Soon, Brits will own nothing and will be happier for it… UK Government Transport Minister Trudy Harrison recently spoke at a mobility conference, addressing the future of personal mobility. In her comments, she said it was necessary to ditch the "20th-century thinking centred around private vehicle ownership and towards greater flexibility, with personal choice and low carbon shared transport." That’s right, she said the quiet part loud and showed the hand of a growing number of government officials.
Meanwhile, Dodge is eliminating a popular engine in the United States. Learn more here.
Harrison went on to praise not only public transportation but also bike share services, e-scooters, and ride sharing platforms. All of these are supposed to tune down how much carbon the UK is emitting into the atmosphere. As with all choices, this comes at a cost, particularly for those living in rural areas.
What’s more, 300 residents in Coventry recently expressed interest in giving up their personal cars. The tradeoff from the government reportedly would be a mobility credit worth up to £3,000. This mobility credit program has been going since March of this year, with 73 cars turned in and crushed. No, this isn’t a joke, but I wish it were.
Understandably, many Brits are upset about this. Some have asked if they should start riding their horse instead, all the in the name of “progress.” Others are tying this statement by Harrison with the looming government ban of internal combustion engines for cars by 2030. After all, EVs aren’t exactly cheap, so what better way to force people onto public transportation than by pricing them out of the vehicle market?
I’ve been calling out the elitist plan in some government circles to eliminate the private ownership of cars for some time. For many, the possibility that such a thing could be real leads to their minds lashing out at the source of such news, and so I’ve been called a “crazy conspiracy theorist” among other things for trying to shed light on this disturbing topic. Well, time has vindicated my stance and people in the UK are starting to wake up to the very real possibility they would be completely dependent on the government to be driven anywhere.
If you think this plan is limited to just the UK, you haven’t been paying attention. There have been other efforts to make private vehicle ownership a thing of the past, including a new measure in Southern California. The 2021 Regional Transportation Plan passed recently by the San Diego Association of Government’s board of directors is a $160 billion initiative just for the metropolitan area to boost public transportation.
That’s a hefty price tag for such a small area, so one of the ways officials have been planning to fund it is by levying a per-mile driving tax against citizens. That was such an unpopular move it was shelved, for now. But I have a funny feeling that driving tax is going to be revisited. Critics say that and other fines, fees, etc. are designed to nuke personal vehicle ownership for all but the wealthy. Expect to see similar measures in other cities and maybe entire states/territories in North America and beyond in the near future.
As unpleasant as politics are, if car enthusiasts and really everyone who enjoys going where they please when they please in their privately-owned vehicle don’t start taking a stand, our freedoms could be severely restricted in ways many have thought weren’t possible. Failing to do something to stop this push will end poorly for just about everyone
Just my opinion but, I won't be surprised when this hits the US in the larger cities. Yeah, I know. CA already wants to do this in some cities. Rural populations would be crippled by such legislation. I'm actually not against a mileage tax if, they would do away to the current fuel taxes that are in place. I don't feel that "E" vehicle are paying their fair share anyway and since we're on the subject, let the bicyclist pay also. Rams
------------------ Rams Intelligent people speak because they have something to say, fools speak because they have to say something. Consider that before telling anyone what's on your mind.
[This message has been edited by blackrams (edited 12-28-2021).]
Annual inspections/smog tests and insane insurance rates on older/cheaper cars, coupled with gas prices will do the job JUST fine.
A simple "price them off the roads" strategy like "cash for clunkers" or Ontario's "e-test"
As for your idea on e-vehicles/bikes, its well under way here. As of last month e-bikes are now in 3 categories. Class-1 are pedelecs (need to peddle and power-assist only, a converted bicycle). Class 2 are step-through (scooter-moped style, utility) and Class 3 are motorcycle-style (sport). Federal transport definitions are out the window. They just laid the groundwork for a class-based fee schedule.
Honestly, if they try that crap I'll be picking up a chopper-bicycle frame and moving all the "good bits" over to it, building a ghost bike. **** 'em. Meh, I'd get better performance out of that with less weight anyway.
[This message has been edited by MidEngineManiac (edited 12-28-2021).]
It's not TOO bad in the rural areas (yet) but the e-bike groups here are full of accounts....
