The cost of annual car registration should vary according to: 1. Number of kilometres travelled and 2. Engine size/ vehicle weight
This is the fairest "user pays" system.
It helps the environment by discouraging road use, especially by large heavily polluting vehicles, but still does not limit individual freedom.
One of the problems with car ownership is that once you pay up the annual fees to have one for some of your travel, you might as well use it for all your travel. With a mileage-based fee, it would still be economical to use public transport when possible and keep the car for necessary trips.
Yes, some people would wind the clock back, but the vast majority wouldn't.
From a confirmed petrolhead who loves driving his fast little Import but weeps at the demise of public transport-- schwinger, Sep 26 2001 Anti-SUV initiative http://changingtheclimate.com/ [ArtVandelay, Sep 26 2001, last modified Oct 04 2004] Describe to me how you are going to make this fair to medical (etc.) reps, goods/retail transporters, public service drivers (police, ambulance, fire), and people who live in the country? Is it not more sensible to design a system for variable fuel tax? Engine size is already a factor in annual Road Tax, heavy pollution is considered in encouraging LPG use and the lower tax on it, so all you're left with is mileage.-- lewisgirl, Sep 26 2001 1. I'm already taxed on the mileage I travel, that's what fuel duty and VAT are.2. Engine size is not an indicator of fuel usage. My 2 litre Carlton returns a better MPG than my brother's 2 litre Granada (his is automatic, mine is manual). The 2.6 litre Rover SD1 was more economical than the 2.3 litre (smaller engine was working too hard).I'd be happy to pay on the basis of usage if I didn't also have to pay for non-usage (through vehicle excise duty - the 'tax disc'), but only if my taxes went towards maintaining the roads I'm using.-- angel, Sep 26 2001 lewisgirl: sales reps are evil parasites who must be stopped. Now. Especially drugs reps. Can't they get the bus anyhow?-- pottedstu, Sep 26 2001 I have long thought that one of the best ways of encouraging public transport usage (and/or smaller cars) would be to make it cheaper and easier to hire cars when needed. Most of the time something like a Smart car would be fine for my usage.
When I need a larger machine, or public transport doesn't fit the bill, just dropping off my small car and borrowing a larger one for a couple of hours would usually be sufficient. But the cost and organisation necessary inhibit me from so doing. So I have a big two litre turbocharged beast that rarely goes above 40 mph.
lewisgirl: although country dwellers may have an argument, when I did live in the sticks I used less petrol than I do now in a large town. At least when I drove anywhere the traffic flowed, parking was cheap or free, fifth gear wasn't purely a concept, etc. And main roads were properly gritted in the winter.-- snagger, Sep 26 2001 that's gay. and public transportation is bullshit, not for everyone. I don't know about you, but I don't like the thought that some 300lb high-school dropout is in control of where I go, how fast/slow I go, or whether I die. See if 1 person snaps and realizes what a huge embarrasing failure they are, down goes a busful of people. Besides, I wouldn't want to be around people in the first place, I despise people in general, thats why I quit working retail.-- NVadirZim, Jul 08 2003 you people suck. you should all go down with that bus. you should also kill yourself. i like cars too.-- god99, Jan 08 2004 NVadirZim, you should die-- god99, Jan 08 2004 random, halfbakery