Road Tax!

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by Evil_C

Smoke and mirrors statistics. I've yet to meet a wealthy pensioner, all the pensioners I personally know are struggling badly financially

I am one of the relatively wealthy OAP's I suppose. I saved like mad whilst working, did without, looked after my money. Now due to my efforts I have cash in the bank and because of my efforts, I can manage quite on my state pension with just basic bills to pay. I get nothing extra, in state benefits because I have no entitlement. Those pensioners who saved nothing, have their money made up to close to my pension, might pay no council tax etc. all of which leaves me wondering if I did the right thing by saving for my retirement.

I'm not complaining, I am much, much better off than my parents were at my stage in life. Were they alive now, they would certainly consider me very well off. They really struggled, rented and couldn't afford a car at a time they most needed one. Even earlier, I remember pensioners in the 1950's really struggling - there was one disabled neighbour, who couldn't afford to eat, couldn't afford the electric bill, used a tiny paraffin lamp for light. I know how little he ate, because as a child, I used to fetch his supplies.

I use the car only when I have to - the rest of the time I walk and/or use the bus and leave the car in the garage.

My take on modern youth is that they want and expect to have everything now, hence the borrowing money culture and driving absolutely everywhere. Apart from mortgage, I never borrowed a penny. If I wanted something, I did without and saved for it, until I had enough to buy.

Pensioners generally - certainly are much better off, but most are not wealthy. Like me they probably lived within and well within their income and thus saved a bit. Now its a matter of spend until you have nothing, then borrow.

[EastPete]

Originally Posted by HarryM1BYT

I am one of the relatively wealthy OAP's I suppose. I saved like mad whilst working, did without, looked after my money. Now due to my efforts I have cash in the bank and because of my efforts, I can manage quite on my state pension with just basic bills to pay. I get nothing extra, in state benefits because I have no entitlement. Those pensioners who saved nothing, have their money made up to close to my pension, might pay no council tax etc. all of which leaves me wondering if I did the right thing by saving for my retirement.

I'm not complaining, I am much, much better off than my parents were at my stage in life. Were they alive now, they would certainly consider me very well off. They really struggled, rented and couldn't afford a car at a time they most needed one. Even earlier, I remember pensioners in the 1950's really struggling - there was one disabled neighbour, who couldn't afford to eat, couldn't afford the electric bill, used a tiny paraffin lamp for light. I know how little he ate, because as a child, I used to fetch his supplies.

I use the car only when I have to - the rest of the time I walk and/or use the bus and leave the car in the garage.

My take on modern youth is that they want and expect to have everything now, hence the borrowing money culture and driving absolutely everywhere. Apart from mortgage, I never borrowed a penny. If I wanted something, I did without and saved for it, until I had enough to buy.

Pensioners generally - certainly are much better off, but most are not wealthy. Like me they probably lived within and well within their income and thus saved a bit. Now its a matter of spend until you have nothing, then borrow.

Don't forget that a pensioner with a good income from generous pension schemes/savings etc. will be paying income tax on the pension income, and be less likely to need top-up benefits, so is still contributing to the pubic purse to pay for education, roads, health services etc. And they will be paying VAT on the goods/services they spend their money on, so well-off pensioners should not be targeted too severely. I ma just coming up to 60, and will benefit from some nice pension income from a final salary scheme, but I will probably carry on working part time to top up my income, and I will still be paying a fair amount of tax. I agree I have been lucky with having had my tuition fees paid when I was at college, and was able to buy my first house at 28 before the prices went stupid. These are the two areas where I feel some sympathy with today's younger generation. My nephew who is in his 30's and still trying to get on the property ladder, tells me he is amazed at how many of his mates rate spending their money on driving the latest Audi/BMW or on exotic holidays, higher than saving for a house deposit.

Pete

[HarryM1BYT]

Originally Posted by EastPete

My nephew who is in his 30's and still trying to get on the property ladder, tells me he is amazed at how many of his mates rate spending their money on driving the latest Audi/BMW or on exotic holidays, higher than saving for a house deposit.

