I Support the lorry drivers thread

Solari · 27 May 2008 at 10:54

BBC said:
Their convoy was delayed by police issuing public order notices to drivers instructing them to drive at at least 40mph, depending on conditions, and to keep to the inside lane of the motorway.

Ok, so a load at 40mph in the left lane, a load overtaking at 41mph in the middle lane...

Or a load of simultaneous breakdowns to get the point across?

I really hate how Authorititarian this country is becoming. Can't believe people voted for this bunch of clowns at the last election

Jono · 27 May 2008 at 10:55

How much truth is there in (some thing I read somewhere) that the reason the massive increase in price over the last year is due to banks investing in oil in some way that they have to pay something like $8 per barrel and borrow the rest, a sort of oil pre-order....so when it comes to be sold they've made a massive profit, pay back the lender and pocket the rest.

This is a result of the sub-prime fiasco. Banks push up demand artificially, price rises massively, banks make a killing, the rest of the world loses out.

Or did I dream it?

Dolph · 27 May 2008 at 10:55

izzy eckerslike said:
Don't make me repeatedly have to post that its a previous Tory government thats responsible for the high cost of fuel, just Google 'fuel tax escalator'

Which is wholely irrelevant when Labour have been in power for 11 years and could have changed it at any time.

Dolph · 27 May 2008 at 10:56

Jono said:
How much truth is there in (some thing I read somewhere) that the reason the massive increase in price over the last year is due to banks investing in oil in some way that they have to pay something like $8 per barrel and borrow the rest, a sort of oil pre-order....so when it comes to be sold they've made a massive profit, pay back the lender and pocket the rest.

This is a result of the sub-prime fiasco. Banks push up demand artificially, price rises massively, banks make a killing, the rest of the world loses out.

Or did I dream it?

No, part of the problem is oil speculation, it's become a lot more attractive than currency speculation recently. Same with Gold and other commodities.

LordSplodge · 27 May 2008 at 10:56

RockLobster said:
The sooner people get used to these prices the better they will never ever come back down only get worse. I bike into work ok that's not really appropriate if you work say over 15 miles away but anything less it is.

Petrol and Diesel are cheap even with oil at these artificial prices. Around 37p a litre.

I support cycling to work over shorter distances as it is good for you and good for Mother Earth but it isn't always practical.

monkeyspank said:
None of the things you buy are subject to inflated prices due to transport costs? Do you make your own clothes with locally scavenged bits of straw and stuff? Eat nothing but local food?

Yes but do you think they would really pass the savings on to us, the customer?

milkinc13 · 27 May 2008 at 10:58

Anewbe4u said:
Seems like a waste of precious fuel to me.

same as what i was thinking, surely they'd want to save as much fuel as possible

Jono · 27 May 2008 at 10:59

Dolph said:
No, part of the problem is oil speculation, it's become a lot more attractive than currency speculation recently. Same with Gold and other commodities.

Was that No, I didn't dream it, or No, I'm way off the mark?

milkinc13 said:
same as what i was thinking, surely they'd want to save as much fuel as possible

It's going to get used anyway. May as well use it to make a point.

platypus · 27 May 2008 at 10:59

monkeyspank said:
None of the things you buy are subject to inflated prices due to transport costs? Do you make your own clothes with locally scavenged bits of straw and stuff? Eat nothing but local food?

All my meat, fruit, vegetable, bread and dairy produce come from Cambridgeshire

.

monkeyspank · 27 May 2008 at 11:00

LordSplodge said:
Petrol and Diesel are cheap even with oil at these artificial prices. Around 37p a litre.

I support cycling to work over shorter distances as it is good for you and good for Mother Earth but it isn't always practical.

Yes but do you think they would really pass the savings on to us, the customer?

Not exactly, but they WILL pass the extra costs on. It's about curbing/dealing with the rise in price, not lowering it.

Third Opinion · 27 May 2008 at 11:00

Dolph said:
Which is wholely irrelevant when Labour have been in power for 11 years and could have changed it at any time.

Thats the Labour excuse though isn't it. Anything the public don't like is down to the last Tory Government. They boast about putting so much money into public services but the high taxes are down to the Tory Government.

AtreuS · 27 May 2008 at 11:00

Whatever the outcome this problem is only going to get worse.

