So my reminder arrived and I think Rachel from accounts wont be happy but I am sure she will catch up soon with her next Tax raising idea 

So which option you gonna take?😉

I find it pretty outrageous and demoralising that my IS300h and cars with slightly lower emissions, as well as cars with much higher emissions, pay the same almost-flat rate of £195 that most cars have to pay (being a post 2017 car). 
Plus we already pay "per mile" in the form of petrol tax price and yet the roads are a mess. 
Has anyone compared the highway resting areas in France with the ones here? Oh no, you cannot because over here there isn't anything to compare. 

39 minutes ago, Mr_Groundhog said:

I find it pretty outrageous and demoralising that my IS300h and cars with slightly lower emissions, as well as cars with much higher emissions, pay the same almost-flat rate of £195 that most cars have to pay (being a post 2017 car). 
Plus we already pay "per mile" in the form of petrol tax price and yet the roads are a mess. 
Has anyone compared the highway resting areas in France with the ones here? Oh no, you cannot because over here there isn't anything to compare. 

Frankly, giving tax benefits to hybrids or EVs is nonsensical given that VED was supposed to be for the road network, not some carbon offset. I pay £20 but it's a subsidy that is just not justified.

But you are right, what is the travesty here is that VED is just like any tax revenue, not restricted to road network upkeep. In other words, a scam. The state of the UK road network is appalling. It's not just about the road surface, but general upkeep. Road markings barely visible, debris, litter, vegetation overgrowing. Plus the obvious abandonment of policing traffic. Driving style in the UK is becoming Americanised. 

Anyway, the French motorway system is a different league - although quite spenny, but worth it.

59 minutes ago, DBIZO said:

Frankly, giving tax benefits to hybrids or EVs is nonsensical given that VED was supposed to be for the road network, not some carbon offset. I pay £20 but it's a subsidy that is just not justified.

But you are right, what is the travesty here is that VED is just like any tax revenue, not restricted to road network upkeep. In other words, a scam. The state of the UK road network is appalling. It's not just about the road surface, but general upkeep. Road markings barely visible, debris, litter, vegetation overgrowing. Plus the obvious abandonment of policing traffic. Driving style in the UK is becoming Americanised. 

Anyway, the French motorway system is a different league - although quite spenny, but worth it.

That last comment intrigued me. I’ve driven many miles in various parts of the U.S , in fact lived over there for 3 years and had a Californian licence but always found the driving to be pretty civilised. …apart, maybe, from the LA freeways in rush hours.

Regarding state of the UK roads, it’s just one result of decades of underinvestment due to short term thinking.

2 hours ago, Mr_Groundhog said:

I find it pretty outrageous and demoralising that my IS300h and cars with slightly lower emissions, as well as cars with much higher emissions, pay the same almost-flat rate of £195 that most cars have to pay (being a post 2017 car). 
Plus we already pay "per mile" in the form of petrol tax price and yet the roads are a mess. 
Has anyone compared the highway resting areas in France with the ones here? Oh no, you cannot because over here there isn't anything to compare. 

Well somebody has to pay for those hotel bills. They aren't going to pay themselves 🤣

1 hour ago, reeac said:

That last comment intrigued me. I’ve driven many miles in various parts of the U.S , in fact lived over there for 3 years and had a Californian licence but always found the driving to be pretty civilised. …apart, maybe, from the LA freeways in rush hours.

Regarding state of the UK roads, it’s just one result of decades of underinvestment due to short term thinking.

In my experience US, and European, roads are far better than here. Possibly the only thing we seem to do better with is motorway service stations, but that's not surprising as they're just another way to rip off motorists.

When I say better than the US, I am off course excluding Buc-ees, which are just awesome.

1 hour ago, Bluemarlin said:

When I say better than the US,

 

2 hours ago, reeac said:

That last comment intrigued me. I’ve driven many miles in various parts of the U.S , in fact lived over there for 3 years and had a Californian licence but always found the driving to be pretty civilised. …apart, maybe, from the LA freeways in rush hours.

Regarding state of the UK roads, it’s just one result of decades of underinvestment due to short term thinking.

The US feels like several countries, but I've driven in NYC, NJ, PA, CO and CA so far. Not that much in total, couple of thousand miles perhaps. Arguably, things can be better because roads are big and there are fewer pedestrians (if any, like in most of CA). But US highways I find WILD. No speed limiter on HGVs, cars zooming past on all sides, swerving, while half of the drivers are on their phones, watching Tik Toks. 

And although never driven in LA, but on a short visit using taxis, it was traumatic just to observe, you are practically in significant probability of mortal danger at all times. On the way back to the airport, at a red light, a car from behind rammed into another one in front of the queue. It was going to drive through reds, past queuing traffic at high speed, but somehow hit another car waiting in line. Both car totalled. Driver walked off. My cabby not even shrugged, just drove past the calamity unbothered. Goes to tell...

