I’ve just spent some time on the FF website - read a lot (but not all) of the individual comments from members of the public - overall - people are screaming about the cost of fuel, ranging from the 70 year old pensioner who gives up a lot of his time to help other pensioners - and is now struggling to help anyone, to the average householder who is economising on household expenses so he can still drive to work - no local bus, and the train costs more than the fuel! Other than supporters on here - I felt alone - - - not any more! Go read some> > > www.fairfueluk.com
Around 1975, 4 star was about 55p per gallon, so about £6.00 to fill the tank. A teacher’s monthly take home pay was around £96.00, IIRC I took home around £23.00 per week that year. My weekly train ticket was £3.75. It cost us more then to fill up our Viva in relation to our take home pay then than it does now. The difference was then, it was a privilege to drive. We just use the 5’s less these days out of work & walk more or hop on a bus. We have become used to it and actually enjoy it. The bubble of cheap fuel has long gone…but then…it never has been cheap has it?
Could be worse…I could stay in Lancs where houses nearest the best schools are £300,000 more than their exact equivalent outside the catchment area.
As always, if we pay what people know we will or must pay, nothing will change. Do we stop buying fuel? No, we need it to get to work… But think of this, we don’t need it when we don’t work…so don’t buy it for say 4 weeks and see how the Chancellor likes that. Millions in lost fuel revenues and VAT. Of course, we will…won’t we? We make a lifestyle choices all the time. Starbucks instead of getting out backsides out of bed 10 minutes earlier. £50.00 nights at the movies. Tesco ready-made meals because the thought of peeling a spud never happens. Best to start regarding non work fuel journeys as a luxury and a privilege again. Being born free and shafted to death in the UK is nothing new.
If there is a scandal about which we should all be outraged, that is it. If public transport was a viable alternative, people on low incomes would be able to get about without worrying about the cost of fuel.
Yes - you are right, I can’t believe how much it would cost me (or my son, who lives in Brighton) for either of us to go and visit the other - plus the time it takes, and that seems to increase every year. He can walk to work, so doesn’t need a car, but it’s cheaper and quicker for him to hire a car - and pay for the petrol than use a train to get up here. However, with the escalating cost of fuel, I don’t know when we will see him again. I can drive better than I can walk, but the rising fuel cost and the distance will be a problem for me, furthest I’ve been in the car since my bypass op on the leg has been an 80 mile round trip. (Essential business travel) And - there’s nowhere to park in Brighton except miles from where he lives - such is the nature of the place.
My heart bleeds for anyone who has to use the train to get to work, season tickets are now apparently costing in the thousands per year. Bus travel isn’t competitive either, and we are getting to the situation where buses go by intermediate stops full up. We were fortunate, our home backs onto green fields - part of the green belt area (supposedly) - we are fighting proposals - again - to build between 600 and 800 mixed housing in the immediate area, which obviously will mean even more traffic at an already over-extended junction with the A52. Local planners have already allowed the new tram route, which ends in a former field 1/4 mile away from us, with a huge ‘Park and Ride’ car park, so people coming from out of town can park and get the tram. This means even more traffic coming off the A52 in the morning, and leaving in the evening, all this in an area where there is a leading local Acadamy, with a queue of cars dropping off students and collecting them after school. That has limited parking, so we now get cars parked at the end of our street with parents waiting for the children to walk to the car.We thought we were just figthing our Borough Council, after hearing the news this morning (new planning rules) from this Government - it sounds like we will now be fighting the Government as well. So, reverting to the park and ride site, trams are going to leave in the morning chokka, so would -be commuters further down the line (hoping to get to work) will watch with growing anger as they go by full. Building the tram line through the outskirts of Nottingham (Beeston and Chilwell,) means they are bulldozing the way through houses and business premises - putting people out of homes and work.
If the housing proposal gets the go ahead, then they will start complaining it takes them ages to negotiate the two adjacent islands - one of which is already controlled by traffic lights, so causing queues at every road junction. People who live here (a huge estate) will be the last to get onto the A52, so will have to go on the bottom road into Nottingham - already congested by traffic from further out, who find the A52 frustrating - to say the least.
