'How much should petrol cost?' Poll discussion

VfM4meplse

jackieb wrote: »

Our town only has 2 petrol stations, both run by the same person.

That's what you call a monopoly!

jackieb

VfM4meplse wrote: »

That's what you call a monopoly!

I know. I just wish the other one that shut down would open again!

JasonLVC

If fuel duty was reduced and fuel was £1.00 per litre, the government would earn less taxation and the oil company would earn more as a result. Big oil companies can dodge their taxes through off-shore arrangements.

We'd be foolish to think that fuel would go lower in price when the oil companies know they can maintain a price point the public is willing to pay. (and thus increase their profit).

We only need to look to the utility companies to see how fuel costs goes up even when wholesale oil prices drop and the utilities all move their prices at the same time more or less becuase the consumer then becomes used to a certain price point.

So which is better? Directly taxing the individual and getting loads of tax or cutting your tax take and letting the retailer and oil company make a fat profit (at the Treausry's expense) and then see them find ways to only pay a small chunk over in tax.

Deaf_Leopard

annieredhead wrote: »

I think I have the solution...take 50p off the price of 1 litre of petrol and add 50p to a litre of spirits. Alcohol is not essential, it's a luxury. Petrol on the other hand IS essential to most people. Without my car I would be lost as I have chronic arthritis

I just filled my car with 55 litres of petrol. This will last me about a fortnight. For the govemnment to get the same amount of tax in that time I would need to drink 55 litres of spirits.

Will be fun trying but I don't think I will manage it. :beer:

vision2009

Government are ripping us off big time with the extortionate tax upon tax on fuel. They just see cars as easy targets to make vast sums of money. Time to send them a mesage, enough is enough. British people need to make a stand like the French people do. If not it's more of the same from the CONDEMS.
They are simply greedy.

g24

vision2009 wrote: »

Government are ripping us off big time with the extortionate tax upon tax on fuel. They just see cars as easy targets to make vast sums of money. Time to send them a mesage, enough is enough. British people need to make a stand like the French people do. If not it's more of the same from the CONDEMS.
They are simply greedy.

We're still copping fuel duty rises imposed by the *previous* government. The current government is trying to freeze duty, but as I said before, this is NOT a solution to the problem. People should stop getting hung up on a few pence of fuel tax.

The long term trend for fuel prices is up, get used to it. We need to push for a better transport network and look at the many alternatives to heavy car dependence.

davidgmmafan

Fascinating discussion I've really enjoyed reading. IMO the tax on petrol IS too high, and if it is needed to subsidise welfare. Yes I know there are lots of people who really need help but I'm sure most posters could find someone whos taking the mickey without too much difficulty.

As for those who say hammer the smokers and drinkers I say this pubs have been closing at an alarming rate for years. Also I'm sick of seeing adverts (which we are paying for) about the evils of imported tobacco. Why doesn't anybody see the real scandal is that your average Joe Bloggs can go abroad and buy cigarettes for less than people pay here just in duty for the same product.

Something needs to be done, but what is going to happen is this (its already started) Osbourne and call me Dave will make appropriate noises about understanding the strain motorists are under. Then they'll cancel the RISE in fuel duty which is pencilled in for later in the year. Minimum effort and theycan claim to have listened and responsed to people's concerns.

Its a complete sham of course but c'mon what did you expect? Honesty? Truth? Ha!

I respect everyones point of view but find some points made here a bit well pointless. I'm sure people WOULD like close to work (or vice versa) if it was practical.

The point about public transport is well made, why do we have massive fuel tax and the most expensive rail fares combined with the worst service? Anyone?

vision2009

g24 wrote: »

We're still copping fuel duty rises imposed by the *previous* government. The current government is trying to freeze duty, but as I said before, this is NOT a solution to the problem. People should stop getting hung up on a few pence of fuel tax.

The long term trend for fuel prices is up, get used to it. We need to push for a better transport network and look at the many alternatives to heavy car dependence.

"A few pence on fuel" We are being taken for mugs here!!!!!!!
Government have created a society that is dependent upon individual car transport and now they moan about it. They need to wake up to the real world. What a bunch of numpties.

g24

davidgmmafan wrote: »

I respect everyones point of view but find some points made here a bit well pointless. I'm sure people WOULD like close to work (or vice versa) if it was practical.

Most employees in this country suffer from Stockholme Syndrome (a term used to describe a paradoxical psychological phenomenon wherein hostages express adulation and have positive feelings towards their captors). This might sound ludicrous but it is much closer to the truth than you think.

With regard to people working at home more, the situation is really that people are so reluctant to challenge the status quo and so fearful of being out of work that they cannot contemplate any alternatives to their familiar working life. It doesn't help that most employers are backward thinking and don't really care that much about their employees. It takes both parties to affect a change from the commuting mentality to the flexible working revolution.

So yes, many people *really could* work from home more and save a huge amount of time and money, but they are too scared to make the move and more importantly, their employers are too backward to facilitate a change that is really not that difficult to achieve and is massively beneficial to both parties.

Back to fuel prices - people are suffering and many are complaining, but are they going to do anything about it? They could but they won't. Stockholme Syndrome.

Jo_F

G24, that is only helpful if it's a job that can be done from home, I am sure that my partner would love to work from home, but that doesn't get the truck travelling up and down the country doing pickups and deliveries.

Shops, schools, service industry and many others, they have to be done at the workplace. District nurses, builders etc all have to travel during the course of their work day.

Homeworking jobs include telesales and call centre work, how many call centres that people use are based in the UK? They are offshore as they are cheaper to run that way.

So it's possibly not that people don't want the change, it could well be that they are in a job that demands they do it at the work place.