Suicidal Cyclist

Avoriaz

Altarf wrote: »

....Just like the cyclists that I pass on my way to the station every morning at 7am, who choose not to cycle on the cycle path marked on the wide pavement immediately to their left (on a long road, no junctions or drives, well maintained, and at 7am, no pedestrians)...

No pedestrians? Really?

At 7am there are lots of cars and bikes heading to a station but no pedestrians?

I find that hard to accept.

adouglasmhor

almillar wrote: »

.
But please don't tell motorists they aren't paying to use the road, They're paying handsomely!

But not to use the road.

andrewf75

Altarf wrote: »

So what is the reason why cyclists don't use them. I don't think there is a *reason*, just a lack of thought.

probably because it doesn't integrate with the road system at either end. This is where the authorities usually get it wrong.

Norman_Castle

almillar wrote: »

But please don't tell motorists they aren't paying to use the road, They're paying handsomely!

Motorists do not pay to use the roads. They pay taxes as demanded by the government.

Retrogamer

almillar does have a point with "paying to use the roads" to some degree.

If a motorist wants to store or drive / use their car on the public road, then they have to pay VED tax. If they don't, no tax is required. So in a sense they do have to pay to be able to use the public roads,

But that doesn't mean that they more towards the development of the road or it's upkeep. They might, but they might not. No one can say what % of VED income goes towards maintaining / development of the roads.

Norman_Castle

If a motorist wants to store or drive / use their car on the public road, then they have to pay VED tax. If they don't, no tax is required. So in a sense they do have to pay to be able to use the public roads,

You're forgetting zero rated VED vehicles. Most vehicle tax is raised from fuel duty. Its just tax.
What are smokers paying for?. Why is stamp duty paid? They are just taxes.
The government raises taxes where it can and spends it where needed..

brat

almillar wrote: »

Really bored of people saying motorists don't pay for the road, there's no such thing as Road Tax, cyclists may VAT too etc.

You're bored of it!!??

It's only ever mentioned in response to the ignorant "Cyclists don't pay Road Tax" comment. I've never yet seen it used as a standalone argument.

Retrogamer

Norman_Castle wrote: »

You're forgetting zero rated VED vehicles. Most vehicle tax is raised from fuel duty. Its just tax.
What are smokers paying for?. Why is stamp duty paid? They are just taxes.
The government raises taxes where it can and spends it where needed..

I haven't forgotten about them, but i was speaking in general terms since the vast majority of cars on the road have to pay for VED.

If you live in a busy area and want to start your car up on your driveway and let it idle every day for no reason, or drive it around on your own private land you don't pay VED but you're still causing pollution in the area.
If you want to drive it on the road, maintained at the public's expense then you (usually) have to pay VED tax to do so.

Norman_Castle

If you live in a busy area and want to start your car up on your driveway and let it idle every day for no reason, or drive it around on your own private land you don't pay VED but you're still causing pollution in the area.

VED is set at varying rates to encorage the purchase of cleaner cars. It doesn't pay for pollution.

If you want to drive it on the road, maintained at the public's expense then you (usually) have to pay VED tax to do so.

Taxing all vehicles that exist would be very difficult and not cost effective. Would cars unused for decades be taxed or a motorcycle, dismantled and in boxes in a loft?. Should HMRC be watching farmers fields so they can possibly enforce a £180 VED bill?

Approx 1/3 of the cost of beer is tax. Do drinkers claim their tax pays for anything specific. If they make their own beer they don't pay any tax on it.

Retrogamer

Norman_Castle wrote: »

Taxing all vehicles that exist would be very difficult and not cost effective. Would cars unused for decades be taxed or a motorcycle, dismantled and in boxes in a loft?. Should HMRC be watching farmers fields so they can enforce a £180 VED bill?

I'm not disputing any of this at all.

I was just pointing out that for most motorists, if they want to drive their car on a road maintained at the public's expensive they have to pay to do so. I'd originally made this point just to clarify something, but wasn't asserting anything more