If I saw a planner, I’d be tempted to stone him, and I’m not alone! Oh - and they think it would be a good idea to extend the tram line into the new development, crossing the only road that links with the A52 - - doesn’t bear thinking about. Logis and common sense? - None.Angry? - you betcha, we all are.
H’mm - in 1967 when I returned from Canada 3 star petrol was between £0.2.3 and £0.2.6 (old pence) per gallon. admittedly I had a company van to start with, but I ran a Sunbeam Tiger (4.2 litre V8 - better than the mileage on the MGB I used to have!) that ran on two star so paid around 2 shillings per gallon (Jet station) I ran it at the weekends, and in the evenings if I went out, and I earned about £15 take home pay. (Staff - so no overtime!) On the FF website, there’s a complaint from a Canadian, who says that petrol there costs the equivalent of 80 p per gallon, he’s livid about the cost here, used to come over for a holiday, but now says he will go to Europe instead. As he says, we can look forward to fewer tourists from other countries where petrol is a lot cheaper than it is here. More loss to this Government, and to various businesses that rely on the tourist trade. VAT at 20% isn’t helping either. So - downturn in tourism = more tax to come.
Cinemas? what are they? - last went when I could afford to - in 1980 IIRC. Yes we do have the odd ready meal, circunstances mean we have to, but I still cook more than the other half - - - And yes, I only buy petrrol once a month, (or longer) never a full tankful, like I said a lot further back, I watch the price, not the litres!
@AT Politics are all around us. Saying that they have no place on a car forum is like saying that we shouldn’t have opinions.
Where a forum like this is really useful is that we all have different experiences and life-histories. I am constantly staggered by how knowledgeable people are about the innermost workings of the MX-5. Stuff that I can’t begin to know. I have ink under my fingernails instead of oil. That’s when I don’t argue - I sit back, listen and learn.
But when the subject gets round to transport policy, legislation, politics and the workings of Government, that’s when I do have knowledge and information that not everyone else will have. I’ve been working on transport policy since 1985. I may not know how to change a gearbox, but I do know quite a bit about how the department for transport works.
If you don’t want to listen, or think you know better, then that’s absolutely fine. You are welcome to your opinions, and I will fight for your right to express them. Just don’t expect me to agree with something that I know for a fact is wrong.
Nothing wrong with politics on this forum - or any other - as long as you don’t presume that everyone will agree with you.
NO more politics please, enough is enough! This thread is about Fair Fuel Prices, and I don’t want to see it locked. If you disagree with supporting the campaign, fair enough, but let’s keep it sane for heavens sake.
Thank you!
Otherwise I’ll start quoting UKIP - - - - 
And I will still be loyal to
Official Monster Raving Loony party
R.I.P. Screaming Lord Sutch
This thread is indeed about Fair Fuel Prices, which as you can see from their letter, is about politics. No more politics means no more thread, which is a bit of a paradox given that you don’t want it closed.
Not a paradox ar all - show me one word that says anything political, like “You know who to vote for next time” or “Get this government out” - It’s about Taxation no matter which party happens to be in power. If you read all of this thread, you will perhaps see where I was coming from, where the thread degenerated into political views, which are nothing to do with the campaign. I have no objection to anyone posting “Not for me - sorry”, - everyone is entitled to their own views, we are just trying to publicise the campaign in case anyone hasn’t heard about it. I’m certainly not making any comment at all about who I favour (or don’t) - the comment about UKIP was a joke - I could have said “The Communist Party” or - as above - “The Raving Loony Party” which frankly seems to apply to them all these days. 
Is that a political statement? Infer what you wish, its my own observation on what has passed for Government this last forty odd years. ‘Democracy’ ? What’s that? God help the Iraqies (sp?) and Afghans, if they adopt what our and the American Governments are trying to impose on them.Whoever is in power, they will enjoy it - - - -
Nuff said.
