powered vehicles attract vehicle exercise duty...axel_knutt wrote: ↑23 Oct 2021, 2:25pm
The 'no such thing as road tax' argument irritates me intensely, it's just making us look silly. They don't care what the name of the tax is, they care that they're paying it and we aren't.
...so all roads which are not trunk roads or motorways are maintained by your local county council. If you are paying council tax then a proportion of this will go to its maintenance and new construction (barring new road developments under section 106, or grants, loans or other monies provided by central government)...
..trunk roads and motorways are paid by Central Government from its fund payments to which include VAT which you pay on all taxable goods. Vehicle exercise duty also goes into this fund. However because these payments are not ring-fenced the money paid for this duty could also be spent on nuclear submarines, civil servant wages, or anything else the government decides....
So any VAT paid on cycling goods might actually be used to fund motorway repairs and equally any money spent on vehicle exercise duty may be spent by the government as a grant to local authorities to build cycle lanes
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Re: anti-cycling rants
It would be helpful to have an explanation of the parameters in that chart. What are the 'internalisation measures' referred to? What are the 'external costs'?axel_knutt wrote: ↑23 Oct 2021, 2:25pm
The 'no such thing as road tax' argument irritates me intensely, it's just making us look silly. They don't care what the name of the tax is, they care that they're paying it and we aren't. I've found that whenever there's a comment about road tax, telling them that non-motorists are subsidising motorists, and hitting them with this shuts them up first time every time:
Cost Coverage Ratio Cropped.jpg
I suspect that it might be the sight of Denmark that makes them go all quiet.
- simonineaston
- Posts: 8077
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- Location: ...at a cricket ground
Re: anti-cycling rants
Here's how it is.
Some folks see that it's possible to follow a gentle, flexible, sustainable - and usually slow - way. Most folks want their needs to be met quickly.
The consequence is that all resources will be used up quicker than they can be replaced. Get used to that - or think of an alternative.
Some folks see that it's possible to follow a gentle, flexible, sustainable - and usually slow - way. Most folks want their needs to be met quickly.
The consequence is that all resources will be used up quicker than they can be replaced. Get used to that - or think of an alternative.
S
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
(on the look out for Armageddon, on board a Brompton nano & ever-changing Moultons)
Re: anti-cycling rants
I agree about arguing about name of "road tax". Whether we like it or not the term is in common use and refers to car tax, or more accurately VED. Most realise electric cars don't pay any, but a lot of fossil fuel cars don't including mine.
The "road tax" argument usually falls into one of two camps.
1. I pay tax and you don't *stamps feet* jealousy mode. Who are usually just complete idiots. Some can be educated but it's a lot of effort for little gain
2. The "If cyclists paid road tax and insurance they'd be safe" camp. This scares me a little as it is bullies basically advocating for a protection racket on our roads. It is quite worrying when the "celeb" professional haters get wheeled out on telly to spout this guff
I don't think it's worthwhile engaging with almost any of these clowns as their views are usually very entrenched and not at all limited to just tax as they often just hate that the person in front is on a bike. The best defence is to ignore. Do not let them live rent free in your head!
They are generally a loud minority and most are not as extreme or as vocal. They're loud because they are losing mindshare and territory, albeit slowly in some areas. Fight by being pro cycling in any consultations in your area and by engaging with councillors, MPs, and officer as appropriate. We need a vocal majority who want safer space
The "road tax" argument usually falls into one of two camps.
1. I pay tax and you don't *stamps feet* jealousy mode. Who are usually just complete idiots. Some can be educated but it's a lot of effort for little gain
2. The "If cyclists paid road tax and insurance they'd be safe" camp. This scares me a little as it is bullies basically advocating for a protection racket on our roads. It is quite worrying when the "celeb" professional haters get wheeled out on telly to spout this guff
I don't think it's worthwhile engaging with almost any of these clowns as their views are usually very entrenched and not at all limited to just tax as they often just hate that the person in front is on a bike. The best defence is to ignore. Do not let them live rent free in your head!
They are generally a loud minority and most are not as extreme or as vocal. They're loud because they are losing mindshare and territory, albeit slowly in some areas. Fight by being pro cycling in any consultations in your area and by engaging with councillors, MPs, and officer as appropriate. We need a vocal majority who want safer space
Re: anti-cycling rants
Imagine this, if all cyclist payed VED do you really think other road users would veiw us differently and treat us with respect, NOT A CHANCE, the road tax thing is just a lazy way to attack cyclist without them thinking to hard.
Re: anti-cycling rants
Of course few motorists, and sadly few cyclists, realise that is was invention of the safety bicycle and the pneumatic tyre that led to the early cyclists campaigning successfully for the paved roads that all road users enjoy today. They also invented the motor car and the aeroplane.
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Re: anti-cycling rants
Here is a definition of external costs in the economic sense.ChrisButch wrote: ↑23 Oct 2021, 8:20pm
It would be helpful to have an explanation of the parameters in that chart. What are the 'internalisation measures' referred to? What are the 'external costs'?
External costs (also known as externalities) refer to the economic concept of uncompensated social or environmental effects. For example, when people buy fuel for a car, they pay for the production of that fuel (an internal cost), but not for the costs of burning that fuel, such as air pollution.
