Scientists sign petition denying man-made global warming

[BrilloPad]

One thing I think is a real shame is that the effect of the global warming hysteria now means that in the public's eye environmentalism is only about carbon emissions. And that means all the other genuine envionmental concerns, like air quality in cities, damage to water supplies, lakes, effects on wildlife etc. have been forgotten. I'm suprised nobody's claimed CO2 causes cancer yet.

I remember that scientists proved saccarrine causes cancer. Fed them on several hunderd tablets a day for a few years.

[dang65]

And now we see the true agenda: It's nothing to do with the environment, it's just people like you hate cars. And it's not really about cars at all, it's about the car as a symbol of freedom and prosperity. Global warming really has replaced religion as a way of making people feel guilty for daring to enjoy the rewards of success.

Uh, what?

How can the massive weight of cars on the roads in this country be "nothing to do with the environment"? And what have cars got to do with "freedom"? People are complete slaves to their cars. Witness the whining about "it would be impossible for me to get to work without my car", or "I'm forced to use my car because there's no public transport round here". That doesn't sound like any definition of freedom that I've ever heard.

Still, carry on driving. As mentioned before, cars simply won't be financially viable for the vast majority of us for much longer. Then we'll have some peace and quiet at last. I do hate cars, that's true. But I do own one and drive it occasionally. I accept that I have to pay for it though.

[VectraMan]

How can the massive weight of cars on the roads in this country be "nothing to do with the environment"?

I didn't say that. Clearly cars have an effect on the environment, but the point was cars and car owners are singled out by the ecomentalists far more than is warranted. You rarely hear complaints about the environmental damage of trains, for example. It's cars and air travel, because both are symbols of personal wealth and prosperity, not because they're the most damaging to the environment.

And what have cars got to do with "freedom"? People are complete slaves to their cars. Witness the whining about "it would be impossible for me to get to work without my car", or "I'm forced to use my car because there's no public transport round here". That doesn't sound like any definition of freedom that I've ever heard.

I hate it when people say that, because everybody has choices in what they do and where they work, and where they buy food etc., and for that matter where they live, even if they aren't good choices. But having a car does give you freedom to choose a job 50 miles away, or go to an out of town supermarket, or live in the countryside, or just go somewhere you want to when you want to for no other reason than you want to.

They might be a slave to their job, or their kids' school, or whatever else forces them to make journeys. But they're not slaves to their cars, and certainly not in the way that rail commuters are slaves to the train timetable.

Though I suppose a bit less personal freedom might help clear up the roads.

[dang65]

I hate it when people say that, because everybody has choices in what they do and where they work, and where they buy food etc., and for that matter where they live, even if they aren't good choices. But having a car does give you freedom to choose a job 50 miles away, or go to an out of town supermarket, or live in the countryside, or just go somewhere you want to when you want to for no other reason than you want to.

Well, yeah, you still do have the freedom to do that, it's just that you have to pay for it. You have the freedom to go and watch Premiership football every Saturday, or to go on holiday to the Caribbean twice a year, or to smoke cigars and drink champagne. The people that can afford to do that don't get referred to as "the poor working man" though. They f**king pay for it, and tough sh*t! A car is the same. In fact, running a car is more expensive than any of those things. If you can afford such a luxury then go ahead and pay for it, but don't whine about it being unfair or unjustified.

[BrilloPad]

What I dont understand is that the roads seem just as congested as ever. Still seems to be loads of people driving everywhere. I never drive at peak times - I go to work by train. So it is not journeys to work. How do people afford it?

I reckon there is still plenty of money out there.

[TimberWolf]

What I dont understand is that the roads seem just as congested as ever. Still seems to be loads of people driving everywhere. I never drive at peak times - I go to work by train. So it is not journeys to work. How do people afford it?

I reckon there is still plenty of money out there.

nowhere

Mostly they just end up where they started. They do this every day.

[gingerjedi]

If you can afford such a luxury then go ahead and pay for it, but don't whine about it being unfair or unjustified.

I will whine about tax on cars when it is unfair and it's not justified, the UK government have based their policy on something that they don't understand and is not proven, if cars are going to be taxed as a luxury then they should bloody well come out and say so rather than jumping on the environmental bandwagon.

[dang65]

I will whine about tax on cars when it is unfair and it's not justified, the UK government have based their policy on something that they don't understand and is not proven, if cars are going to be taxed as a luxury then they should bloody well come out and say so rather than jumping on the environmental bandwagon.

It is proven. Step outside your front door and listen. Silence, or cars? Go for a walk down the road. Can you cross the road any time, or do you have to stop and wait for a gap in the traffic? Look at the state of the tarmac. Nice and smooth, or worn out and full of potholes? Look at any hedges or trees next to the road. Verdant green, or covered in sooty dust?

It's not jumping on the environmental bandwagon. Cars are damaging the environment, blatantly and openly. (The environment being the general state of world around us - not necessarily "global warming" etc.) If you want to carry on damaging that environment then you get charged to do so, because very few people will stop doing it voluntarily. The high cost of motoring is already be keeping millions of people off the road, and hopefully it will get a few million more off the road over the next few years as it goes up and up.

[EternalOptimist]

Ah

you want verdant green, no potholes, safety crossing the road.
thats nice.
You are harking back to when exactly ?

[BrilloPad]

Ah

you want verdant green, no potholes, safety crossing the road.
thats nice.
You are harking back to when exactly ?

Dixon of Dock Green?