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Whatever your views on escalating petrol and diesel prices, and with most people likely to express disgust and describe their feelings vocally with expletives, one can easily determine the strong resentment felt on a daily basis by British motorists. While the government can rightly claim price escalation is a global phenomena, UK residents are penalised by a taxation system based on percentage with VAT added afterwards - a tax based on tax! In July 2008, the duty paid on diesel in the UK was 50.35p a litre making it the highest rate in Europe, where the average level is 22.7p a litre. For every £50 spent on the forecourt, only £17 worth of petrol is delivered; the rest is tax! Given that most goods are distributed by road, prices in the shops are rising sharply as a consequence. Everyone is thus affected by the transport fuel crisis whether they drive a car or not and it's particularly hard for those on fixed incomes.

The Wider Viewpoint

While we groan and grumble about the fuel taxation in the UK, a huge number of people located elsewhere in the World are waking up to a new kind of reality they have never encountered before. New words like 'agriflation' have entered into common parlance in some parts of the United States and translates into loaves of bread costing around £4 sterling at current exhange rates (July 2008) or milk only slightly cheaper. Pawnbrokers have taken out adverts to say they cannot accept any more goods and in the poorest areas of the US, people have simply abandoned the dream of owning their own homes and moved, leaving many banks in the lurch and prompting the present 'credit crunch' situation affecting financial institutions throughout the World. Some of the biggest car manufacturers have been caught napping with Ford particularly hit hardest on account of its high dependance on the SUV market. In recent months, they have been compelled to sell their interests in Jaguar and Land Rover to Tatra of India in order to balance the books. For their part, Tatra, who acquired the Corus Steel Group one year earlier and which incorporated the former British Steel Corporation, must have been well pleased how things have turned in their favour. Tatra manufacture the cheapest car in the World!

By contrast, the USA currently spends $12 billion each and every month in support military action in Iraq and a huge amount of this money has been borrowed on the International money markets largely backed by China. To some economists, it seems likely American taxpayers may still still be paying for this debt forty years hence and in similar ways to how British taxpayers concluded repayments for World War Two in the year 2000! The British position regarding military costs of Iraq and Afghanistan is harder to guage yet these adventures must also be costing the nation dearly and skewing the national economy. If the plan and justification for such actions were intended to secure cheaper oil supplies then they have clearly backfired in fine style! The predictions of French author, Robert Charoux, deemed unlikely in the 1970s, is now becoming a harsh reality for those living in the West.

Practical Hints and Tips

A few years ago, the new owner of a prestigious car complained bitterly to the maker about the high fuel consumption. The car was thoroughly checked and found to meet all specifications yet the owner remained unsatisfied with the fuel performance. In response, the car was brought to a test track area and drained of all fuel. It was then loaded with a measured gallon and driven by a representative of the company. On this occasion, the car not only matched the fuel consumption figures but actually exceeded it by significant measure. The owner then accepted a similar challenge yet failed to meet a fraction of the distance acheived on the first run. The difference simply lay in the driving style; one was gentle and progressive while the latter involved rapid acceleration and more usage of brakes! Aggressive driving style will always consume more fuel irrespective of the make and model of car! It's also true that any form of additional weight or drag will affect fuel usage. Driving with an open window might reduce consumption by around two miles per gallon while roof racks, pods and towing trailers and caravans will reduce the figure much more. Poor observance of tyre pressures is another reason why fuel consumption may be less than it could be. Regular maintenance of the engine typically involves tuning and replacement of air filters etc and allows the engine to breath easier and perform at optimum levels.

A fuel tank filled to capacity may be ideal when starting long journeys but for a large part of the time, unused fuel will represent additional weight meaning less miles per gallon. As such, consumption improves as the tank contents become less. For local journeys, a tank filled between a half and a quarter will often prove perfectly adequate and return better fuel consumption figures. In a similar way, you might want to check the boot and see if you are carrying stuff that adds to the overall weight yet is unnecessary. A shovel for snow might be a wise precaution in winter yet hardly used in mid-summer! Check out http://www.petrolprices.com to get the best prices in your area. This web site is updated 8000 times every day and might help reduce the cost of motoring.

