Let's charge rent for being stuck in traffic

mikeecho

Now they are suggesting that we all get a black box and pay by the mile/km

Could charging 'rent' on the roads abolish traffic jams? http://jrnl.ie/3491965

No doubt VRT, Motor tax , and fuel duty will not go away

Inviere

"Rather than increase, McWilliams says his plan would cut the cost of driving."

That's us safe in Ireland so.

boombang

In principle this will lead to less time stuck in traffic. In practice, while it might do that I'm sure it will also lead to increased net taxation of motorists on average.

I'd still support road pricing, despite the likely balls they'd make of it here.

Ubbquittious

mikeecho wrote: »

Now they are suggesting that we all get a black box and pay by the mile/km

Could charging 'rent' on the roads abolish traffic jams? http://jrnl.ie/3491965

No doubt VRT, Motor tax , and fuel duty will not go away

Yet more big brother. Of course people still need to travel and an extra few quid won't put them off so indeed you'll be paying for the privilege to sit in a traffic jam. Better to stop cramming people into such a small area and the problem goes away by itself.

Victor

mikeecho wrote: »

Let's charge rent for being stuck in traffic

"You are not stuck in traffic. You are traffic." comes to mind.

boardsuser1

If this came in that's the end of the road for me and my fellow truckers as haulage companies will go under from the extra charges.

I bet the Green Party are licking their lips at the thought of getting rid of a lot of vehicles as a result.

cruizer101

Long term its probably going to happen anyway. Car ownership as it is now is going to change. When driverless cars become commonplace there is going to be far more care sharing and on demand car hire where you will pay based on time usage and rated for particular time of day.

It's not the worst of ideas but far easier to tax just through petrol usage which will gave similar enough result.

BillyBobBS

Think its inevitable eventually tbh. Traffic levels are unsustainable in most major cities worldwide. Massive changes are coming down the line with self driving cars and smart tech if people like it or not.

challengemaster

I seem to be missing the solution to the problem of traffic jams in that article. All I see there is a suggestion to charge people even more for something.

Eric Cartman

the idea of any box fitted to my car that logs my driving in any way and is accessed by the government or an insurance company scares the **** out of me. Its a no from me.

mikeecho

I can see an entire industry popping up almost overnight to clock the black boxes.

srsly78

Eric Cartman wrote: »

the idea of any box fitted to my car that logs my driving in any way and is accessed by the government or an insurance company scares the **** out of me. Its a no from me.

But you have no objection to the one in your pocket?

TallGlass

Hike everything onto fuel, tax, insurance etc.. No dodging paying tax or insurance on your car anymore. You'll have people drop the car overnight once it's brought it. People using it to run the shops, that will stop. The government know this and the massive drop in Revenue would be massive.

My car renewal came in nearly 800€ after 8 years claim free and no points. That's the thanks you get.

I don't need the car, so won't be renewing for now, will see how I get on without it. Funny thing is, the gougers that do not work with the hand out the whole time will be whizzing by me while I head to work to pay tax to keep them on the road, hilarious situation really.

fleet

Eric Cartman wrote: »

the idea of any box fitted to my car that logs my driving in any way and is accessed by the government or an insurance company scares the **** out of me. Its a no from me.

You got a mobile, right?

Already carrying a tracking device, records kept for 7 (afaik) years.

Eric Cartman

srsly78 wrote: »

But you have no objection to the one in your pocket?

location services off for everything, i turn it on temporarily to use google maps then back off again. Cell location isn't very accurate.

srsly78

Accurate enough to determine your average speed etc.

mikeecho

How about Roaming charges for driving abroad.

D3V!L

How would they implement this on a motorbike, say one with zero room for anything to be added.

Alanstrainor

srsly78 wrote: »

Accurate enough to determine your average speed etc.

Not a chance.

How would this be different to a congestion charge like in London? Pay to drive in the city centre or congested areas. No need for a massive technology undertaking.

mikeecho

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Not a chance.

How would this be different to a congestion charge like in London? Pay to drive in the city centre or congested areas. No need for a massive technology undertaking.

Congestion charge in the UK works by using an absolute Shyte load of cameras using ANPR.
Imagine trying to cover all of ireland with them, It would end up only being used on certain roads, leading to rat runs thru estates and backroads in order to avoid charges.

Victor

Cork Truck Driver wrote: »

If this came in that's the end of the road for me and my fellow truckers as haulage companies will go under from the extra charges.

But all operators would face the same charges. Sure, inefficient companies would go under to be replaced by more efficient operators, but that would happen anyway.

TallGlass wrote: »

Hike everything onto fuel, tax, insurance etc.. No dodging paying tax or insurance on your car anymore.

Unless one uses illegal fuel.

However, putting it on fuel would do nothing to affect where or when people would use that fuel / their vehicle. Road charging could be used to encourage people to travel off-peak and/or on quieter roads.

TallGlass wrote: »

You'll have people drop the car overnight once it's brought it. People using it to run the shops, that will stop. The government know this and the massive drop in Revenue would be massive.

Then they would simply change tax rates to maintain the tax base. Of course, instead of money going to prop-up foreign car and oil industries, it would be more likely to be spent locally.

Hmm.. the price of any product or service that requires use of the road network at any stage, surely won't be getting any cheaper anyway.

TallGlass

Victor wrote: »

Unless one uses illegal fuel.

However, putting it on fuel would do nothing to affect where or when people would use that fuel / their vehicle. Road charging could be used to encourage people to travel off-peak and/or on quieter roads.

Then they would simply change tax rates to maintain the tax base. Of course, instead of money going to prop-up foreign car and oil industries, it would be more likely to be spent locally.

Yes, illegal fuel true, but in-fairness the risks associated with that are quite high, fill up with a bad batch and you've just ruined your engine, get caught by customs, nice high fine.

I think the opposite, the higher price should make people think twice about using it.

Well considering we gave an oil field off Mayo, they might not care to much about that.

Either way, I am willing to give paying for tax and insurance at the pump a chance, it's the fairest way, you drive more you pay more, you drive less you pay less.

TallGlass

Also, we have the East Link Tolls bridge in Dublin, which is to me the opposite of a congestion charge, we have people actively driving into town to avoid paying the toll.