It is significant that road transport is often used as a good example to illustrate the concept.Consumption, production, and investment decisions of individuals, households, and firms often affect people not directly involved in the transactions. Sometimes these indirect effects are tiny. But when they are large they can become problematic—what economists call externalities. Externalities are among the main reasons governments intervene in the economic sphere.
These costs are high, and paid by us all.
Internalisation measures are measures to charge these costs to those who benefit from the economic activity, because otherwise there is a distortion of the market.The perennial complaint from drivers that they are excessively taxed has been challenged by a study which concludes that road accidents, pollution and noise connected to cars costs every EU citizen more than £600 a year.
The report by transport academics at the Dresden Technical University in Germany calculated that even with drivers' insurance contributions discounted these factors amounted to an annual total of €373bn (£303bn) across the 27 EU member states, or around 3% of the bloc's entire yearly GDP. This breaks down as €750 per man, woman and child.
The report recommends that such so-called externalities be factored into the cost of driving, noting that even the €373bn tally does not include costs from congestion or ill health caused by lack of exercise.
It's the same the whole world over
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
It's the poor what gets the blame
It's the rich what gets the pleasure
Isn't it a blooming shame?
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Re: anti-cycling rants
Folk think what they are told to think by the world around them. Most folks, in the history of humanity, have never thought in this way or ever had such expectations. The superstructures that have arisen from the economics of our world are so profoundly pervasive that it will be impossible to genuinely overturn them without a violent restriction of what people think of as their freedoms. Whatever any positive forces want to do is going to get bent into the shape of the powers that be, because Facebook can filter public opinion and we are stupid and lazy and so on...simonineaston wrote: ↑23 Oct 2021, 9:26pm Here's how it is.
Some folks see that it's possible to follow a gentle, flexible, sustainable - and usually slow - way. Most folks want their needs to be met quickly.
The consequence is that all resources will be used up quicker than they can be replaced. Get used to that - or think of an alternative.
Violent revolution would be good in my opinion. But Joanna Lumley has a point with her rationing idea (buy chicken coop futures guys - Amazon is going to sell out of henhouses, just you watch).
- SupermanVsSnowman
- Posts: 36
- Joined: 23 Sep 2021, 7:56am
Re: anti-cycling rants
Do I dare post the swearing Clarkson rant on cyclists? (actually no). Ironically as a cyclist myself I find his moaning rather funny. Nobody can rant better than Clarkson, regardless of how big the the end part of a bell he may be.
OH CACK! I just dropped my d-lock, shattering the JWST primary mirrors! I'll just say I was on the toilet when I heard something smash.
Re: anti-cycling rants
There seems to be a lot of anti-cycling rants on Twitter (yes I know... Twitter ). There was one thread I was following yesterday where some guy was essentially victim blaming a cyclist who had been 'car doored'.
I follow Jeremy Vine on there and he posts some pretty horrendous video clips. He doesn't half get a lot of abuse from angry uninformed motorists though; fair play to him.
I follow Jeremy Vine on there and he posts some pretty horrendous video clips. He doesn't half get a lot of abuse from angry uninformed motorists though; fair play to him.
Re: anti-cycling rants
I often find doorings difficult to comment on because my view is that you should basically almost never be riding in the door zone.* Of course, the driver is responsible for the door being opened into traffic, but the collision could be avoided by more careful cycling.
* and councils who paint door zone cycle lanes should be made to pay compensation to everyone who suffers as a result, to concentrate their minds on fixing them.
I still wonder if he attracts it as a fairly recognisible person. It's been months since I had a proper bit of abuse.I follow Jeremy Vine on there and he posts some pretty horrendous video clips. He doesn't half get a lot of abuse from angry uninformed motorists though; fair play to him.
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
All the above is CC-By-SA and no other implied copyright license to Cycle magazine.
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Re: anti-cycling rants
Yeah but his anger and his ranting have taken a toll on his health. Have you seen him? He's in his early sixties apparently, looks like he's in his late eighties or early nineties. Whenever he speaks or rants I just feel sorry for the guy.. it's like the sound of a plaintiff dinosaur watching the oncoming cometSupermanVsSnowman wrote: ↑2 Nov 2021, 12:02pm Do I dare post the swearing Clarkson rant on cyclists? (actually no). Ironically as a cyclist myself I find his moaning rather funny. Nobody can rant better than Clarkson, regardless of how big the the end part of a bell he may be.
Re: anti-cycling rants
That could be all the years old good living,smoking,drinking and generally being unfit.cycle tramp wrote: ↑6 Nov 2021, 9:24pmYeah but his anger and his ranting have taken a toll on his health. Have you seen him? He's in his early sixties apparently, looks like he's in his late eighties or early nineties. Whenever he speaks or rants I just feel sorry for the guy.. it's like the sound of a plaintiff dinosaur watching the oncoming cometSupermanVsSnowman wrote: ↑2 Nov 2021, 12:02pm Do I dare post the swearing Clarkson rant on cyclists? (actually no). Ironically as a cyclist myself I find his moaning rather funny. Nobody can rant better than Clarkson, regardless of how big the the end part of a bell he may be.
I think he's aged a lot in the last 5 years or so.
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Re: anti-cycling rants
Haven't we all aged a lot in the last 2 years? the covid years (and still ongoing, lest some forget)