Truth is, the nations most likely to consume oil and oil products in huge quantity are in a minority. The USA, Britain and Europe are the greatest consumers by far. China isn't far behind.

The Origins of the Smart Car

Back in the 1970s, and amid a fuel crisis, engineers across the World tried new models of economical car designs yet few came to fruition. Designers experimented with a wide variety of designs including one called Amtron where the seats were pneumatically filled with air in order to reduce weight. Lessons about weight and drag were conveniently abandoned when oil became available once more. The three wheel Bond Bug and super bicycle Sinclair C5 failed to capture public imagination.

Years later though, the combined effort of a watch maker and leading motor manufacturer has combined to create a brand new kind of car and one with many advanced features lacking in conventional designs. The age of the Smart Car is here!

There are many critics who regard the non-rusting exterior bodywork with awe and willing to promote the notion of less safety in a crash while tests prove otherwise. The internal tough metal cell has been shown to equal that of a Vauxhall Corsa and other metal skin cars in terms of weght and similarity during similar circumstance. The new generation of Smart Cars exhibit good acceleration and a powerful feel despite the small economical yet efficient engine.

The worst criticism concerns the price since many many metal made equivilents exist at far lesser cost. It's hardly a luxury vehicle delivering basic needs rather than luxury. Having said that, it's fun to drive and a boon when parking is restricted.

Like most nations of the Western World, the US has declined in stature and economic power in recent years and with wealth creation activities switching gradually moving eastwards and largely on account of cheaper labour. The landmass of America was fortunate in that many regions provided oil but by the 1990s, much of that oil had been exploited and used up. Oil rich states like Texas began to suffer a reduction in supply at a rate of about 7% per annum while demand was rising at 3% during the same period. Even so, the prices at the pump remained unchanged and there was no sense of alarm. During the current administration, however, there has been a requirement for America to enter into the International Oil Marketplace and where the value of the US dollar carries significantly weaker value than ever before. In fact, many oil producers prefer payment in Euros rather than US dollars these days!

Iran is an interesting counterpoint in such examination. It is an oil producing nation yet has no refineries and sells petrol at possibly the lowest prices on the planet. It's a nation devoid of public transport services of any kind and where any increase on petrol prices is strongly resisted by the populace. Soon after the Iraq invasion, Iran signed deals with neighbouring China to ensure oil supplies for the next decade and provided the nation with International clout that Iraq never had. It explains why anti-west sentiment can be freely expressed and knowing they cannot share the fate of Iraq without risk of Global Conflict between China and America. The Chinese Army is the third largest employer in the World and far exceeds several national armies put together!

Yet even here, in Iran, there are new breeds of politicians who recognise how the status quo cannot be maintained forever and realise that prices for fuel must rise and in accordance with natural laws concerning supply and demand. At this time of writing, the Iranian government are considering rationing or else price increases on a scale similar to those that drove the Shah to abdicate in favour of western seclusion several decades ago.

As stated earlier, fuel price escalation is not a uniquely British issue and one affecting even the wealthiest nations on the planet. What makes it worse, however, is the level of tax applied to it and the need for our government to receive such amounts in order to maintain the welfare state system. Even if tax levies could be reduced then it would merely delay the kind of prices currently experienced rather than resolve the issue over the longer term. In truly pragmatic and straight talking fashion, the only way to make headway in such times is to use far less of the precious stuff. The column on the right suggests several ways in which this can be done. In the meantime, you might want to register a protest at the Internet address below. All you need is a valid email and home address and that's it! Don't ignore it or else hold thy tongue! Please feel free to pass this link on to others and see whether collective community action of this kind can help reduce tax levels in the near future.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/Lowerduty30/