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Road Tax Communication

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  • September 15, 2014 at 2:57 pm #22380
    ydrol

    As DVLA mailshot every driver, why dont cycling groups encourage them to clearly communicate, in very simple words, what road tax is for (and also what it is not for), and who pays for the roads. Because it really seems as though the message is lost on a lot of drivers. Even some that I consider intelligent and thoughtful, seem to parrot the ‘they dont pay road tax’ line. Even after Emma Way fiasco etc.

    Why are people still saying this with a straight face?

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  • September 15, 2014 at 6:45 pm #814451
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    bikebot

    Most drivers already know,
    Most drivers already know, those that don’t… you can only communicate to those who are open to listening.

    I’d rather just abolish it and put the money on petrol instead.

    September 15, 2014 at 5:28 pm #814449
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    jacknorell

    ronin wrote:I sometimes think

    ronin wrote:
    I sometimes think it’s probably better to just charge everyone who uses the road, just so the afore mentioned cave dwelling motorist cannot perpetuate this fallacy.

    They do, most everyone pays council tax and income tax…!

    September 15, 2014 at 5:27 pm #814447
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    ydrol

    Yes I know exactly what it
    Yes I know exactly what it VED is , but thats the problem I’m trying to allude to. . It is still called just a ‘Tax Disc’ without communicating clearly what it is for (regardless of what it is called). What the heck is Excise to the man on the street. Where is the first mention of ’emissions’ on my renewal form?
    All I see is the word ‘Tax’ and even ‘TaxDisc’ ( https://www.gov.uk/tax-disc )

    Without simply qualifying. in plain English, what the tax is for. and how roads are actually paid for.

    Being pedantic about the name doesn’t have any impact unless it comes from the powers that be along with a clear/obvious statement of what it covers.

    Even before emissions the breakdown was just by engine size, but it still makes no difference to the nay sayers.

    They just think that a few special cases are getting a free ride from their ‘tax disc’ and they resent it. They don’t realise that the majority of road funding comes from general taxation – and that is the problem. Even if it was called emissions tax – they think *they alone* are subsidizing the emission free vehicles. Also , in their minds, *their money* is being spent specifically on cyclists for paint.. er I mean .. “infrastructure” , that gives them less space than they had before.

    The exemption from which is a SORN – reinforcing the ‘road tax’ mentality.

    September 15, 2014 at 5:07 pm #814445
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    ronin

    It’s a question I sometimes
    It’s a question I sometimes half ask myself, but halfway through asking the question I remember why they do not. Divide and conqueror my friends, divide and conqueror.

    It’s such an obvious common sense thing which should have been communicated to the masses long ago, but they do not do it. Knowing how much hostility the average cave dwelling motorist (you know the ones that pass so close to you when the road is clear and it’s a dual cartridge way) has towards cyclists for no good reason.

    I sometimes think it’s probably better to just charge everyone who uses the road, just so the afore mentioned cave dwelling motorist cannot perpetuate this fallacy.

    September 15, 2014 at 5:06 pm #814443
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    Him Up North

    Some cars don’t incur “car
    Some cars don’t incur “car tax”, just to muddy the waters. Emissions Tax. How’s that sound?

    September 15, 2014 at 4:55 pm #814441
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    GrahamSt

    Yeah, it’s still very much an
    Yeah, it’s still very much an issue. Look at the “Have Your Say” comments on the latest “Cycling is Good For You” story on BBC News and half of them are bibbling on about “freeloading cyclists” not paying “road tax”.

    The DVLA don’t even call it “Vehicle Excise Duty” any more (at least not on the website). I believe the Campaign for Plain English got involved at some point and the DVLA now just refer to it as “Car Tax” or “Vehicle Tax”.

    I find “Car Tax” the most useful as it creates a nice obvious answer to the question “Why don’t you have to pay Car Tax for your bicycle?”

    September 15, 2014 at 4:23 pm #814439
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    therevokid

    +1 to Mr Crumpet …
    +1 to Mr Crumpet … đŸ˜€

    September 15, 2014 at 4:18 pm #814437
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    asinglecrumpet

    When you refer to “road tax”
    When you refer to “road tax” do you mean vehicle excise duty? A vehicle tax based on engine size or on fuel type and carbon dioxide emissions, and not on road use. Pretty sure road tax was abolished in 1937 and the fact people still refer to it that way is half the battle in my opinion…

    I’m sure the government will start trying to charge me pedant tax if I don’t shut up soon.

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