road tax was abolished in 1937
Hmm this isn't a good argument though as whilst it may be now called VED or whatever it's still effectively the same thing. Doesn't make people who say that any more right though.
Verges vary. Sometimes it's a drop off tarmac into long grass of unknown stability and depth. Sometimes it's clearly a firm gravelly surface that's completely safe and reasonable to use. I'm a bit wary but happy to use my judgment.
this isn’t a good argument though as whilst it may be now called VED or whatever it’s still effectively the same thing.
Except it really isn't the same thing at all, and that's the point.
The "road tax" argument is people feeling (understandably) aggrieved because they believe that as motorists they are paying for the upkeep of roads and a cyclist is not. But it's a misconception, road maintenance costs come out of general taxation and have done so since the 1930s. We don't all pay VED but we do all pay "road tax".
Hmm this isn’t a good argument though as whilst it may be now called VED or whatever it’s still effectively the same thing.
These days it's effectively a pollution tax, and many car drivers pay precisely zero. So even if it did apply to bikes, we would pay nothing as well. I long for the day when some tax-free driver tries that line with me. 🙂
The money it raises is not hypothecated for road maintenance etc, it goes into the general bucket to pay for Trident and extra customs officers...
The problem is that you can't explain that at the side of the road to an irate driver - especially not one blasting past you with his hand on the horn going "PAY YER ROAD TAX!!".
Even trying to explain it in a calmer environment - like in the example given above about the B&B owner - is probably not going to work out in an amicable resolution and a "I didn't know that, I've learnt something today, thanks for the explanation".
We had similar with an oncoming driver on Sunday. Group of 6 of us, neat and tidy 2-abreast on a road that is 1.5 car width at best with a blind bend on it. We bunched up a bit and he squeezed through and then gave a blast on his horn. Had we been another car (similar dimensions, car possibly a bit wider) or a horse & rider, he wouldn't have done anything of the sort. Just this idea that he could treat cyclists like shit for whatever reason was in his tiny brain. It's a cultural thing - maybe a bit of road tax but lots of other factors in there as well I imagine.
I thought VED was partially ringfenced for road maintenance in England a few years back or did that not come to anything?
I thought VED was partially ringfenced for road maintenance in England a few years back or did that not come to anything?
Even if it was, what about all the Prius and Tesla drivers that pay VED at a rate of £0 / year?
Don't think that VED idea ever came to anything. AIUI local roads are paid for by local authorities so a lot of their funding comes from local people paying council tax, plus a bit from central government. So on single track roads, if you're a local cyclist and the driver is a tourist you are paying more for that road than they are. Not that this will help with the argument in any way of course.
The problem is that you can’t explain that at the side of the road to an irate driver – especially not one blasting past you with his hand on the horn going “PAY YER ROAD TAX!!”.
"I do." dangles car key
It's a ****ing moronic argument. No-one would shout that at a horse rider, or at someone on foot.
neat and tidy 2-abreast
YOU MONSTER!! YOU'RE LITERALLY WORSE THAN HITLER!!!!1!
Ashley Neal on YouTube covers some good subjects and a recent video is relevant to this thread.
It's not the same type of single lane roads though.