Long overdue changes to Road Tax ahead..

[dragon green 5]

Ooo more ANPR cameras !

[Timbo 0]

Either.

[mic_VR 3]

Shhhh Kev, don't let on that's we're grumpy old men! :lol:

 

I know it's all a bit in jest on here but I feel quite strongly how much the government has misrepresented the public. Recession is a dangerous word, and although we may have technically been in a financial recession the reality is that we're not doing quite a badly as they're making out.

 

But we also surmised that some people bring it onto themselves. For example, what better way to send a message to big business that we won't be fleeced, by camping outside Game to buy a PS4, or going onto Ebay and paying double if they didn't pre-order! I mean, FFS. What is wrong with people? A recession, a PROPER recession means battening down the hatches and just 'surviving'. This is no recession. If people can find £600 for a £349 console, £500 for an Apple handset, £50 p/month for Sky subs, 6+35 @ £250 for an Essex White A3 TDI with gunmetal wheels, they have no right to complain about the state of affairs.

 

Quite right, this is not the behaviour of people in a recession. Inflation in double figures, interest rates at 15%, effective tax rates of 70%+... now that's a cause of worry! People who have mortgaged to the hilt, bought themselves new cars on finance, credit cards to the max and now they're worried about a 0.25% shift in base rates have nobody to blame but themselves.

I might get burned for this and I know people will blame banks for lending them the money, or the government for giving a load away to the people who genuinely are poor (proper poor not 'I can't afford to go on the lash this weekend' poor), but really? do you not have the common sense to think maybe a 100% mortgage is a bad idea? Greed and no self control is the biggest problem. The reality is people know the good life and they want that to continue, they want to have a huge house and a new white Audi but do you NEED it? Unlikely. The banks were not clever in the way they lent money but people went in there and completed the application forms of their own free will, I doubt HSBC have taken to using gunpoint as a persuader to utilise that super low loan rate!

 

I appreciate it isn't all sunshine and lollypops for all. The housing market is a joke and there have been industry problems which have caused job losses etc which is very unfortunate but look at the scale of these things in the 70's or early 90's, we're not there yet by a long way. And what about all the failures with Ford and Vauxhall plants when the good times were rolling a few years ago? Businesses fail, markets change. That's life. But for me I'm always thinking about how I can mitigate these things influencing me? How long could I live on my savings etc if I lost my job? Is it just be me that thinks about these things?

 

I apologise for the rant. I'll go back to my padded room now..... :bonk:

[corrado wannabe 13]

I have come to the conclusion I am going to be immune to all the problems coming down the line, as I purchased a grey Audi and not a white one!

 

Its amazing that no matter where you go, we all seem to be of a like mind in terms of opinion on how things are being run, yet our "elected" Government do not appear to be able to reflect that in policies or law.

 

I think we should be more "French"; Vive La Revolution.

[Wullie 1]

But we also surmised that some people bring it onto themselves. For example, what better way to send a message to big business that we won't be fleeced, by camping outside Game to buy a PS4, or going onto Ebay and paying double if they didn't pre-order! I mean, FFS. What is wrong with people? A recession, a PROPER recession means battening down the hatches and just 'surviving'. This is no recession. If people can find £600 for a £349 console, £500 for an Apple handset, £50 p/month for Sky subs, 6+35 @ £250 for an Essex White A3 TDI with gunmetal wheels, they have no right to complain about the state of affairs.

 

Proof if needed. Osbourne will be looking at this and suggesting we live off pictures of food. http://www.nottinghampost.com/Warning-student-pays-pound-450-photo-Xbox/story-20263203-detail/story.html?fb_action_ids=10152047158645629&fb_action_types=og.likes&fb_source=other_multiline&action_object_map=%5B670720152973459%5D&action_type_map=%5B%22og.likes%22%5D&action_ref_map=%5B%5D

[mic_VR 3]

Its amazing that no matter where you go, we all seem to be of a like mind in terms of opinion on how things are being run, yet our "elected" Government do not appear to be able to reflect that in policies or law.

 

Because it doesn't work like that. People don't vote based purely on who represents the best for them or the country. Who on here honest read all the manifestos from the various parties, made an informed choice and voted on who they thought was going to be the best for the job.... irrespective of which party? And who voted based on an 'I'd never vote labour!' attitude?

 

People are party faithful. That's an unfortunate reality. You might get a bit of swing but never much. Then you have to contend with all the flip-flopping of the parties. Labours policies will be Lib Dems next time, and the Conservatives are just rehashing Labour ideas that were Lib Dem ideas years ago!

[ray_vr6 1]

Just watched the News and Osbourne has that smug face I would never tire of punching!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

It's spelled Eton; Eaton make superchargers.

 

Pedant.

