Londoners back surcharge on 'Chelsea tractors'

[editor]

Can you imagine what would happen if Apple made a SUV?

Oh grow up and quit stirring.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Oh grow up and quit stirring.

Turn on your sense of humour gene, you'll live longer if you smile once in a while.

 

[editor]

Turn on your sense of humour gene, you'll live longer if you smile once in a while.

Try being funny instead of dull and predictably tedious and I'll start laughing.

 

[scifisam]

we might have to start i dunno tyring off lights, things on standby etc etc which might have to make up the shortfall else where...

We can do that and work on decreasing CO2 emissions from cars - the two are not mutually exclusive.

@Bob: The difference between home heating and gas-guzzling cars is that heating your home is not a choice, while choosing to buy a car that's known for being a heavily polluting vehicle is.

You can help by using less heating at home, not leaving heaters on, making sure you're well-insulated, and so on, but, for most people, there isn't a lower-emissions form of home heating they can choose. If you're in a flat, or if you rent, there isn't even much you can do about insulation. So we can reduce our home energy impact, but not by all that much, and we certainly can't give it up altogether.

With cars you do have the choice; most people have a choice of getting a car or usng public transport, but even those who do have to have a car have a choice over which car they get. If you go for a car which will cause more damage, then you have no-one to blame but yourself when you're charged more for using it.

BTW: the bulk of the car is important when it comes to collisions, especially collisions with pedestrians - it's just so much harder to see kids crossing the road when you're high up in the air. The weight of the car also affects wear and tear on the road. So, while they don't affect congestion per se, they do have negative effects. Of course, cars that are zero-emissions tend be lighter in order to use less energy, which usually means they're smaller in dimensions too.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Try being funny instead of dull and predictably tedious and I'll start laughing.

Different strokes and all that, but that Apple quip was quality.

 

[Oswaldtwistle]

Six seater Jeep down my road going for £750, nice big 4x4 and I want it.

I want it more than I want to try and save the Earth.

But I won't buy it.

There are loads of ten year old 4x4s going for less than a grand. If it is pre 2001 and under 3 litres you would even escape the 25 quid charge.

But it will cost a fortune to insure, be a pain to park and drink juice like no-ones business.

 

[editor]

Different strokes and all that, but that Apple quip was quality.

Just a tip: it's really poor taste to big up your own jokes, especially if no one's laughing.

 

[editor]

There are loads of ten year old 4x4s going for less than a grand. If it is pre 2001 and under 3 litres you would even escape the 25 quid charge.

A lot of those old 4x4s aren't too safe either, if I remember correctly. And anyone driving around a city with bull bars on their cars deserves to be made to wear them on their heads.

 

[rich!]

Can you imagine what would happen if Apple made a SUV?

weirdly enough, Morgan recently showed off an electric concept car.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Just a tip: it's really poor taste to big up your own jokes, especially if no one's laughing.

Er you know that everyone is not laughing? What you got bugs on everyones computers?!

 

[citydreams]

Did anyone else see Bentley announce that by 2012 their entire fleet are going to be sub-120g/km well-to-wheel? That's V12 engines and all.

linky

 

[jæd]

Can you imagine what would happen if Apple made a SUV?

Have you seen the BMW x5...

 

[Kid_Eternity]

Have you seen the BMW x5...

Haha it's true!

 

[London_Calling]

I totally agree with the charge but OTOH it is wrong to call it a congestion charge isn't it?

It's totally an emissions charge. Ken's timed it for now to make it an election issue (as was the original congestion charge) - he doesn't yet have a popular mandate to fundamentally change the character of the charge but if/when he's re-elected everything he's done on transport would be validate and legitimised, most def including this.

If he wins, I can't think the High Court would dare refute the popular mandate either. It's alll about the timing for shrewdy Ken

 

[agricola]

It's alll about the timing for shrewdy Ken

Lets hope so - according to this poll (though given that it was commissioned by the Standard it may not be entirely above board) Johnson is twelve points ahead in the polls.

 

[Wolveryeti]

I wonder what will happen with modern 4x4's that don't exceed the limits imposed...

I'd much rather it was called "A-Tax-On-Things-Ken-Doesn't-Like" rather than "Congestion Charge"... The latter indicates we are trying to get rid of cars, etc in the capital. Allowing more green vehicles in won't do much to affect congestion...

Why don't we call it a twat tax. That's far more honest, surely.