Road tax or ved for cyclists Stupid idea or what - Q: What do think ? do people like cyclists

[Otta]

StraferJack Wrote:

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> Offensive? You are offended?

>

> Really? How? What is offensive

"mean-spirited, spiteful, and narrow minded"

I'm going to go with that as my guess.

[StraferJack]

those are strong opinions - but I don't think there is anything offensive about them is there?

There is room for them to be disagreed with but I didn't swear or directly call anyone names -

[Robert Poste's Child]

Not sure if I'm confused or did the OP just change the subject line to add 'do people like cyclists'? Pretty offensive, inflammatory and stupid in my view, and perhaps a false opposition given how it's phrased, but I guess it makes the OP's personal agenda clearer.

[rodneybewes]

As said before, vehicle excise duty is based on emissions with the principle the polluter pays. The more the pollution the more you pay - lorries pay a lot and electric cars (currently) nothing.

Road building and maintenance is paid for out of general taxation. So if you are a tax payer and you don't drive, you pay for them anyway. And if you are a tax payer and a cyclist you pay for them. In fact pretty much all of us pay for them, all working people and pensioners.

Roads aren't just for cars. They used to be for all users. They've just come to be dominated by cars. In lots of urban centres, for a variety of good reasons, there is a need to cut the amount of vehicles on the road. At the same time cycling is increasing a great deal. At rush hour many of the bridges in central London cyclists are the dominant road users (i.e. more of them than other types of vehicle). As time goes on they will naturally edge cars aside in these areas, just as cars have done to other road users in the past.

For built up urban centres this is a good thing. It cuts pollution (both air and noise), it cuts serious accidents and deaths, it allows room for and speeds up public transport and mass transit and improves the general health of the population through exercise, whilst at the same time reducing burden on the NHS which saves money.

So, on that basis, we should tax polluting vehicles more (especially in cities via congestion charges generally) and not tax cyclists at all. I both drive and cycle in London.

[Henry_17]

in order for the level of tax per individual to justify the related admin costs I would imagine that level would seem disproportionate vs. the cost of a bike compared to the same ratio for a motor vehicle, or disproportionate vs. the roadbuilding and maintenance costs imposed by bikes vs. the same ratio for a motor vehicle.

[peristalsis]

Robert Poste's Child Wrote:

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> Not sure if I'm confused or did the OP just change

> the subject line to add 'do people like cyclists'?

> Pretty offensive, inflammatory and stupid in my

> view, and perhaps a false opposition given how

> it's phrased, but I guess it makes the OP's

> personal agenda clearer.

Three versions.

6/9 Road tax or ved for cyclists - Q: What do think ?

7/9 Road tax or ved for cyclists - Q: What do think ? do people like cyclists

8/9 Road tax or ved for cyclists Stupid idea or what - Q: What do think ? do people like cyclists

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?20,1387950,1388525

[natty01295]

Yes I changed it

[natty01295]

I love cycling myself but have seen some negative videos on YouTube towards cyclists