Pete

There also lots of fickle young individuals about, who shy away completely from doing any proper paid work at all. There is one such near me - starts lots of jobs, even doing jobs cash in hand, does half the job then gives up. Been laying gravel in his front garden for many, many years. Ripping an hedge out, to replace it with a wall for three years - a couple of courses and he abandoned it. Gravel piled up, unused. A full time sit at home, none producer, living on permanent social security his entire life, plus what he earns on the side.

[Nev The Bear]

I have just taxed Wurzel today for another 12 months at a cost of £195.

[mileshawk56]

VED/road tax, its a tax and its not equitable, it costs poor people more than the better off, that is a fact not an opinion. Chris.S.

[bl52krz]

And who are you going to pay to reimburse it? The government? Which is us. Prices are high enough now without adding another tier on top.

[P-Nut]

Originally Posted by Comfortably Numb

I have long thought that all road tax should be transferred to fuel

I've been thinking this for years, that way the amount of fuel you use is partially relevant to the mileage you do, and it also is related to 'being green' which lets face it, is what tax has been about. How is it fair that my zero tax Yaris Hybrid does 40k a year and doesn't pay a single penny towards the upkeep and my ZT which will probably do less than 4k a year pays hundreds. There is zero logical sense

[bl52krz]

Originally Posted by mss

Ok, recognising that this is a forum of car drivers, what I am going to write is not going to win me any friends. But, we chaps need to look at the bigger picture.

At the moment, our residential roads are so clogged with cars, with so much double parking etc. that it is often difficult to drive down the roads. People even park on grassed play areas. So many once pleasant residential roads have been ruined by each household having 2-3 cars yet no off-road parking. Removing vehicle based VED will turn residential roads into areas resembling scrap yards.

The basic problem is that owning and running a car has been getting cheaper relative to average salaries. The result is constant anti-social behaviour by car owners.

We need to implement measures that will reduce the number of cars on the road, regardless of whether they are moving or not. Free and high-quality public transport, coupled with heavy taxing of vehicles, would be the responsible policy.

With reference to those who appear to begrudge drivers of expensive vehicles paying little or no vehicle tax (VED), please remember that the typical person who can afford to purchase and buy an XFR-S or a Tesla Model S will already have paid circa £32k to HMRC/DWP in income tax and then taxes on the purchase price of the car before driving a single mile!

As for...



...there is no need to look at and question statistics. Just go into any town centre during the day and look at the age profile of the people filling the restaurants and tucking into expensive meals.

We need to stop the self-indulgence and think of the quality of life that the younger generation is going to experience unless we change our ways.

Off to my hardened shelter....

I think you need to caste your net a little bit further than beating on about pensioners my dear sir. I and my wife are one of the rich pensioners who regularly go out for a meal with our friends..............once a fortnight. Total cost of this extravaganza is around £14 with a full whole pint of beer. Hardly an extravagance I think you will admit. And when we cast our eyes round, we happen to observe many mothers? With two three children enjoying the same. We could not afford when we were bringing our two children up to go out for meals at the weekend never mind in the week. You sound like one of the young who think that older people should some how have nothing, by giving everything to some of the ungrateful young to squander away. Yes I have seen that happen also. Please try and stick to simple facts of life rather than keep beating on about the ‘rich pensioners’ driving around in 12/14/ 16/18 year old cars. Believe me, if I was rich, I would be driving my Aston Martin.

[bl52krz]

Originally Posted by topman

I genuinely don't understand this post.

How would they collect the ved at the pumps? Would you think that the garage would have to pay it up front when the petrol/ diesel was delivered to them?With the small profits they make, where do you think they would get that money from? My supposition is that they would have to collect this ved money and then pay it to the government. Therefore, that is the meaning of my post. The government at the moment collect it in total from You................up front, not having to wait for you to purchase fuel over a period of time to get the money. Hope this helps.

[topman]

Originally Posted by bl52krz

How would they collect the ved at the pumps? Would you think that the garage would have to pay it up front when the petrol/ diesel was delivered to them?With the small profits they make, where do you think they would get that money from? My supposition is that they would have to collect this ved money and then pay it to the government. Therefore, that is the meaning of my post. The government at the moment collect it in total from You................up front, not having to wait for you to purchase fuel over a period of time to get the money. Hope this helps.

I think i know what you mean. I don't think it would make any difference at all.