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All letters are printed as the authors wished with only slight spelling corrections, layout changes or other such alterations that will protect the identity of contributors where this deemed prudent. We welcome input - good or bad - and invite you to have your say. Please sign our petition as you go past. It only takes a minute and is very worthwhile. You people should be locked up for the misery you cause to the general public with your selfish protest. "Robert Johnson" Regards Rob Hi, sorry to disagree with you, but I think that you are doing the job of the lawless in New Orleans, i.e. trading on the back of a natural disaster! I suggest you go out and get a life, fuel in the uk is still cheaper in terms of individual income than it was in 1969. I earned £12 a week then and petrol was 33p a GALLON! now I earn £450 per week (after Tax) and petrol is £4.40 a gallon. Work that out. Hauliers and farmers can pass the cost on, and farmers get rebated derv, so please get real and stop using the price of fuel to inflate your ego and your political ideals Ken Thanks for the email Ken. First, the oil prices have shot up as a result of speculators and market forces 'creating' panic situations in the markets. I've no evidence to the contrary although I am happy to be educated on this point. A lot of rich folks getting richer - full stop. This didn't suddenly happen after the New Orleans tragedy so with all due respect I feel quite offended that you feel fit to compare any of us with a bunch of rapists, looters and general dirtbags. I think that is a bit sensationalist and frankly couldn't be more wrong. There are some really nice folks in here and if you met us you'd change your perception of us. I hear what you are saying about the cost of fuel back in 1969. Ah the good old days before the plethora of New Labour backdoor taxes, what was the VAT rate then? The days when young folks had decent council houses available to them and weren't forced into massive mortgages just to put a roof over their heads. The days when students had a free education. The days when we weren't paying for illegal wars that 80% of the country didn't want and is still sending our boys back in body bags. As for individual income, I congratulate you on having such a good wage. Its one of the benefits of leading a good life, working hard and moving upwards. Plenty out there don't earn what we earn. I really feel for the young couple who struggle on the equivalent of what I was earning when I was in my early twenties, and have to pay nightmare mortgages, suffer massively more backdoor taxes, and rely upon a car to get to work and do the same stuff we do. They are the one's that are suffering the most. But then old fuddy-duddys like us shouldn't worry about them - we're alright. I'm glad I'm not starting out my life now. If you'll forgive me this is a huge subject that I am sure has been dealt with in weighty tomes elsewhere. Don't forget that back in the sixties public transport for most was a real option and shops were somewhere near a town centre. May I suggest that the equation is somewhat more complex than you paint? Your final point scores an own goal unfortunately. Yes, hauliers and farmers can pass the cost on. To whom? Yippee, more inflated prices for us all to pay... Someone is making a fortune from our misery. As if young folk weren't in enough debt already. Once again, thanks for taking the time to contact us and we wish you all the best. Rob Hi Rob, my name's Karen and I'm a producer at a radio station called BRMB. I work on a talkshow, and we might be doing a show tonight about fuel prices - we were wondering if we could interview you over the phone? It would be around 10pm. Please email me to let me know if this is convenient at all. If we don't cover the topic tonight then I'll drop you another email to give you a bit more notice of the next time we'll be talking about it! Thanks a lot, Karen Vinter Karen Vinter Producer 96.4 BRMB www.brmb.co.uk/caroline 07830 232296 The All New Sanctuary Sunday-Thursday, 10pm-Midnight Radio Worth Staying Up For Have you heard the Phone Tap? 8.10am every weekday morning, exclusive to the Big Brum Breakfast only on 96.4 BRMB. (c) GCap Media plc 2005. All rights remain reserved. This e-mail (and any attachments) contains information which may be confidential, subject to intellectual property protection and may be legally privileged and protected from disclosure and unauthorised use. It is intended solely for the use of the individual(s) or entity to whom it is addressed and others specifically authorised to receive it. If you are not the intended recipient of this e-mail or any parts of it please telephone 020 7766 6000 immediately upon receipt. No other person is authorised to copy, adapt, forward, disclose, distribute or retain this e-mail in any form without prior specific permission in writing from an authorised representative of GCap Media plc. We will not accept liability for any claims arising as a result of the use of the internet to transmit information by or to GCap Media plc. Hello Karen Thank you for your email. I'd be more than happy to give you my personal view on the subject however there are plenty of other boringly ordinary people out there who will express pretty much the same opinion. This subject affects everyone after all. I'm sure some of the website readers will be happy to contact you to chuck in their own ha-penny-worth - even if its to oppose what we are trying to publicise. Please note that www.fuelprotest.com is not affiliated with any of the fuel protest groups, organisations or lobby groups. We do however support anyone who uses peaceful means to achieve an sustainable solution to this mess. Our unsensational aim is to force Govt to realise the pain they are causing most people with these outrageous, endless tax increases and to help force through a reasoned viable transport and energy policy. Have you contacted anyone at the Association of British Drivers yet? I'm sure they will be happy for the