[Timbo 0]

Somebody educated at Eaton would probably make a better leader...

 

The flip flopping is inevitable given our bonkers electoral system. We had a chance to improve/fix it 3 years ago, but it seems like most people like things the way they are. Sad.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Shhhh Kev, don't let on that's we're grumpy old men! :lol:

 

I know it's all a bit in jest on here but I feel quite strongly how much the government has misrepresented the public. Recession is a dangerous word, and although we may have technically been in a financial recession the reality is that we're not doing quite a badly as they're making out.

 

Moaning over a cup of tea is a British institution :lol: Well, moaning over a cup of tea on a forum these days, in the hope some MP in Westminster might actually read our ramblings and take note :)

 

I apologise for the rant. I'll go back to my padded room now..... :bonk:

 

No need to apologise mate, I think many of us think the same way at the moment!

 

I can feel a peasants revolt brewing!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Somebody educated at Eaton would probably make a better leader...

 

The flip flopping is inevitable given our bonkers electoral system. We had a chance to improve/fix it 3 years ago, but it seems like most people like things the way they are. Sad.

 

I think somebody with no education could make a better leader!

 

That's why I laughed about the government being brought into the modern age with computerised car taxing. There is nothing 'modern' what so ever about the old guard running this country and only those privileged enough to be in the 'circles' being allowed into Westminster. The country is run by middle aged infants.

[Portent 0]

Most of our "leaders" are simply career politicians with no real world experience and certainly in it for themselves. As I get older I am getting totally cynical. This announcement is simply smoke and mirrors so people think it'd a good thing. But the real story, which will be ignored of course, is the increase in tax it will bring in by changing the tax bands. There's a pretty strong chance our cars will raise in price with the VR6 possibly going north of £460 and ask those lovely efficient low emission vehicles going up. Too many people now have low emission cars and the tax take is falling so they need to change the structure and his it behind a very small but of good news.

 

They are all just a bunch of self serving muppets regardless of their party colour.

[Jim 2]

The prospect of VR6 road tax doubling is worrying. I won't defend the government as I think they're all crooks.. but you only need to look across to our friends in Ireland and see what sorts of road tax prices they're paying - and I think you'll all agree we're not doing too badly. To tax a Corrado VR6 would cost four figures (nearly €1500.... seriously)

 

And forget about free road tax if your car is a new, sub 100g/km CO2 emitter.. you'll still pay €180 for that!!

[Dox 23]

I was looking at an invoice for a Bentley the other day, a few options and the VAT came to £26K!

[mic_VR 3]

I was looking at an invoice for a Bentley the other day, a few options and the VAT came to £26K!

 

I used to work for a Bentley dealer, and you mentioning this in this thread reminds me that one if the benefits when they released the continental supersports was that it could run on E85 fuel and therefore qualified for a lower road tax band! £165k car and they still get a lower band than your average R32.... Rich people scratching each other's backs!

 

Fantastic car though.... As you'd expect with 620bhp... :lol:

[GrahamU 6]

I'm just off to murder someone to death for their PS4. And then I would like to offer them £1000 for it.

 

 

Don't worry about the murdering, whilst the floods are washing away Yarmouth they have evacuated 9000 houses, there bound to be full of the latest gamestations and huge TVs

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I used to work for a Bentley dealer, and you mentioning this in this thread reminds me that one if the benefits when they released the continental supersports was that it could run on E85 fuel and therefore qualified for a lower road tax band! £165k car and they still get a lower band than your average R32.... Rich people scratching each other's backs!

 

Spot on! The more people have, the less they seem to pay. Elitism is still alive and well in the UK.

 

Government to Starbucks: "Oh, Starbucks, we hate to trouble you with this, sorry, sorry, but you've been making millions in the UK this year and you owe us some tax I'm afraid. Sorry to have to ask, but erm, how does, err, £800K sound?"

 

Government to joe public: "Dear John, your tax return is £1.47p short this year. Please pay immediately otherwise we will take your home, take your kids, murder your cat and post your balls through your sister's letterbox"

 

Don't worry about the murdering, whilst the floods are washing away Yarmouth they have evacuated 9000 houses, there bound to be full of the latest gamestations and huge TVs

 

So how was the damage in Yarmouth then? My area of Essex was on the flood alert and I have to be honest, I did have a struggle getting into work this morning because of the bent sign post and the twigs on the road.

[Jamie 1]

Kev - me, you and MicVR need to get together. Get the revolution started! :lol:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Pitchforks on standby!

 

[loepan 11]

viva la revolution

[mic_VR 3]

I see you've still got that pic of me from our last meet up Kev?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Aye! That was your reaction when I asked about your marrow if you remember!

[mic_VR 3]

It was a knee jerk reaction after years of Toad trying to get his hands on it!