Interesting...

Chase · Nov 18, 2004

Forget gas taxes; pay by the mile

http://money.cnn.com/2004/11/18/pf/autos/mileage_tax/index.htm?cnn=yes

photogoddess · Nov 18, 2004

Hell no! :shock: I'd just start driving my old car instead of my newer one.

Chase · Nov 18, 2004

I love the idea of them installing a GPS unit that can track whether or not you're in the state :roll:

photogoddess · Nov 18, 2004

Oh come on? You don't like Big Brother watching the little people? :roll:

Chase · Nov 18, 2004

Maybe if it were big sister... :lol:

motcon · Nov 18, 2004

time to pack it in and leave for europe....

Karalee · Nov 18, 2004

Oh Lordy :roll: What will they think of next :-?

oriecat · Nov 18, 2004

Well I don't know anything about it other than what I just read, but some of it makes sense. Fuel efficient cars do just as much wear and tear on the roads as normal cars, yet they would pay less for road maintenance due to less gas purchases. They already get reduced registration fees (I think) and they get tax credits or deductions, which gives them a benefit since they are having less effect on air quality. But why not find an equitable alternative solution so that those who drive more pay more to maintain the roads and infrastructure? Now, do I want a device tracking me in my car? Absolutely not. But I think new options do need to be explored, and ya gotta start somewhere....

mrsid99 · Nov 18, 2004

There's an immediate way they could have 50% more to spend on the roads right now.......stop siphoning off 30% of the funds which they waste on useless social projects!

Not Neve · Nov 18, 2004

I don't like the Big Brotherish side of it but I am in favor of those that drive more, therefore cause more wear and tear, paying more.

mrsid99 · Nov 18, 2004

Not Neve said:
I don't like the Big Brotherish side of it but I am in favor of those that drive more, therefore cause more wear and tear, paying more.

We're all paying way too much now!
It's just another back-door tax for them to waste, any money collected won't go into road repair or renewal, same as the current money they're collecting.
Notice how each new tax is for a good cause....e.g. it's "for the children" etc.? But where does the money end up, in the "general" fund and never for where it was intended, wanna have a bet where the school renewal bucks end up?

Hertz van Rental · Nov 19, 2004

They don't need GPS - if you have a mobile 'phone with you there is software around that can pinpoint your position! There are some firms who already use it to check up on employees if they call in sick. You have to turn your 'phone off to stop it.
http://www.mapminder.co.uk/business/default.asp?Page=faq&MMPromoid=&PhonePromoid=&Affiliate=

Here where I live, when they first intoduced parking charges in the town it was a long time before any money was collected. Every time the 'pay and display' machines were installed people filled them up with industrial sealant, rendering them useless.
If they try anything using GPS we'll shoot the little buggers out of the sky!

ferny · Nov 19, 2004

There is talk of similar systems going into cars here. Except it won't be for taxes it'll be for insurance. They'll record how many miles you've gone and bill you based on that. So people who only go to the local shops pay little and the people who charge through the country clocking up hundreds of miles will pay lots. It makes sense, but would I want people to know my every move? Would they know where I'm going if it was in there? The devices are already being tested on the roads. I wouldn't expect them to be used by the insurance firms though. They'll lose money as more people will be paying less than paying more.

There is also talk of devices being fitted to cars which record how fast you are going and they talk to sensors on the side of the road. If you're going too fast the sensors tell the device to slow the car down to the legal limit by disconnecting the accelerator. That makes sense to. It would remove the speeding offence. But with it it'd take away a huge chunk of the income the police and government get from speed cameras. And no-one would want to not have complete control of their cars whilst driving. These are being tested to.