Most people on these forums will know that its not just about the price of fuel, its about the price of everything. Me and the mrs live a modest life and live within our means. We dont drink a lot, we dont really go out much and we dont smoke. We dont even have sky or cable! We both work full time and we have no kids and a small terrace house with a £420 a month mortgage.

Over the past year ive seen our weekly shopping bill go up and up and up... and we buy just about the same thing each week. We now happily buy asda economy stuff ( yes the white packed stuff ) simply to make ends meet each week.

We used to take the dogs to the seaside once every couple of weeks but now its once a month maybe... its costs £25 in fuel alone each time now. When i bought the car 3 years ago it was about £12ish.

If prices keep going up like this pretty soon the craps gonna hit the fan for more and more people. My sister is having to change jobs now, she simply cannot afford to drive to work anymore for the wages being offered, and public transport actually costs MORE ( she has tried it... ). She only lives about 5 miles from work as well, she cant even cycle due to an illness.

So what happens when the average joe in the street who WANTS to work can no longer actually afford to?

The government needs a real kick in the arse and actually think about just what it spends all our taxes on. Wars costs vast amounts of cash, and they seem quite happy to go giving it away to other countries rather than use it here. There needs to be a radical shift in the way goverments operate over the next 20 years or i dread to think whats going to happen.

Dolph · 27 May 2008 at 11:01

Jono said:
Was that No, I didn't dream it, or No, I'm way off the mark?

It's a no, you didn't dream it. I need more coffee

RockLobster · 27 May 2008 at 11:01

LordSplodge said:
Petrol and Diesel are cheap even with oil at these artificial prices. Around 37p a litre.

That may be the case but we both know this goverment or any government will do nothing about it.

Outcast · 27 May 2008 at 11:03

I cycle to work as well... Only about 5 miles away.. But I can't hack fighting the wind.
So when it's windy...the car comes out of the garage.

I think I've already mentioned..I'm gonna get an electric pushbike ASAP. Thats ok for me, But people who commute about 30 > miles per day it's not an option.

Dolph · 27 May 2008 at 11:05

Third Opinion said:
Thats the Labour excuse though isn't it. Anything the public don't like is down to the last Tory Government. They boast about putting so much money into public services but the high taxes are down to the Tory Government.

It might have been valid for the first 2 years or so, but, wait, no it wouldn't. Tax freedom day has moved forward on average under Labour, while it shrinks back generally under the tories.

http://www.adamsmith.org/a-history-of-tax-freedom-day/

Outcast · 27 May 2008 at 11:09

How about YOU.. Joe & Joanne Motorist making up banners and driving your cars in slow convoy down to Park Lane?

I'm game for that... Get PistonHeads involved.. The media can't spin it then. This would be a joe public demonstration.

Booner! · 27 May 2008 at 11:10

That's right I am put off with fuel prices... I know, I will use our trusty public transport which will help the environment and cuts emissions and save me money.

Right then, going to have to get up at 6am instead of 7am now...

Catch bus, well not many people on it...surely this isn't helping justify the bus>car arguement.

No direct bus, so bus journey to Oxford return is £5 (for a 10 min journey there and back..) and then another bus from Oxford to Bicester return is about £7 (IIRC).

So, I would have to get up an hour earlier and still spend £12 a day on transport :rolleyes:

or cycle a ~32miles round trip with 2 hours at the gym every 4 days...

Equating to something like £3200 in public transport costs and 260+ lost hours of my life per year.

I have to drive.

Third Opinion · 27 May 2008 at 11:13

I reckon this may gather pace as it goes on. The last few efforts were woeful but they do seem to have the bit between their teeth.

The maximum I think they will get though is to get the plan 2p rise delayed.

dannyjo22 · 27 May 2008 at 11:13

AJUK said:
EDIT: On a side issue, those mentally ill people here that supported Labour in the last election, how do you feel now?

Dolph said:
Which is wholely irrelevant when Labour have been in power for 11 years and could have changed it at any time.

So are you telling me if I vote Tory in the next election they are going to change this?

I do 100 miles to work and back, looks like i'm voting Tory.

Dolph · 27 May 2008 at 11:17

dannyjo22 said:
So are you telling me if I vote Tory in the next election they are going to change this?

I do 100 miles to work and back, looks like i'm voting Tory.

I doubt they would straight away, they've got the horrific, wasteful, inefficient mess that is public services and the civil service to sort out first.