A rising arrogance of some of the persons using scooters and cycles in their attitudes to other users of Pubic ways. This Octogenarian was narrowly missed On Blenheim Road this morning, by a cyclist travelling against the traffic direction , while assessing his chances of crossing the busy four lane to the Middle Island without disaster as a first move.
More than one close encounter with e scooters using foot paths may offer a feeling of complete control to a rider but any older person well knows a trip and or stagger is always but moments away.
Now the Coalition is proposing to reduce (cant believe they will end the impost) duty on petrol and expanding the road user charging system to capture Hybrids and I hope all EVs.
Hooray and about time, the vehicles that few wish to debate around the environmental damage associated in the making of a Lectric vehicle, which is considerable, plus the heavier gross weight means doing more road damage, have been escaping for far too long.
So why not now take the opportunity and include an annual registration for cycles and scooters with a stick on label signifying compliance, after all many if not most local government entities have been spending considerable sums of Ratepayers supplied under duress dosh on establishing the areas of public roads for the exclusive use by the never contributing freeloaders.
The Lycra clad will not be caught by a duty on their clothing so having an annual charge on the conveyance will add to relieving the growing costs of roading infrastructure.
“expanding the road user charging system”
Absolutely agree with increasing the user pays for EV and lycras;
Yes, O.K. but that is proposed to be via a cellphone App . Connected to a transponder in the vehicle to confirm distance travelled ( and incidentally, all locations and routes ) .
So presently I get pre-paid RUC for a diesel ‘ute. I can go into a post-shop to get it loaded, pay cash if possible. Evidenced by odometer readings logged at half-year WoF intervals by the licenced testing agent .
Going to be a tad more difficult without cell phone or internet access;
Which means yet another legislated “Must posess and carry” a personal locator device a.k.a cellphone and monthly contract to a cell provider. Including a cross-reference between cellphone GPS data and the vehicle transponder GPS data.
Methinks another major loss of privacy and anonymity.
Cheers, W
Total lunacy, can you imagine the thought of getting every car owner to pay RUC.
In no time there will be a mountain of unpaid accounts. Can you imagine the collection and enforcement nightmare this will create.
Totally unbelievable that this one term government would come up with such a hair brained idea.
I voted for these idiots so that makes me a total fool. I just hope I’m alive at the next election so I can vote for the other left wing loons. I just wish there was a centre right alternative.