Anyway, I digress. Perhaps unfairly, but my impression is that traffic is becoming a bit like in parts of the US. Utterly clueless drivers using their vehicles as a missile.

On 12/7/2025 at 2:19 PM, Pauly C said:

So which option you gonna take?😉

I think it will be the full £20 😇

46 minutes ago, Rod300h said:

I think it will be the full £20 😇

 

Agenda 2030: "You'll own nothing and you'll be happy"

Why not not just take the free 6 months option?

Maybe im just starting to become more and more rebellious in my old age😁

 

Also that reminds me my MOT is due in 3 days and i still havent received my VED letter

39 minutes ago, agent_dess said:

Why not not just take the free 6 months option?

There isn't a 6 month free option. Below a certain value and the 6 month option becomes not applicable.

1 minute ago, ColinBarber said:

There isn't a 6 month free option. Below a certain value and the 6 month option becomes not applicable.

Drat - since Rachel decided to double it (to £20) I wanted to start paying mine by monthly direct debit... 🤣

I've only had one car with £20 car tax.

 

Great 😀😀

Should have kept it 😅

 

@agent_dess that's not the "2030 agenda". The famous 2030 agenda is a set of vaguely defined goals that are pretty luekwarm such as "protect the environment", "reduce poverty", etc. A bit of window-dressing if you like. 
What you complain about (own nothing etc) is the result of predatory capitalism and en****ification. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/En****tification

@Notamech Since I infer you refer to refugee hotels:

1. Funds required to maintain the scheme are less than a drop in the ocean of the UK budget, and pale in comparison to other frivolous, irresponsible spending across the country. 
2. The so-called "hotels" are often last-tier accommodation that's in such a state of squalor that don't even meet the requirements to house anyone outside these destitute people.
3. The ones ripping off the Govt are a few companies operating those "hotels" and massively overcharging the Govt. I isuspect someone has a Contract VIP lane like it happened with PPE during Covid. 
4. I wonder what your alternative is? Leaving families on the street, or taking them to concentration camps...? Most of those people have legitimate claims (look up the claim stats) and come from countries where the MI6 has been involved in destabilising governments, sabotaging, and other forms of meddling. Often former colonies.    
5. Those people are kept for much longer than necessary in a legal limbo (and they arent allowed to seek work) because it enables the Govt to stir up anger against them distracting people from the actual issues.
6. Weaponising hatred and performative cruelty gives politicians something to rally on, given the system is failing most people and they have nothing else to offer in the form of ideas, solutions or anything else. 

1 hour ago, Mr_Groundhog said:

@agent_dess that's not the "2030 agenda". The famous 2030 agenda is a set of vaguely defined goals that are pretty luekwarm such as "protect the environment", "reduce poverty", etc. A bit of window-dressing if you like. 
What you complain about (own nothing etc) is the result of predatory capitalism and en****ification. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/En****tification

@Notamech Since I infer you refer to refugee hotels:

1. Funds required to maintain the scheme are less than a drop in the ocean of the UK budget, and pale in comparison to other frivolous, irresponsible spending across the country. 
2. The so-called "hotels" are often last-tier accommodation that's in such a state of squalor that don't even meet the requirements to house anyone outside these destitute people.
3. The ones ripping off the Govt are a few companies operating those "hotels" and massively overcharging the Govt. I isuspect someone has a Contract VIP lane like it happened with PPE during Covid. 
4. I wonder what your alternative is? Leaving families on the street, or taking them to concentration camps...? Most of those people have legitimate claims (look up the claim stats) and come from countries where the MI6 has been involved in destabilising governments, sabotaging, and other forms of meddling. Often former colonies.    
5. Those people are kept for much longer than necessary in a legal limbo (and they arent allowed to seek work) because it enables the Govt to stir up anger against them distracting people from the actual issues.
6. Weaponising hatred and performative cruelty gives politicians something to rally on, given the system is failing most people and they have nothing else to offer in the form of ideas, solutions or anything else. 

What I said was meant to be a light hearted joke.

But since you brought it up, we’re both pointing at the same thing: government inefficiency. You’re highlighting the human side, I’m highlighting the £2–3 billion hotel tab, but it’s the same broken system underneath. And it’s not like the only choices are ‘hotel’ or ‘concentration camp’. Loads of cheaper, decent alternatives exist if anyone in charge could bother to apply themselves.

The main issue is governments that somehow manage to pick the most expensive and least effective option every single time at our expense. That was the crux of the joke btw... That your taxes are being squandered irrespective of whether thats on hotel bills or something else.... Hotel bills work as a better punchline as its recent and in the news. 

15 hours ago, Notamech said:

What I said was meant to be a light hearted joke.

Sorry, written language is devoid of those cues and I didn't read it like that 🙂 thanks for clarifying and yes, I agree with you.