Oh for fuck's sake

[andrewducker]

There's a BBC News story here saying that the government shouldn't put up petrol taxes...because theey'll hit the poor harder than the rich.

OF COURSE THEY WILL!!!!!

All taxes, except for ones that are (in some way) means-tested, hit the poor harder, because the poor have less money.

If the tax didn't affect people by making it harder to drive everywhere all the damn time, it would be a tad pointless, especially when this is something the government has said it's supposed to encourage.

Oh, the stupidity.

Comments

[octopoid-horror.livejournal.com]

I used to share a flat with our own andrewducker. It was at the top of a hill. In order to get shopping there, it was easiest to shop more often and carry less. Some people may well live places where there isn't great public transport or where you need a car to get anywhere. I've no disagreement with you there.

On the other hand, plenty don't. And I've found people who already have cars structure their lives so as to justify it. Why go to the shops twice a week if you can go once because you have a car? The car becomes necessary when changing other things would make it less necessary.

I agree train fares are exorbitant. Doing some quick calculations, the cost of fuel to get to and from where I work would be about a third of what train fares cost. Of course, I don't have to buy the train, insure it or pay any kind of tax on it. And if the train breaks down, I don't have to pay, or buy a more expensive ticket to replace my current one.

Talking about freedom and hope is fine, except maybe adding up the cost of a car (and presumably we're talking one "bought" on credit with all the interest that entails), the cost of insurance and fuel... and maybe if a car wasn't purchased then other things that give freedom and hope could be.

All that said, we live in a country where cars are encouraged. If car-owning wasn't the way adults are expected to be, then we wouldn't be encouraged to shop at out-of-town retail parks with minimal public transport to/from them.

I have friends who thought nothing of driving to the shops and back to do their shopping, and were confused when I suggested walking. We lived quite literally five minutes walk from the shop in question. Five minutes. Their car wasn't even that big - they could barely fit more shopping into it than two fit people (which they were) could carry. This is both the symptom and the disease.

I feel exactly the same way myself, but about the internet. It's a luxury, but it's one that I like having and want to keep having because I'll have to change things if I don't have it. I certainly don't need it.

I've never believed that -no one- needs a car. I just believe that there are many who simply think they need a car and just don't want to change things so put their own obstacles in the way.

[pisica.livejournal.com]

On the other hand, plenty don't. And I've found people who already have cars structure their lives so as to justify it. Why go to the shops twice a week if you can go once because you have a car? The car becomes necessary when changing other things would make it less necessary.

We've recently gotten a car (through my partner's work, so it will probably vanish if he changes jobs) and I've been extremely conscientious about not making random trips to Tesco when the local village shop has much of what we need - admittedly, some days I can't get exotic things like 'yogurt'. Thankfully, the nearest Tesco is about 5 minutes from his parents' house, so combining errand with family visit is easy.

It is frighteningly easy to slip into a mindset of 'let's just jump in the car.'