27th February 2007, 02:00 PM
Perfectly true, Mr Invisible, and I really don't believe that people need those vehicles either. My reference to 4x4s arose from responding to someone else's post which mentioned them.
In relation specifically to 4x4s, I understand that they are (on average) less fuel-efficient than other vehicles of equivalent weight and engine size. I stand to be corrected though.
The main general point here is that we all ought to use vehicles that are as fuel-efficient as possible while meeting our real needs. When it comes to personal transport, I would quite like to see all engines above 2 litres banned.
Going wider still, the overall debate is about three separate but related problems - congestion, local air pollution and global warming. The first two are serious, but we can choose as a society to live with them. Global warming, however, has genuine potential to cause global disaster.
If we are going to avoid that disaster, we are going to have to make quite large lifestyle changes, and that is going to have to include making many fewer journeys in single-occupancy private cars. These changes will hurt - there's no denying that - but, once made we could adjust to them within less than a generation. The consequences of not making them are far worse.
So, although I don't like or trust this government any more than many other BAJRites, I back any proposal that could contribute to changing our wasteful habits. I also advocate sudden change rather than incremental change, because the shock would change behaviour more. And I think that action on road transport is only one of many areas where change is required.
1man1desk
to let, fully furnished
In relation specifically to 4x4s, I understand that they are (on average) less fuel-efficient than other vehicles of equivalent weight and engine size. I stand to be corrected though.
The main general point here is that we all ought to use vehicles that are as fuel-efficient as possible while meeting our real needs. When it comes to personal transport, I would quite like to see all engines above 2 litres banned.
Going wider still, the overall debate is about three separate but related problems - congestion, local air pollution and global warming. The first two are serious, but we can choose as a society to live with them. Global warming, however, has genuine potential to cause global disaster.
If we are going to avoid that disaster, we are going to have to make quite large lifestyle changes, and that is going to have to include making many fewer journeys in single-occupancy private cars. These changes will hurt - there's no denying that - but, once made we could adjust to them within less than a generation. The consequences of not making them are far worse.
So, although I don't like or trust this government any more than many other BAJRites, I back any proposal that could contribute to changing our wasteful habits. I also advocate sudden change rather than incremental change, because the shock would change behaviour more. And I think that action on road transport is only one of many areas where change is required.
1man1desk
to let, fully furnished