‘Sin Tax’ – In the UK we have been under that system for a while now…
Does it work?
Unfortunately we have not been able to tell as greedy investors etc have muddied the water.
To drive around central London we need to pay a ‘Congestion Charge’.
With cameras everywhere taking photos of any car that that hasn’t paid and been registered for that day, a charge is sent automatically to the vehicle’s keeper.
Many have tried the trick of getting false plates made to cover their own. If caught, they suffer a number of fines from ‘Wrong numberplate’ through ‘causing distress’ to the plate’s true owner, right up to the obvious – ‘Not paying the charge’ (£100 for that one is possible?)
Of course there is traffic light and speed cameras all over the country, only some actually have a camera working in them at any moment as the film is expensive and the wifi infrastructure to do it electronically is prohibitavely expensive and difficult to use safely except in a city. Hard wired is even more expensive in the country and maintenance even more so!
It has been the dream of many cyclists to get ‘snapped’ for speeding but it hasn’t happened yet, as far as I know.
On ‘The Continent’ I think I remember at least one incident of a Mango or similar being ‘done’ for speeding that way, but they got off on a technicality as far as I know?
Being done for speeding on a bike? – seem to remember several years ago about a lady in Wales who took up cycling to lose weight. Her regular commute took her up and down a fair sized hill – and on her way down she was clocked by a police radar gun at 47mph. I think she was prosecuted for speeding – although I had understood that in the UK speed limits only apply to mechanically propelled vehicles and not pedal powered machines – although one might still be had for “ridiing furiously” or some such.
I’m open to correction….
As for ‘Sinner’ – I have been looking into getting a Mango if I have 2 or more heart attacks in the period between my checkups.
I consider that to show my heart condition is worsening and I will not be able to bear the risk of killing anybody if I have a fibrillation attack whilst driving. Currently under control with Beta-blockers etc, I will be having a replacement ICD-(Pacemaker) in the near future and will have to stop driving for a period while they check if the new unit and the surgery is a success. If I give up driving, we have the Trandem for our mutual riding but as I will have no motor vehicle – I will fund the Mango by selling my car and motor-home. (Sadly) The motor-home is currently having an inverter installed to give me 240v mains power without a hookup. The Trandem (or a couple of bikes) will be slung on a rack to give short-range travel when touring. My friend and I are planning a tour to follow the Rhine from Amsterdam to its source, then the Danube from its source to its Delta. I reckon that will take us a few months at a guess and we may need help from Google Earth etc to plan parts of the route.
legalize marijuana and tax the bejeezus out of it like alcohol and tobacco. That will not only generate fantastic amounts of revenue and economy with the new product, but cut law enforcement costs drastically. Better than trying to tax cars.
Taxing grass, alcohol, and tobacco is just another form of disproportionate taxing of the poor and working poor classes. Hardly affects anyone in the top 50% of wage earners. Just like lotteries are a tax on the poor and working poor, the bulk of which make up most lottery ticket buyers — literally a tax for those who don’t understand math. And how much of that revenue actually goes into schools and other state infrastructure?
Why not tax owners/users of chauffeured limos, yachts, private aircraft, etc. at the same rate as the above “sins?” Chances are, the bulk of these are exempt from taxes under some corporate tax loophole.
Well, the point of a sin tax is to attempt to capture the negative externalities (costs borne by society) of certain behaviors. Smoking, for example, creates an externality for those who inhale 2nd-hand smoke, deal with increased health care costs, litter, etc. I’m curious what the negative externalities are for limos, yachts, and the like that you are alluding to.
Well, the point of a sin tax is to attempt to capture the negative externalities (costs borne by society) of certain behaviors. Smoking, for example, creates an externality for those who inhale 2nd-hand smoke, deal with increased health care costs, litter, etc. I’m curious what the negative externalities are for limos, yachts, and the like that you are alluding to.
Well, the point of a sin tax is to attempt to capture the negative externalities (costs borne by society) of certain behaviors. Smoking, for example, creates an externality for those who inhale 2nd-hand smoke, deal with increased health care costs, litter, etc. I’m curious what the negative externalities are for limos, yachts, and the like that you are alluding to.
Ever seen a limo take a turn at a resonable pace? Holy bejebus, it can take forever for those things to inch around corners! And this from a bike enthusiast…
first? Wow… okay then… and so Yehuda has now lost 98% of the electorate… cool beans, how does he pull it off?
‘Sin Tax’ – In the UK we have been under that system for a while now…
Does it work?
Unfortunately we have not been able to tell as greedy investors etc have muddied the water.
To drive around central London we need to pay a ‘Congestion Charge’.
With cameras everywhere taking photos of any car that that hasn’t paid and been registered for that day, a charge is sent automatically to the vehicle’s keeper.
Many have tried the trick of getting false plates made to cover their own. If caught, they suffer a number of fines from ‘Wrong numberplate’ through ‘causing distress’ to the plate’s true owner, right up to the obvious – ‘Not paying the charge’ (£100 for that one is possible?)
