fuel

[brionon]

What's the betting on Fuel rationing ? Poor Motorists ,they'll have to walk the hundred yards to the Baker shop.

[brionon]

Dear N. You might read what I said before you use words like Smug and Complacent ; I'm against the UNnecessary use of the Car. G'night.

[naomi24]

Good morning Brionon, I did read it, and I agree with you, but clearly from what's been written here, making blanket statements about 'poor motorists' is somewhat unfair.

[Lakitu]

Krustyman that's exactly what I said to someone last week!

The Government took in a public smoking ban, they're doing away with the packs of 10 and smokers are giving up in their droves as a result. Great for health but not so great for the pocket. Now the government are trying to claw back the money elsewhere.....the 10p tax.......overpriced petrol.

[jake-the-peg]

Tax on fuel is irrelevant.

The root issue is that the demand for oil now pretty much matches supply

Price will continue to rise until this is no longer so.

If you removed all tax from fuel the price would continue to rise

It's not rocket science

[Lakitu]

There is not a shortage of oil.

[Quinlad]

If anything is likely to leadd to fuel rationing, it's fuel hoarding.

In the same way that Northern Rock went to the wall purely because everyone panicked, the stockpiling of petrol will end up harming everyone.

Refusing to panic isn't the same as being complacent.

[jake-the-peg]

Lakitu

http://www.eia.doe.gov/steo

The oil supply system continues to operate at near capacity and remains vulnerable to both actual and perceived supply disruptions. The supply and demand balance for the remainder of the year is tighter than in last month�s Outlook. World oil markets are particularly tight during the first half of 2008, with year-over-year growth in world oil consumption outstripping growth in non-Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) production by over 1 million bbl/d.


Now if you have something to back up your opinion I'm all ears

[LoftyLottie]

I am arthritic. Difficult choice, do I walk three miles to the nearest shop down the main road with no pavements, or do I walk a mile to the nearest bus stop to wait for a bus that goes to the town every Thursday!

Shall have to think very hard.

[nedflanders]

I dont have a problem with fat ar$ed mothers running their kids to school, its the fact that the do it in their range rover's and not their fiesta's or punto's. Ban 4x4's unless you have a valid reason for needing one, ie. you live on a farm and use it for agricultural purposes.

[jake-the-peg]

Close ned but it's not just 4x4's that use pointless amounts of fuel.

We just simply need to stop approving the sale of any car that can't demonstrate say 40mpg.

It'd have to be done at the European level but it's been done before with catalytic converters etc.

OK Jeremy Clarkson would have a blue fit but I''m sure his favorite sports car companies would quickly develop an economy mode.

Incidently it's not just me the head of Shell agrees (although I think 35MPG might be a little unadventurous)

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7225451.st m

[nedflanders]

Glad we agree on something Jake! My astra diesel does 50+mpg and now i am paying more on fuel i have been taking it easier and can get 55+mpg.

Dont get me wrong, i am outraged with the price of diesel, the extra VAT the government are getting means this could be capped to reduce the impact of oil price rises. But we need to be hitting the 4x4 et all drivers, all NEW 2.5+litre cars should be hammered in road tax to hit the rich!

[youngmafbog]

Are, good old Bruxelles where more than half the cars are company cars because it pays tax-wise to have one.

And yes I do know what I'm talking about, I have Bruxelles collegues

[andrea81]

Why do people assume that we use our cars because we can't be bothered to walk or choose to work miles away from home!

I for one would never be able to walk to work and being a development officer and visit many places in 100 mile radius would find it difficult! I'm sure those I visit would get a bit brassed off if I was constantly late!

A lot of people need to travel to work as finding jobs are hard as it is!!! and not everyone has public transpot to hand!!!

[jake-the-peg]

That's the point Ned

Reducing tax won't help.

If there isn't enough of something to go around the bidding keeps going up until someone drops out.

Even it VAT on fuel were to drop to 5% you'd still be in a position where there was more demand than supply and the price would rapidly be back where it is now.

You have to increase the supply or reduce the demand.

And with so mny people in China and India wanting a car it's going to get worse not better and there's precious little Brown or Cameron are going to be able to do about it.

Incidenly Youngmafbog the EU wanted to bring down VAT on diesel about 6 years ago and the UK blocked it.

And I'm not sure what the point about company cars is - are you suggesting they use more fuel?

[brionon]

Naomi, I refer you to the last words in 'Casablanca''.