| Product: |
UK Petrol Prices |
| Date: |
26/04/02 (44 review reads) |
| Rating: |
 |
Advantages: Fuel is Expensive
Disadvantages: so don't waste it
How can petrol prices in the UK be too high?
Lets look at the indicators we could use to determine that.
People getting rid of their cars? Well.....no they're not - car numbers are increasing.
People trying to save petrol? Drive more economically? I haven't seen it - there is a push to increase speed limits. Im sure that if fuel economy increased exponentially with speed and fuel was too expensive, people would be slowing down. Wouldn't they?
I live about 400 yards from a level crossing. There are trains every 30 minutes off peak, and a lot more besides. At least 14 times in any working day, I have cars sitting outside my window, idling for at least 5 minutes. As I type there has been a 7 series BMW burning fuel by my window for 6 minutes. If fuel was expensive, surely they would turn off and save money. Wouldn't you?
When they get to the station and have to wait for someone, they sit idling. We ALL know the train is going to be late, don't we.......yet there they sit, burning fuel, going nowhere.
People drive where they could use public transport. Not only is public transport quicker into and out of cities ( try driving the A13 into London), it's cheaper. You don't have to find a parking place, either. And yet some people sit in traffic for two hours, idling their engines when they could do a 20 minute train trip. If fuel was too expensive they couldnt do that. Could they?
Ok - so you may be struggling to keep fuel in your car, turn off when you're struck going nowhere, and catch public transport whenever you can. I do have sympathy. Trouble is....you do appear to be in a minority.
Yes our fuel costs more than in some other countries. That doesn't mean it's TOO expensive though. Just more than we like.
Yes, we've seen arguments about fuel costs in France - but honestly - would you like to pay French income tax? In the Uk we pay m
ore for fuel - but we also have more money to pay with.
Thank You
*steps off soapbox and has a nice calming cup of tea*
Summary:
|
Last comments:
 |
- 22/07/02 Not responding Highwayman? |
 |
- 30/04/02 Being 9th/10th biggest producer, and producing almost enough to be self sufficient hardly makes us a minor producer though does it? Nigeria *is* classed as a major producer, and we produced more than them last year!
Re cost of living. OK - see http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/ english/business/newsid_1 921000/1921062.stm To quantify the difference, the French cost of living is 13% below ours.
We pay 32% tax/NIC on our income which is more than France, Spain & Italy.
I don't understand your comments that we aren't prepared to pay for good services. As per the figures above, we already do pay MORE in direct tax, and more in indirect taxes on fuel & the like. And for that money we get LESS. We get poorer health care, poorer roads, poorer public transport, etc. |
 |
- 30/04/02 3% still. Doesnt make the UK a major oil producer..........and remember - Iraq still only exports a percentage of it's oil due to restrictions
qua ntfy "The cost of living in France is quite a bit lower than here though" 5% lower? who knows I sure as hell dont - and after reading your post Im no wiser.
Tax in this country IS high - but so are the services it provides. The quality of those services may not be so high but that is because as a nation the British want everything - but arent prepared to pay for it....... |
View all
11
comments
|
Deutschland 
España 
Italia 
France - 
