Why I hate uneducation envrionmentalists

Micra is long gone. I replaced that with a Skoda Fabia vRS, which was very nice, but priorities changed and I needed a cheaper motor, so I got a Golf GTI.

 

The difference is though Paul your Golf has fuel injection, ok its not going to be as clean as a modern engine but it has to be better than some old Micra. Also your Golf is probably better serviced, cars like that Micra often don't see a garage until MOT time so pollute an awful lot.

 

Funnily enough I'm not putting stickers on anyones cars

Matt F: If you read the guidelines on the 4x4 site you'll find its only targetting large x5's and other such pieces of crap so I'm not lumping them all in together.

 

I have had a browse through the site - alliance against 4x4s or whatever it's called.

I agree that they do say large urban 4x4s in places but then they do seem to generalise elsewhere.

They'd have a lot more credence I reckon if they perhaps had a list of acceptable 4x4s, from their perspective e.g. diesel versions of RAV4, X-Trail, CRV etc. Maybe they could say if it can exceed 35mpg combined and has a footprint no larger than, say, a Mondeo then it's okay by them.

Matt.

 

As has probably been said here already (haven't read the whole thread) it's completely absurd to ban / penalise / tax / road charge vehicles based on the number of driven wheels. How do the "anti 4x4" brigade propose to define what is or isn't a 4x4? Is every Audio Quattro a 4x4? How about a Fiat Panda 4x4, or Subaru Impreza or Mitsubishi Evo? Is a 2wd Honda HRV a 4x4? What if, in reaction to 4x4s being penalised BMW et al made 2wd versions of the X5, ML Class, Touareg, RX300 etc? Would they (no longer 4x4s) suddenly be OK?

As Matt F has said, any special tax should be based on fuel consumption figures or size of footprint or some other non-arbitrary measure that has some environmental relevance.

Michael.

 

This year it's been OK - 1 new indicator glass (£1!) due to duff reversing into a hedge, I welded plate on the suspension, a tyre and an oil filter.
Last year was a bit more exciting - I spent weeks underneath it trying to get it working.. Now it's lovely (despite it's top speed of 45mph, whatever the terrain..).
And it manages about 25mpg, not bad for an ancient 2.25l diesel - and black smoke doesn't belch out like some older vehicles.. Even if it did, the resultant global cooling effect balances out the warming effect of the CO2 emissions

 

80% + Fuel duty covers the consumption IMO

 

They are trying this with the company car tax scheme. On the other hand, as far as I am aware the congestion charge darn sarf isnt rated per vehicle, you either have to pay it or you dont.

 

I was referring to the plans (or at least suggestion) to charge a higher London congestion charge for "4x4s" or even ban them from the city alltogether. It would be utterly absurd to base such a ban/extra charge on something as arbitrary as the number of driven wheels.

The mere fact that many people refer to X5s etc as "chelsea tractors" is a good indication of where the antis are really coming from: they seem to be mainly used by wealthy people, we're envious so we'll invent some half baked movement to sort out those rich bastards .

Michael.

 

To be frank I don't think there is any amount of money that could be spent on repairing the damaged caused by pollution, you only have to look at the extreme weather we're getting, what happened in Bosecastle and Selby to see that its real, is happening, and we've done too little too late.

 

yeah, all that pollution is causing global dimming....
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/tvradio/programmes/horizon/dimming_prog_summary.shtml

 

That still doesnt make sense to me. As has already been pointed out, there are many vehicles that can be classified as 4x4 (technically offroad IMO) vehicles that are as economical as the average car, and also do not take up any more road area than the average car, so what is the justification for singling them out in this case?

Perhaps Tony's cronies limo's should be banned. You know, those big jags or whatever they drive around in that do 20 MPG on a good day and are as long as a hearse.

And even if you do ban 4x4's, what next? I mean we dont just stop there do we? No. Lets ban all vehicles that are not strictly neccesary. That means anything other than a Perodua Nippa does it not? So, after 4x4's, then goodbye sports cars, goodbye luxury cars, etc etc.

Personally, I dont like 4x4's, but I wouldnt want to impose my choice on people...

 

Well if I had the cash it would be a lexus RX400h and a DB9 in my garage, Im sure Id still sleep easy at night.

 

Now that is bloody scary, taht is only 50 years, so roughly .5%drop a year. freeking heck.
"Day after tomorrow" not looking so sci-fi now is it!

 

When all the planes in US airspace were grounded on 9/11 scientists discovered that the tempreture in America dropped by 2 degrees. Let the planes fly again and it was back to 'normal'. Now that is scary.

 

What more evidence to we need that shows our impact on the planet, what needs to happen to force a global change to the way we do things, we hear the news reports, but nothing happens, "oh what about the economy", talk about not seeing the big picture, when we're berried under 50ft of ice or floating on top of 50ft of sea water, do you think finance it going to matter?? dum f**ks.

 

I wouldn't sleep at night owning a DB9, I'd be out burning fuel, although a 911 GT3 would be more fun on the twisties IMO.

 

Yes but its the looks and the noise of the Aston that does it for me, not that Id complain about a GT3.

Whilst we have the US and China doing bugger all about the environment we've not got much hope.

 

Not sensational enough. What about Mt Killamanforhisgiro*, the first time we've ever known it not to have a snow cap and how did find that out? By reading one of my geeky websites not the news.

*this is also the ending to a joke about scousers but I wont repeat it here.

 

AFAICT we're on the same side on this argument

Michael.