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[boatmadman]

"Electric cars are the future............................................"

Possibly. But did you see 'Planet Mechanics' recently? The French are dabbling with air compression -- or more exact, cars that run on compressed air.
A major downside so far is that it takes around 3 hours to refill the tanks, and you only get around 70km (?) between refills.
Early days yet, but........

And what compresses the air? Inefficient air compressors driven electrically!

[Spyderman_uk]

Well, I went to do my bit last Thursday! Not because I wanted to vote for any particular party, but because I didn't want an inappropriate party taking over my council.
I am disgusted that there is still no option on the polling sheet for "None of the above"!
It seems we are not allowed to protest peacefully nowadays, let alone in public. And they wonder why there is such apathy towards the voting system.
Give us the options we want, not what the government wants and maybe things can change. Or is that what they fear?

Mr disgruntled.

[Ron1]

Whilst we're on the subject of safety, can anyone tell me why there is a move to ever higher bonnet lines,  eg the Auris and corolla to name but two.


I have a new Yaris, the idea is inside the car you sit a little higher,the bonnet is shorter so you see all the road instead of a long bonnet, the safty thing is when hit at the front the engine goes down wards at an angle and under the car and not into the cabin.

Our old Yaris was hit head on at 50 mph , the airbag went off, we both got out with out a scratch on us, the cabin was completly intack, so it does work. 

[Bryan Young]

The simple truth here is that no-one is going to force us off the roads. The "Govverment" knows this. The fuel companies know this. And we as drivers and car buyers also know this. The car driver is in a no-win situation and we will have to live with it. Lip service to new roads? Forget it. They will just fill up again. Clean, reliable public transport...forget it. Now that all the shops you need to go to are either miles away or are off a "no-stop" bus route, what choice has one have? Use the car. I think that the only time politicians ever come to terms with the results of their imbecile decisions is when they are chucked out of office and have to re-join the real world. Too late then, though.

[Shipmate60]

Spyderman_uk
You do have an option to use a protest vote, just vote for more than 1 or all, it is counted as a spoiled paper.

Bob

[Subculture]

There is a win win situation.

Buy a pre 1973 car, convert it to run on lpg. Zero car tax, very low rate of fuel tax.

Andy

[FullLeatherJacket]

Ah! Public transport!

Cost of bus ride recently from Nice to Cannes (15 miles; approx 2 hours) is 1 Euro, or about 80p. Cost of bus ride from end of our road to centre of Nottingham (2 miles; approx 10 minutes) is £1.40. If the French can offer such a reasonable service then why can't we get the same over here? The fuel costs are about the same, surprisingly enough. In terms of pence per mile, a seat on a BA Concorde flight to New York was cheaper than a stand-up journey on Nottingham City Transport.
 
As for the rail fares in the UK..........HOW MUCH  from London to Manchester, Sir Richard??!! How can a business that shafts so many people still be called Virgin?

FLJ (Unreconstructed and unrepentant car-owner)

[cos918]

is it me or the government missed the point. A 2L 2008 car will produce less pollution than a 2001 2L car. So why have they made a cut off date were car be for 2001? are exempt from the sliding carbon tax.
It seams to me the government want us to drive around in older cars as these have lower tax. 
All so do they real think the rich care? I mean if you can drive around in a range rover sport and afford to run that what an extra £220 over a year it just over £4 a week extra. Thats nothing to some one on +£50/60k a year apart from a small inconvenience.

john

[Ghost in the shell]

There is a win win situation.

Buy a pre 1973 car, convert it to run on lpg. Zero car tax, very low rate of fuel tax.

Andy

go 1 stage further, make it a hybrid as well and ya dont pay the London congestion charge!

[Subculture]

Bit more tricky that one. Lot of caveats in dodging the congestion charge.

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/congestioncharging/6733.aspx#alternative

Speaking as a Londoner, I think anyone who drives into London on a weekday by choice needs their head examining.

Andy

[sheerline]

Someone mentioned public transport, well you can't use it whilst wearing decent clothes! My wife talked me into using the park and ride recently and I watched with interest the the number of cretins who use the empty seats opposite as a footrest and they were'nt just the 'younger generation' either. This was a nice new clean bus and the seats were very nicely  finished and reasonably comfortable. I was sitting there seething with anger but had I said anything and a fracas had ensued I would have found myself down the nick for assault! Where do these pigs come from? Would I use public transport?....NO, not whilst I have a hole in my AR.E I wouldn't!!  >:(

[Bartapuss]

I remember a accident which involved a little old lady driving one of those huge Pajero 4x4's, she had pulled out in front of oncoming traffic. She could not see over the wheel and the copper asked why she was driving a vehicle that was totally unsuitable for her, she must have been a bit dotty because her reply was "the salesman recommended it because it would keep her nice and safe". Thing is you see more and more pensioners in these things, they are obviously getting too much pension money.

[Bryan Young]

I remember a accident which involved a little old lady driving one of those huge Pajero 4x4's, she had pulled out in front of oncoming traffic. She could not see over the wheel and the copper asked why she was driving a vehicle that was totally unsuitable for her, she must have been a bit dotty because her reply was "the salesman recommended it because it would keep her nice and safe". Thing is you see more and more pensioners in these things, they are obviously getting too much pension money.

Be very careful here George, we pensioners are watching your advancing years with some sort of anticipation. A bit like an "oldie" riding a motor-bike? Can't tell his age until he takes the helmet off.