If they catch you over-weight (120KG max, with batteries), with the peddles/chain disconnected (damn things rotate when reversing and catch the ground or your ankles), or CAPABLE of more than the legal 32kp/h max you get a $5,000 court-date for uninsured motorcycle.
The last 2 are the biggies since just about everybody on one does both. I ordered a new chain from Amazon and have blue-tooth control so I can modify the controller settings to "legal" right now, and will be tossing on a hidden kill-switch for the governor bypass. Apparently last season Big-cities areas were getting a lot on radar traps.
There should have been a mileage tax for electric cars from the start to be fair to those that can't afford or choose to not give up our cars of choice. Level the playing field and make everyone pay fairly if they use the roads.
There is no need to impose a mileage tax on gas cars, we already pay taxes on MPG
"she said it was necessary to ditch the "20th-century thinking centred around private vehicle ownership and towards greater flexibility, with personal choice"
"one of the ways officials have been planning to fund it is by levying a per-mile driving tax against citizens."
Oh THAT kind of choice.....
[This message has been edited by 2.5 (edited 12-29-2021).]
The market can solve this without the heavy hand of government.
I do believe that most vehicles will be electric motor driven, as it is far superior to ICE.
Also, with ride-share (Ubers of the world) taken place and robo taxis around the corner, it is a matter of time before your average vehicle wouldn't need to be owned. It is expensive, depreciates rapidly, and is generally sitting in a garage not doing anything most of the time. So I get that car ownership by average people will be a thing of the past in the next 20-years for sure.
But to force it? No, it isn't needed. Honestly it will slow down rather than speed up this evitable norm that car ownership will not make sense. Reason is that government heavy hand increases the cost of this by a factor of 10X, rather than just let the market do it.
If you want to own a vehicle on your own? Better be electric or you won't be able to drive it.
People think I'm just a greenie hippie converting my Fiero to an EV, but the reason I am is because I want to continue to drive it far in the future.
There are far too many countries in the world that don't allow any cars older than 10-years old without insane permit costs. This will spread throughout the western nations.
Plus most of the world has already placed bans on any manufacturing of new diesel and ICE engine driven vehicles (known as the fossil-fuel phase out) within the next 10-20 years. USA being one of them starting in 2035. Most all major automobile manufactures have committed to going full electric before 2035 anyways. Including GM. Volvo is already there, Mercedes will be fully EV in 2025, Volkswagon in 2026. This is just a few short years away that they won't even make a ICE vehicle.
They will go after old vehicles first, to get them off the road. They (UN) is already talking about starting the second-hand vehicle dumping ban, to prevent old cars being dump in Africa or Asia, instead of being scrapped. You will start to see a huge ramp up of "cash for clunkers" initiatives in the West as well. First it will be voluntary, but eventually mandatory.
I see this trend, NOT REVERSING. It is a pipe dream to think that it will. We are going full electric folks and robo taxies will be normal.
Can we acknowledge for a moment, that "cars" make up 10-11% of the total supposed "carbon footprint" / fossil fuel burning? 11%... yet we seem to be focusing like 70-80% of our efforts on that 11%... on the very people who elect these people.
I have to say, this is the mark of the radical left, spend 99% of your efforts on 1% of the problem, and wonder why nothing ever gets done.
Seriously, why not invest in Gen-3 / 4 nuclear power, and eliminate coal and diesel plants. Not wind farms... they're great, but they require petroleum to manufacture as well. We're creating more environmental damage by focusing on 11% of the problem.
These are not hard problems, and I never, ever, understand why politicians make it seem like everything they're doing is so complicated. Trump got into office, and literally started tackling problems that we all knew existed that everyone said was too hard, and even with every media and Democrat (and many Republican) politicians doing absolutely everything in their power to stop him, he still managed to get a lot of this agenda done.
Politicians are either completely retarded and I'm just totally brilliant, or politicians are not at all doing what they were elected to do.
I see this trend, NOT REVERSING. It is a pipe dream to think that it will. We are going full electric folks and robo taxies will be normal.
No doubt they think this will work, and even if it wont they seem to plan to force it. I've yet to hear anyone exaplain how it works in (among other places) rural northern winters.
Can we acknowledge for a moment, that "cars" make up 10-11% of the total supposed "carbon footprint" / fossil fuel burning? 11%... yet we seem to be focusing like 70-80% of our efforts on that 11%... on the very people who elect these people.
