Fuel Prices - Action Required?
Discussion
I've been thinking a lot recently about fuel prices. The government and fuel producers are making enormous revenues at the expense of the motorist. We're a captive market - we need fuel in order to live as part of society. High fuel prices reduce our standard of living and we have little or no power to avoid this.
We can't avoid buying fuel, so a boycott of fuel vendors will never work. So why don't we just make a lot of noise whenever we are angry about the price of the fuel we have bought? A 10 second blast on the horn before you leave the petrol station will serve to express your annoyance. If enough people do it, I'm sure that we will make progress. Any thoughts?
We can't avoid buying fuel, so a boycott of fuel vendors will never work. So why don't we just make a lot of noise whenever we are angry about the price of the fuel we have bought? A 10 second blast on the horn before you leave the petrol station will serve to express your annoyance. If enough people do it, I'm sure that we will make progress. Any thoughts?
Boycotting the fuel suppliers is wrong; they are unpaid tax collectors, ditto the vendors. Granted the oil majors make big number profits but their capital employed is immense, (and they don't just produce petrol/diesel). Their ROCE is probably far worse than that of the banks or supermarkets.
As most of the cost of road fuel is tax+VAT we should be attacking the government.
Real questions is - how ?
As most of the cost of road fuel is tax+VAT we should be attacking the government.
Real questions is - how ?
Why do you think it is a silly idea? I think that you have missed the point. The best way of objecting to a situation is to demonstrate the fact that you object. There are limited focused ways in which to do this. A 10 second blast on your horn does not cause undue distress to petrol station workers - but if enough people do it, it will demonstrate a strength of feeling. That is important to governments. Hmm. Is fuel a priviledge or a right? Neither, in my opinion. It is a useful commodity, like food, clothing etc. I vote for a government that can ensure that I have these useful commodities at a reasonable price. If fuel in the form of petrol can't be provided at a reasonable cost, then I expect reasonable alternatives to be available. That is why I pay taxes - to ensure that the infrastructure is in place to secure a reasonable standard of living.
So blow your horn if you object to being fleeced for fuel.
So blow your horn if you object to being fleeced for fuel.
Action needs to be taken. Why is the UK allowed to rip off motorists and haulage companies when the EU is supposed to be a level playing field?
All UK hauliers are at a disadvantage just because they pay ridiculous levels of tax to HM Government compared to other European hauliers. That's grossly unfair. As for motorists, why should we pay more tax compared to other European countries. It's grossly unfair as well.
It's got nothing to do with so called green policy - all that's just a smokescreen.
As for the Pipeline card for fuel discounts, seemed like a great idea at the time and
I did sign up for it but nothing has come of it, has it. And as for Tesco, I don't feel I really want to spend £50 in one shop just to get 5p a litre off Tesco fuel!
We are being ripped off and the motorist is seen as an easy revenue raiser by the Government.
We need direct action like the fuel protests several years ago.
Any other thoughts?
Andy
All UK hauliers are at a disadvantage just because they pay ridiculous levels of tax to HM Government compared to other European hauliers. That's grossly unfair. As for motorists, why should we pay more tax compared to other European countries. It's grossly unfair as well.
It's got nothing to do with so called green policy - all that's just a smokescreen.
As for the Pipeline card for fuel discounts, seemed like a great idea at the time and
I did sign up for it but nothing has come of it, has it. And as for Tesco, I don't feel I really want to spend £50 in one shop just to get 5p a litre off Tesco fuel!
We are being ripped off and the motorist is seen as an easy revenue raiser by the Government.
We need direct action like the fuel protests several years ago.
Any other thoughts?
Andy
It is continually spouted that we 'have the most expensive fuel in Europe' when this is NOT the case. Diesel is yes, and I believe that there should be some effort into providing a discount for hauliers, otherwise fuel inflation provides higher prices for all of us. Unleaded petrol, however, is more expensive in both Holland and Norway, especially with the £ falling 10% against the Euro since October!
I think that fuel charges are fair, but they need to remove road fund licence and Speed Cameras. The point with charges high cost on Fuel will affect the cars which drink the most fuel or do the greatest miles. The challenge is the government is rubbish at filtering this back to the road network and helping with improved transportation. I have driven high performance cars for years but our government hates cars as they never drive them but they love to be driven !!!!
