Blair's government once again losing the plot...

[reds4ever]

Originally posted by Verres


It's Britain. People are dumb. Many vote for New Labour because they think it's still left wing and they want to rebel against the 'stuffy' Tories and show they are different from their parents.

Or some people cam remember interest rates at 15%, unemployment at 5 million and the Tory government not giving a sh!t

[Verres]

True. No way would I encourage anyone to vote Tory.

But I would like it if most people (note *most*, not people on 'poly) actually bothered to find out what the governments stood for and planned to do/had done rather than voting according to a v misguided perception based on.....god knows what.

[Dauphin]

I don't see a problem with the fundamental idea behind the scheme - that is it is effectively make all roads tolls. My libertarian side coming through I guess.( )

The cost issue doesn't bother me personally, or as a whole. I presume the overall cost to drivers is not supposed to increase. Of course any change in method of revenue collection will always be more than willing to bring in a little slack growth in costs, but it won't be excessive.

What I would question is the functionality of the system. i.e. will it work, what are the loopholes, and are the consequences considered. These are practical issues that if dealt with properly can be resolved very well, unfortunately it will be organised by the government.

[C0ckney]

i am very unhappy with the thought of the government knowing where my car is 24 hours a day, which is essentially what this scheme requires

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

You do realise that this system with sat-nav black boxes will take up to 20 years to implement?

[C0ckney]

i'm still pretty young, ta

but yeah 20 years and cost a fortune, sounds about right :/

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

It's ample time to vote in a new government. Who will, of course, choose not to drop it.

[Az]

This sucks arse.

Wouldn't mind it if a total public transport solution would exist.

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by C0ckney
i am very unhappy with the thought of the government knowing where my car is 24 hours a day, which is essentially what this scheme requires

Do you have a mobile phone? If you do then you can have your whereabouts traced just as easily as the proposed car scheme.

Incidently, many (and increasingly more) police cars are equipped with cameras to scan every licence plate they see and compare them to a DVLA database, in order to determine if they are 'wanted'.

[lightblue]

This is ging to replace road tax isn't it? Will be good for people that do not drive that much.

[Shi Huangdi]

Maybe Blair is angry with his party over future plans to replace him, so he is coming up with unpopular initiatives like that will hurt his party?

[Dr Strangelove]

Germany already has the system in use, but only for trucks.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Dauphin
Do you have a mobile phone? If you do then you can have your whereabouts traced just as easily as the proposed car scheme.

Only if it's on

[el freako]

Originally posted by reds4ever
Or some people cam remember interest rates at 15%, unemployment at 5 million and the Tory government not giving a sh!t

Err, unemployment has never been 5m in the UK - in fact it's never gone above the 3.4m it reached in 1984 (it's currently 1.4m)

I have no problem, economically, with road-pricing - as long as it is 'revenue neutral' (i.e. any money raised from it is used to cut fuel duties and car tax).
I do have worries on privacy grounds.

[Provost Harrison]

I also think that this undermines any attempt to make fuelguzzling cars more expensive...there needs to be a strong disincentive to driving overly consuming vehicles...