Of course there is traffic light and speed cameras all over the country, only some actually have a camera working in them at any moment as the film is expensive and the wifi infrastructure to do it electronically is prohibitavely expensive and difficult to use safely except in a city. Hard wired is even more expensive in the country and maintenance even more so!
It has been the dream of many cyclists to get ‘snapped’ for speeding but it hasn’t happened yet, as far as I know.
On ‘The Continent’ I think I remember at least one incident of a Mango or similar being ‘done’ for speeding that way, but they got off on a technicality as far as I know?
Cionsidering they make up a minority of the travelling public I think we’re too easy on car users in the UK, and we accommodate them far too much.
Being done for speeding on a bike? – seem to remember several years ago about a lady in Wales who took up cycling to lose weight. Her regular commute took her up and down a fair sized hill – and on her way down she was clocked by a police radar gun at 47mph. I think she was prosecuted for speeding – although I had understood that in the UK speed limits only apply to mechanically propelled vehicles and not pedal powered machines – although one might still be had for “ridiing furiously” or some such.
I’m open to correction….
Oh, and Mango velomobiles just happen to be made by ….. [drum roll] …. Sinner Liegfietsen!
http://www.cyclorama.net/viewExhibitor.php?id=232
re: ‘”ridiing furiously”‘ that’s correct. Has been applied on a number of occasions to punish unruly cycling…
As for ‘Sinner’ – I have been looking into getting a Mango if I have 2 or more heart attacks in the period between my checkups.
I consider that to show my heart condition is worsening and I will not be able to bear the risk of killing anybody if I have a fibrillation attack whilst driving.
Currently under control with Beta-blockers etc, I will be having a replacement ICD-(Pacemaker) in the near future and will have to stop driving for a period while they check if the new unit and the surgery is a success. If I give up driving, we have the Trandem for our mutual riding but as I will have no motor vehicle – I will fund the Mango by selling my car and motor-home. (Sadly) The motor-home is currently having an inverter installed to give me 240v mains power without a hookup.
The Trandem (or a couple of bikes) will be slung on a rack to give short-range travel when touring. My friend and I are planning a tour to follow the Rhine from Amsterdam to its source, then the Danube from its source to its Delta.
I reckon that will take us a few months at a guess and we may need help from Google Earth etc to plan parts of the route.
A sin tax? The amount I pay is more like a cos tax….
Did you ‘log’ that comment?
Naturally.
Wait a ‘sec’. We seem to be getting off on a tangent here…
But it fits the story arc, to a degree…
…Something about a secant? Danm missed opprotunitity.
Like too many things, we socialize the costs and privitize the profit. Automobiles enact a cost that isn’t even close to being covered by fuel taxes.
What could be nerdier than bicycle humor … o wait, math humor. That’s just a bunch of sinusoids!
legalize marijuana and tax the bejeezus out of it like alcohol and tobacco. That will not only generate fantastic amounts of revenue and economy with the new product, but cut law enforcement costs drastically. Better than trying to tax cars.
Taxing grass, alcohol, and tobacco is just another form of disproportionate taxing of the poor and working poor classes. Hardly affects anyone in the top 50% of wage earners. Just like lotteries are a tax on the poor and working poor, the bulk of which make up most lottery ticket buyers — literally a tax for those who don’t understand math. And how much of that revenue actually goes into schools and other state infrastructure?
Why not tax owners/users of chauffeured limos, yachts, private aircraft, etc. at the same rate as the above “sins?” Chances are, the bulk of these are exempt from taxes under some corporate tax loophole.
But I rant. Pardon.
Well, the point of a sin tax is to attempt to capture the negative externalities (costs borne by society) of certain behaviors. Smoking, for example, creates an externality for those who inhale 2nd-hand smoke, deal with increased health care costs, litter, etc. I’m curious what the negative externalities are for limos, yachts, and the like that you are alluding to.
Well, the point of a sin tax is to attempt to capture the negative externalities (costs borne by society) of certain behaviors. Smoking, for example, creates an externality for those who inhale 2nd-hand smoke, deal with increased health care costs, litter, etc. I’m curious what the negative externalities are for limos, yachts, and the like that you are alluding to.
Well, the point of a sin tax is to attempt to capture the negative externalities (costs borne by society) of certain behaviors. Smoking, for example, creates an externality for those who inhale 2nd-hand smoke, deal with increased health care costs, litter, etc. I’m curious what the negative externalities are for limos, yachts, and the like that you are alluding to.
Ever seen a limo take a turn at a resonable pace? Holy bejebus, it can take forever for those things to inch around corners! And this from a bike enthusiast…
You know, all those school buses, city buses, semi trucks, etc. wasting all our time taking corners. Let’s not forget those.
Oh, wait… I was going to buy a LOTTO ticket today!
You working class stiff who doesn’t understand math, you.