What I have the biggest problem with, apart from the excessive amount of tax on fuel to start with, is the differences in prices at the pumps. Sometimes stations across the road from each other have totally different prices. How can this be? And don't get me started on motorway service stations! I know, I know, someone will bang on about supply and demand etc. What tosh!
The first thing we COULD do as motorists is boycott the stations with the higher prices. I've seen people today at my local Shell garage paying 111.9 per litre for diesel. How come when a station a couple of miles down the road is selling at 107.9?
The garages would soon get the message if we stayed out of the greedy ones, as I'm convinced that the owner's of these stations are part of the problem in addition to the government.
So if you drive a company car, or use a bunker card please help out and don't use motorway service station forecourts or garages who "overcharge". And those of you paying cash I'd expect you to be like me and want to get as much fuel for your money as possible so that's a no brainer right?
The first thing we COULD do as motorists is boycott the stations with the higher prices. I've seen people today at my local Shell garage paying 111.9 per litre for diesel. How come when a station a couple of miles down the road is selling at 107.9?
The garages would soon get the message if we stayed out of the greedy ones, as I'm convinced that the owner's of these stations are part of the problem in addition to the government.
So if you drive a company car, or use a bunker card please help out and don't use motorway service station forecourts or garages who "overcharge". And those of you paying cash I'd expect you to be like me and want to get as much fuel for your money as possible so that's a no brainer right?
It's amazing how many garages have closed in recent years - taking away that choice of where to buy...
My questions would be at the Goverment - where the F is all our money going because it sure as hell ain't going into our roads, saving the world by going green or making sure we all have a nice life....
I personally feel we should all turn up the petrol station fill up and pay for 50% - as I feel that's about right - of the full cost and get arrested - if enough of us do it they might listen...
It's not a silly idea is it?
My questions would be at the Goverment - where the F is all our money going because it sure as hell ain't going into our roads, saving the world by going green or making sure we all have a nice life....
I personally feel we should all turn up the petrol station fill up and pay for 50% - as I feel that's about right - of the full cost and get arrested - if enough of us do it they might listen...
It's not a silly idea is it?
I disagree with several issues raised here. Like anyone who works outside of London (which is the only decent Public transport in the UK) I HAVE to use my car both to get to work and to visit my clients. So, until an alternative is sourced fuel IS a right, because if you take that away the only means that many of us have to get to work and do our work is taken away and it's a right of our country to be free to work in your proven field.
I also love the fact that Diesel is more expensive than Petrol, despite it putting out less Co2 and Diesel cars doing more MPG. If the Govt were really interested in Co2 output and saving fuel reserves then maybe they should look at this anomoly.
If you have a company car, which many of us need to do our work, then why do the Govt charge an extra 3% for Diesel cars in Company Car Tax?. (If I was cynical I would say because they are more efficient than Petrol in Co2 output and therefore they lose out in revenue unless they charge extra).
Fuel costs are the main reason for our current (and the worlds current) predicament, in the terms of the economy. Inlation is high and going up because of the pressure the increases in fuel have caused. Food and drinks are much more expensive, in the main because of transport and growing costs, again heavily influenced by fuel costs. Every good you buy is going up in cost because of Fuel costs. Yet the Govt still put an additional 2p a litre tax on in September and you will see a further increase of 2p in April.
The Govt tell you it's to reduce your use of fuel. But we all know we're an easy target for revenue raising as 90% of the country physically can't not use their car (My kids school is 2 miles away with no paths to walk and on a busy road so we have to use the car for the school run.). It's been proved that fuel costs do not decrease useage, infact useage goes up year on year!
So what action is required? The only way I can see is a concerted effort to do what the French do. General Strike. But we won't do that because it's not British and we just secretly sit back, moan like hell and do nothing!
Or start a Pro car/ Anti Yob & Crime/ your right to decide, party that appeals to the modern Brit. Wow, you'd win a landslide victory!
I also love the fact that Diesel is more expensive than Petrol, despite it putting out less Co2 and Diesel cars doing more MPG. If the Govt were really interested in Co2 output and saving fuel reserves then maybe they should look at this anomoly.
If you have a company car, which many of us need to do our work, then why do the Govt charge an extra 3% for Diesel cars in Company Car Tax?. (If I was cynical I would say because they are more efficient than Petrol in Co2 output and therefore they lose out in revenue unless they charge extra).