For you to get that email - then I assume you are a supporter, which your post seems to indicate you aren’t - now that’s a paradox - - - - - !
But taxation IS political. As soon as you support a cause such as Fair Fuel you become part of the political structure whether you like it or not. Your view is that government should lower fuel duty - the government disagrees, ergo you have a political difference of opinion. Perhaps unwittingly, you have aligned yourself with those politicians that also think fuel duty should be lowered. It’s inescapable.
Denouncing democracy is a rather strong (but not unusual) political view also.
po·lit·i·cal (p-lt-kl)
adj.
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Of, relating to, or dealing with the structure or affairs of government, politics, or the state.
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Relating to, involving, or characteristic of politics or politicians: “Calling a meeting is a political act in itself” (Daniel Goleman).
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Relating to or involving acts regarded as damaging to a government or state: political crimes.
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Interested or active in politics: I’m not a very political person.
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Having or influenced by partisan interests: The court should never become a political institution.
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Based on or motivated by partisan or self-serving objectives: a purely political decision.
Interesting debate but let’s not stray too far into the politics of taxation, I think the point is that it doesn’t matter who does it but is it fair or appropriate?
Keep calm and carry on 
The usual distinction is between “politics” and “party politics”.
This thread is inherently political in that it is talking about the state, industrial action and taxation. But we have (mostly) tried to keep it non party political.
I see nothing wrong with talking about the fair fuel price protests. As a motoring forum it affects us more than most, whichever side of the argument we take. But I agree that we should keep party politics out of it. That is a very slippery slope.
Here we go again, some folk don’t know when to stop - do they? We are supposed to enjoy ‘Freedom of Speech’ without having a political label hung round our neck. (Ha Ha) As I said above - I don’t care which party is in power, they all support fuel duty. Remember, it was the Labour party who brought in the fuel duty escalator, and it was this same campaign that made this Con/Lib governemt drop that, otherwise we’d now have another 6p additional tax to pay. As ‘Once’ said earlier (and we know it’s true) Civil Servants dictate policy, Governements use their advice, possibly tempered by their own political views, (Civil Servants are educated, dunno about MP’s) but the point is that taxation IS NOT political, unless Civil Servants are party supporters? (Americanism - “switch hitters”) Its all about gathering money, one way or another, in this case NOT helping business or people to nuture or cope. Once upon a time, it was a King, was that politcal? he ignored Parliament, till it chopped his head of - - now it’s Parliament - whats the difference? If you’d sooner argue about what is and what is not political, then go read your copy of Hansard elsewhere please.
Today, BBC News 24 reported that the Chancellor had made over a billion additional duty, because this government advised motorists to not only “Fill the tank, but to get some petrol cans and store more” (Storing petrol at home is supposed to be illegal isn’t it - except for lawn mowers?) Certainly if the garage/house burns down - try and get your claim accepted by the insurance compamy. Nice one Mr Chancellor, and Mr Prime minister. If the car goes up in flames (leaking spare fuel can) - good luck.
…rant interjection - You can store 50 litres at home. Carry on.
This came up at work today. A trading standards officer said that you can store fuel in a garage, but not a domestic home. In a garage you can have two metal containers of 10 litres each and two plastic containers of up to five litres each - making a total of 30 litres. It won’t take you far.
I remember in the 2001 fuel price protests there was a taxi driver who filled up wheelie bins or plastic bins of diesel which he kept in the front room of his house. Then he discovered that the diesel reacted with the plastic of the bins and it all started to melt…
And, no, I don’t know how he managed to fill up the wheelie bins either.
Rant? All I am aware of are some people trying to hijack this thread to make their own smart comments, none of which help one way or the other. If you and others dare not answer the unwritten question “Would you support this campaign?” then say nothing, this thread would then be a lot shorter. Thank you for the info re storage - I notice no comment about household or car insurance - - - - Thinks to self - I must not say “How long were you in a queue then?” as it’s another assumption - - - - -