Monbiot on speed cameras and the real war
in [UK Drivers]
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From: Matt B on 29 Jul 2010 07:06 On 29/07/2010 11:45, GT wrote: > "Squashme"<squashme(a)gmail.com> wrote in message > news:b39c1d52-5d38-4712-a180-efce1913e838(a)t10g2000yqg.googlegroups.com... > On 29 July, 09:21, "Brimstone"<brimst...(a)hotmail.com> wrote: >> "Chelsea Tractor Man"<mr.c.trac...(a)hotmail.co.uk> wrote in >> messagenews:1r65552a9jcy5.g9ageyxtgm2z.dlg(a)40tude.net...> On Wed, 28 Jul >> 2010 17:32:35 +0100, Brimstone wrote: >> >>>> Colloquially, yes. It's also the footway and other dialect terms. But, >>>> in >>>> road construction terms highways are paved or unpaved therefore the >>>> whole >>>> of >>>> the road surface is a pavement. >> >>> "colloquial" is what we use in everyday speech, it's the dictionary >>> definition. If specialists use it another way, that's a specialists >>> definition for internal use by them. >> >> "Colloquial" is also what people use when they're uneducated or too lazy >> to >> use correct terminology. > > How do you feel about "Road Tax?" > > I think its quite expensive for what you get. What /do/ you get for it? The biggest things are provision of: social protection, the health service, education, defence, and public order and safety. > To me it seems unfair that a > petrol car that does 5000 miles worth of damage per year should pay twice or > 3 times as much road tax than a diesel car of similar size and weight that > does 20,000 miles worth of damage per year. It's just whatever they can get away with politically - there is no clear "fairness" in it. It doesn't seem fair either that the keeper of a 40,000 miles/year hybrid pays nothing, yet for a 5,000 miles/year Vauxhall Astra you could pay GBP425. -- Matt B
From: Matt B on 29 Jul 2010 07:08 On 29/07/2010 11:52, Chelsea Tractor Man wrote: > On Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:45:53 +0100, Matt B wrote: > >>> Not at all. But if you have a 20 or 30 limit to decrease pedestrian >>> injuries should there be an accident, its a safety measure. You police it >>> by policing the speed limit....... >> >> There are many roads and streets where the normal traffic speed is >> significantly below the posted speed limit. Why do you think that is, >> and what purpose does the speed limit serve in such places? > > so what? Well, why do you think that is, and what purpose does the speed limit serve in such places? Could the "reasons" be transferred to /all/ streets, and speed limits got rid of? -- Matt B
From: Matt B on 29 Jul 2010 07:20 On 29/07/2010 12:13, Chelsea Tractor Man wrote: > On Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:08:39 +0100, Matt B wrote: > >>>> There are many roads and streets where the normal traffic speed is >>>> significantly below the posted speed limit. Why do you think that is, >>>> and what purpose does the speed limit serve in such places? >>> >>> so what? >> >> Well, why do you think that is, and what purpose does the speed limit >> serve in such places? > > None, why does it matter? > >> Could the "reasons" be transferred to /all/ >> streets, and speed limits got rid of? > > If you could transfer those reasons. What are you thinking of? I asked /you/ what /you/ thought the reasons were. Do you know any uncongested streets in an unenforced 30 mph limit zone where traffic normally travels at speeds significantly below the limit? If you do, I bet there are also streets in the same 30 mph area where the speeds are closer to 40 mph. What /actually/ controls the traffic speed in such places - because it is certainly nothing to do with the speed limit? -- Matt B
From: GT on 29 Jul 2010 07:19 "Chelsea Tractor Man" <mr.c.tractor(a)hotmail.co.uk> wrote in message news:yyfoe6422w6n.f4dvexr4gl82$.dlg(a)40tude.net... > On Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:40:30 +0100, GT wrote: > >> But occasionally - 1 day in 20, you pass that truck and there is nothing >> in >> front of it and the next 10 miles of clear road is bliss. You then arrive >> at >> the 15 miles of motorway and it is clear as well and eventually you >> arrive >> at home 15 minutes earlier than normal and actually get to see your >> children >> before they go to bed. You get night night cuddles and then you sit down >> for >> your tea with a nice warm glow and all is well with the world. 2 weeks >> later >> a speeding ticket arrives on your doormat... you managed to reach 68mph >> on >> that nice stretch of country road that normally crawls along at 44-48 >> mph... > > but most male overtaking isn't actually about having 15 minutes with the > kids. Its just need for speed. Maybe true. I was talking personally about a recent posting I was working daily on, which was 2 hours from home (apart from the ticket part!)
From: Matt B on 29 Jul 2010 07:31
On 29/07/2010 12:11, Chelsea Tractor Man wrote: > On Thu, 29 Jul 2010 12:06:58 +0100, Matt B wrote: > >>> I think its quite expensive for what you get. >> >> What /do/ you get for it? The biggest things are provision of: social >> protection, the health service, education, defence, and public order and >> safety. > > indeed, its a tax not a charge for using the roads. It is a tax, but only charged if using the public roads. The same vehicle can be kept on private property with no road use tax being charged. -- Matt B |