Reply to: Who gets angry with stealth taxes ?

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Once the speed camera's revenue falls they just stealthily put down the speed limit. A number of instances of this have been shown.
.

I'd be genuinely interested in details of some of these. How do you "stealthily" put down the speed limit? Last time I looked, they all appeared on a big go-away sign.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Speed cameras actually cause accidents by causing drivers to suddenly brake.

Er no - that's crap driving.

I find even myself breaking[sic] on sight of a speed camera even though I am within the speed limit. It is just a natural reaction but it is dangerous.

No it's your natural reaction, like some old people who slam on the brakes when they see a car coming the other way at night. You need to learn to drive properly - and to spell braking. Thankfully not everyone in this country is such a shockingly poor and inattentive driver that they slam on the brakes when they see a speed camera. Many of us even use technology to help us!

They should be removed and other measures used, such as giving points for accidents and banning people for a period of time that have more than two accidents in a year that were their fault. That would certainly concentrate their minds on more careful driving.

That is possible already, but how would you define fault? - how about people who argue the accident was "caused" by a speed camera!!!

[Cyberman]

The effect is shattering (tm).


"Taxes went up under Labour. That was Gordon Brown's fault.
Taxes will go up under the Conservatives. That will be Gordon Brown's fault"
-- Cyberman.

Absolutely true, because Gordon Brown is running an ongoing budget deficit with total disregard for any attempt to balance the budget. The deficit over the year will be approx. 100 billion which has to either be repaid or financed.

If taxes did not rise to plug this financial deficit created by Brown, it will fall into the Tories' laps who would be slated for cutting services, unless the Tories continue to run the Brown instigated overspending levels, which of course they will not, and cannot for the good of UK PLC.

Commonsense says that taxes will have to rise and some services will have to be cut, and of course this is Brown's fault. If Brown leaves the Tories with a balanced situation then of course that is different and taxes can fall, but this scenario would take a miracle to achieve before 2010 and I really don't thin Brown cares because he wants to leave an incoming government in financial turmoil, so that he can blame tax rises on the Tories.

[expat]

I find even myself breaking on sight of a speed camera

The effect is shattering (tm).


"Taxes went up under Labour. That was Gordon Brown's fault.
Taxes will go up under the Conservatives. That will be Gordon Brown's fault"
-- Cyberman.

[Cyberman]

Once the speed camera's revenue falls they just stealthily put down the speed limit. A number of instances of this have been shown.

Don't get me wrong I approve of using speed cameras as part of a road safety initiative, however until very recently they have been the only thing done to reduce accidents.

With improved driving tests, better medical care and improved safety measures in cars accident frequency should drop, actually it seems to be increasing.

Speed cameras actually cause accidents by causing drivers to suddenly brake. I find even myself breaking on sight of a speed camera even though I am within the speed limit. It is just a natural reaction but it is dangerous.

They should be removed and other measures used, such as giving points for accidents and banning people for a period of time that have more than two accidents in a year that were their fault. That would certainly concentrate their minds on more careful driving.

[vetran]

Not unfortunately avoidable

Once the speed camera's revenue falls they just stealthily put down the speed limit. A number of instances of this have been shown.

Don't get me wrong I approve of using speed cameras as part of a road safety initiative, however until very recently they have been the only thing done to reduce accidents.

With improved driving tests, better medical care and improved safety measures in cars accident frequency should drop, actually it seems to be increasing.

[Cyberman]

I fear Stealth Taxes will keep being introduced by the next Tory government too. They'll need the money to pay that allowance to "hard-working" married couples they've promised, and to reduce inheritance tax for those lucky enough to be born to land-owners. Let's hope they don't promise "not to double VAT" again!

Taxes will rise under the Tories because of Gordon Brown's current scorched earth policies of spending to win votes with total disregard to revenues to match, even though we have probably the highest taxes in western Europe.

Thus the national debt will probably rise by 100 Billion over the next year. That is truly scandalous.

[Cyberman]

Sorry Cyberman, but when will people ever learn that these days *nothing* of any consequence is decided by the UK Government. From Gordon Brown downward, they've become a bunch of completely pointless clerks and placemen.

For example, the driving licence renewals are a result of EU plans, detailed in this scary document, on page 5:



The same thing applies to road pricing. Despite the resounding "no" indicated by the survey, public opinion counts for nothing when set against EU plans to monitor and record every journey people make. So road "pricing" is duly back on the agenda.

Fair enough, BUT the decision to charge and what to charge is down to our bureaucrats who are employed by HMG. Good try, but New Lie cannot escape responsibility for decisions regarding these charges and of course they welcome any source of new revenue to feed the burgeoning black hole.

[OwlHoot]

Yet more evidence of HMG stealth taxes this morning on Talksport :


A plastic driving licence has to be renewed by the expiry date on the licence at 17.50 pounds every few years ..

Sorry Cyberman, but when will people ever learn that these days *nothing* of any consequence is decided by the UK Government. From Gordon Brown downward, they've become a bunch of completely pointless clerks and placemen.

For example, the driving licence renewals are a result of EU plans, detailed in this scary document, on page 5:

EU laws on driving licences have been harmonised so that licences have to be renewed initially every 10 years with the option for every five years - in the UK a driving licence is held from passing the test until the age of 70 (when it can be renewed with a doctor's letter). Renewing the licence every 10 years will mean the "chip" and the data on it can be updated and adapted.

The same thing applies to road pricing. Despite the resounding "no" indicated by the survey, public opinion counts for nothing when set against EU plans to monitor and record every journey people make. So road "pricing" is duly back on the agenda.

[Diver]

I have a bigger problem with people using the phrase "Stealth tax" than the actual tax itself.

Hmmm! GovTroll.con

[MrMark]

I fear Stealth Taxes will keep being introduced by the next Tory government too. They'll need the money to pay that allowance to "hard-working" married couples they've promised, and to reduce inheritance tax for those lucky enough to be born to land-owners. Let's hope they don't promise "not to double VAT" again!

[Cyberman]

Don't speed, the cameras don't make any money, but still require upkeep, so are scrapped.

As everyone is now driving slower, there are less accidents so lower insurance premiums, less emissions so the atmosphere is nicer, and lower NHS costs, leading to better quality of life for everyone.

As an added bonus you get 100% 'speeding' tax relief.

*boomed*

etc.

The bottom line is that less speeding taxes mean that the funds now need to come from somewhere else to feed the New Lie spending machine. Cue more stealth taxes......

[b0redom]

Don't speed, the cameras don't make any money, but still require upkeep, so are scrapped.

As everyone is now driving slower, there are less accidents so lower insurance premiums, less emissions so the atmosphere is nicer, and lower NHS costs, leading to better quality of life for everyone.

As an added bonus you get 100% 'speeding' tax relief.

*boomed*

etc.

[Cyberman]

It isn't compulsary or unavoidable - and it's hardly disctetionary spending. Speeding's illegal - break law, pay fine - what part of that's a tax?

It does not make the roads any safer so is totally unnecessary but the cameras will not be removed because they make so much money. Thus it is a tax.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Oh come on !!! Of course they are. Some politicians have even admitted it. They are a means of extracting further funds from the hard-pressed driver.

It isn't compulsary or unavoidable - and it's hardly disctetionary spending. Speeding's illegal - break law, pay fine - what part of that's a tax?