I have to say, this is the mark of the radical left, spend 99% of your efforts on 1% of the problem, and wonder why nothing ever gets done.
Seriously, why not invest in Gen-3 / 4 nuclear power, and eliminate coal and diesel plants. Not wind farms... they're great, but they require petroleum to manufacture as well. We're creating more environmental damage by focusing on 11% of the problem.
These are not hard problems, and I never, ever, understand why politicians make it seem like everything they're doing is so complicated. Trump got into office, and literally started tackling problems that we all knew existed that everyone said was too hard, and even with every media and Democrat (and many Republican) politicians doing absolutely everything in their power to stop him, he still managed to get a lot of this agenda done.
Politicians are either completely retarded and I'm just totally brilliant, or politicians are not at all doing what they were elected to do.
Politicians conduct themselves as they do for two reasons, either they are listening to their voter base or, in some way or another they will profit from their stated and voting positions. I think you're correct about the "Left". But there's not much I can do about it.
Honestly, in the next 20 years I can see a YUUUGGEEEE societal shift away from the need for personal transportation.
Between automation, work-from-home, guaranteed basic income (it's coming, like it or not) and delivery services there will be no NEED for it.
We are already 1/2-way there. Personally, the only things i really "shop" for anymore is fresh produce, meats, bread, milk, cheese...the perishables. The rest (dry and canned/packaged stuff) I just throw on my monthly Amazon order and let them deal with the grief of finding it. I can even get my smokes and beer delivered if I really want. All those delivery fees (free shipping in most cases) STILL add up cheaper per month than owning a vehicle.
Commute for work ? How much does that cost you in out-of-pocket (after tax $) 15k a year ? 25 ?? Deduct that PLUS the taxes off your pay and that's how much less you can afford to work for close to home. PLUS you have ditched the stress and time involved in long-distance commuting.
GBI, like the idea or hate it, the simple fact is that it is CHEAPER than the current system of social programs, each with their own administration costs, rules, problems, and 6 times the administration and overhead needed for a streamlined system.
The past 2 years have really shown, and proven, how silly and economically wasteful a lot of our transportation-related activities are. It wont take much beyond a few "tweaks" for that 'great reset" to happen, and really the only ones really adversely affected would be us rural types.
Can we acknowledge for a moment, that "cars" make up 10-11% of the total supposed "carbon footprint" / fossil fuel burning? 11%... yet we seem to be focusing like 70-80% of our efforts on that 11%... on the very people who elect these people.
I have to say, this is the mark of the radical left, spend 99% of your efforts on 1% of the problem, and wonder why nothing ever gets done.
Seriously, why not invest in Gen-3 / 4 nuclear power, and eliminate coal and diesel plants. Not wind farms... they're great, but they require petroleum to manufacture as well. We're creating more environmental damage by focusing on 11% of the problem.
These are not hard problems, and I never, ever, understand why politicians make it seem like everything they're doing is so complicated. Trump got into office, and literally started tackling problems that we all knew existed that everyone said was too hard, and even with every media and Democrat (and many Republican) politicians doing absolutely everything in their power to stop him, he still managed to get a lot of this agenda done.
Politicians are either completely retarded and I'm just totally brilliant, or politicians are not at all doing what they were elected to do.
Scrolling through even a brief report on the Build Back Better Act reveals that there's much more that's baked into it, besides electric cars and trucks, in so far as trying to put the brakes on the real and unwelcome acceleration of man-made global warming. So not just electric cars and trucks. Electric cars and trucks, plus a whole lot more.
"Climate provisions in Build Back Better Act will be critical to decarbonize US economy" Dan Lashof and Devashree Sheva for The Hill; December 15, 2021. https://thehill.com/opinion...-will-be-critical-to
[This message has been edited by rinselberg (edited 12-29-2021).]
Scrolling through even a brief report on the Build Back Better Act reveals that there's much more that's baked into it, besides electric cars and trucks, in so far as trying to put the brakes on the real and unwelcome acceleration of man-made global warming. So not just electric cars and trucks. Electric cars and trucks, plus a whole lot more.
"Climate provisions in Build Back Better Act will be critical to decarbonize US economy" Dan Lashof and Devashree Sheva for The Hill; December 15, 2021. https://thehill.com/opinion...-will-be-critical-to
Yeah, and a whole lot of pork for Dem special interests.