Fuel costs are the main reason for our current (and the worlds current) predicament, in the terms of the economy. Inlation is high and going up because of the pressure the increases in fuel have caused. Food and drinks are much more expensive, in the main because of transport and growing costs, again heavily influenced by fuel costs. Every good you buy is going up in cost because of Fuel costs. Yet the Govt still put an additional 2p a litre tax on in September and you will see a further increase of 2p in April.
The Govt tell you it's to reduce your use of fuel. But we all know we're an easy target for revenue raising as 90% of the country physically can't not use their car (My kids school is 2 miles away with no paths to walk and on a busy road so we have to use the car for the school run.). It's been proved that fuel costs do not decrease useage, infact useage goes up year on year!
So what action is required? The only way I can see is a concerted effort to do what the French do. General Strike. But we won't do that because it's not British and we just secretly sit back, moan like hell and do nothing!
Or start a Pro car/ Anti Yob & Crime/ your right to decide, party that appeals to the modern Brit. Wow, you'd win a landslide victory!
I still believe in my basic idea. A 10 second blast on the horn before you leave the petrol station if you object to the price you have just paid. Just imagine if everyone got behind this - petrol stations would be noisy places and the strength of feeling would register. People in this country today have lost the ability to demonstrate how they feel - we all just comply. The Govt has developed so many different ways to observe and control us that we feel powerless to object.
Mr Apex said:
I still believe in my basic idea. A 10 second blast on the horn before you leave the petrol station if you object to the price you have just paid. Just imagine if everyone got behind this - petrol stations would be noisy places and the strength of feeling would register. People in this country today have lost the ability to demonstrate how they feel - we all just comply. The Govt has developed so many different ways to observe and control us that we feel powerless to object.
you don't actually think beeping on the bloody horn will work do you? 
Silent1 said:
Mr Apex said:
I still believe in my basic idea. A 10 second blast on the horn before you leave the petrol station if you object to the price you have just paid. Just imagine if everyone got behind this - petrol stations would be noisy places and the strength of feeling would register. People in this country today have lost the ability to demonstrate how they feel - we all just comply. The Govt has developed so many different ways to observe and control us that we feel powerless to object.
you don't actually think beeping on the bloody horn will work do you? Roastie said:
Hereward said:
Fuel for your vehicle is a privilege, not a right.
Right on, brother!Mr. Apex's idea targets the wrong people. Find out where your local MP's offices are and stand a placard by the road outside with 'Hoot if you think fuel tax is a rip-off' on it. Now that would draw attention...
autoholic said:
What I have the biggest problem with, apart from the excessive amount of tax on fuel to start with, is the differences in prices at the pumps. Sometimes stations across the road from each other have totally different prices. How can this be? And don't get me started on motorway service stations! I know, I know, someone will bang on about supply and demand etc. What tosh!
The first thing we COULD do as motorists is boycott the stations with the higher prices. I've seen people today at my local Shell garage paying 111.9 per litre for diesel. How come when a station a couple of miles down the road is selling at 107.9?
The garages would soon get the message if we stayed out of the greedy ones, as I'm convinced that the owner's of these stations are part of the problem in addition to the government.
So if you drive a company car, or use a bunker card please help out and don't use motorway service station forecourts or garages who "overcharge". And those of you paying cash I'd expect you to be like me and want to get as much fuel for your money as possible so that's a no brainer right?
Yes, correct. Maybe someone could set up a system (website?) which could tell you the cheapest retailer on your route (since you won't save anything if you deviate from your route). So if you need fuel today you could put your start and destination into the webpage and it will tell you which garage is offering the cheapest fuel. There's a business idea I've given away for free.The first thing we COULD do as motorists is boycott the stations with the higher prices. I've seen people today at my local Shell garage paying 111.9 per litre for diesel. How come when a station a couple of miles down the road is selling at 107.9?
The garages would soon get the message if we stayed out of the greedy ones, as I'm convinced that the owner's of these stations are part of the problem in addition to the government.
So if you drive a company car, or use a bunker card please help out and don't use motorway service station forecourts or garages who "overcharge". And those of you paying cash I'd expect you to be like me and want to get as much fuel for your money as possible so that's a no brainer right?
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