opportunity also. Thanks Rob www.fuelprotest.com Hi Rob Don't you think it's time for revolution, take a leaf from the French, PROTEST, or at least start the ball rolling. COME ON LETS ROLL.................................... The government will not reduce fuel revenue as long as it helps to close the borrowing deficit of the current administration. Remember if it wasn't for Bush & Blair we wouldn't be in this situation. Look at the big picture. Regards John Lane BSc Hi John Sorry about taking so long to get back to you. Technical glitches caused by a hack attempt apparently. All sorted now though. Don't we just love 'em.. Got to agree with your chain of thought. We seem to be on the same wavelength. I'm not a Tory, or anything else. Just making a general observation here. Everyone seems to have forgotten just how healthy the economy was at the end of John Major's term. Think what you want of him (I'm a Scot so I have my own reasons to dislike some of what he and his colleagues did North of the border) and his Government but Blair & Brown PLC inherited a stable, vibrant and expanding economy. They also enjoyed some massive windfalls at the start of their tenure at Downing Street. How could they make such a hash of it? Interestingly, I read somewhere that under the Tories we paid off most if not all our war debts that had been weighing us down for decades - including the Napoleonic wars! It seemed to me that most 'ordinary' folks I know voted 'New' Labour because of their privatisation of hospitals campaign. This was our first big taste of lies and spin American-style. Again I will try not to digress but you know what I am saying.. It pays to stop, open ones eyes, and take a look around once in a while. You obviously do. Why do I distrust Labour or New Labour or New New labour? I moved down from Scotland a few years back because I was sick to the back teeth of the blatant nepotism, corruption, back room deals and sheer ineptitude of the Labour councils up there. A long story but look at how desperate Scotland is now to get back the people she lost in the brain-drain of the 80's and 90's. I'm seeing the same happen down here as most of my educated and talented friends have buggered off abroad looking for a better life. Nuff said. I hear from time to time that Gordon Brown has borrowed a billion or two here and another few billion there from his banker friends. Just how much money have we borrowed under New labour and just where is it going? Just how much of MY money is being wasted by these people??? How much in debt do we have to be for our Prime Minister to stand back idle while his failing transport and environmental policies are causing misery and hardship to the people of this land? The whole thing stinks. Where was Tony this week anyway. In India! Tony, get back here and sort out your mess! Put the folks you purport to represent first and your own future ambitions second. OK John. How do you want to protest? You are obviously an intelligent guy and we are open to suggestions how we get folks off their backsides and stop whingeing. I may suggest a drive-by of one of the major oil depots this weekend to show support for the lads that will start their blockades next week. I am of course hoping that our esteemed leaders will not let it come to that and be happy with what they've scammed off us so far. Won't do any harm though to let the lads know they aren't alone. Your thoughts? Cheers mate Rob www.fuelprotest.com Hi Les Obviously you've heard about the big one next Wednesday. Unfortunately I have commitments on that day that I genuinely can't get out of, nevertheless I am hoping that those of us who can't or won't join the lads on the blockades can do something next weekend to offer our support and hopefully bring more people on board. Any suggestions mate? Rob www.fuelprotest.com see this site too. I have a poll running, i'd love to have yours and your visitors views. Thanks Darron http://www.ripoffbritain.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=64 Thanks Darren I've registered and will vote when I get the passkey sent to me. I'm not telling you how I will vote of course :) One suggestion. The term 'protest' is a bit vague and open to misinterpretation and therefore may render the outcome open to criticism. It may be interesting to offer a number of methods of protesting in your vote to get some useful feedback. A good website from my sadly brief visit. Anyone reading this is of course welcome to visit ripoffbritain.org and add their own contribution. Fuel tax is only one issue among many many more! Look forward to hearing from you again mate. Rob www.fuelprotest.com 8.9.5 Dear Robert, To cut a long story short, when is there any hint of a demo/event or whatever, to block refineries in the South? Are there any refineries in the South? Are protests etc organised for the Petersfield/Portsmouth/Winchester/Guildford/Southampton/ Basingstoke/Eastbourne/Worthing/South-coast/Oxford or other areas I could reach without breaking the bank in fuel costs to get there? Have 'civilians' been organised yet into any sort of Protest group. By that I mean, your ordinary driver driving his Corsa, Volvo, BMW, or Punto. A CAR PROTEST as such to add to the fantastic scenes created by the 2000 Protests. It was touch & go for me at that point, getting fuel to get to gigs, and despite that, I fully supported [sic, the blockaders] then and wouldn't change now that it's so much worse. In March last year the fuel was 74.9p and we thought great, as London was getting too expensive. It's now just reached 96.9p locally. This is unacceptable and for the Government to throw it's hands up and blame it on Katrina is plain crass. The economic forces at work in the City, in Government and in the Industry, suffer from vast oceans of GREED. And that is the core of the problem. If America isn't producing in Katrina-affected areas, they still have vast stores of the stuff slushing around. As we do here. This is exactly like the hiking up of the Hotel prices in London after the 'terrorist' attacks in July, but on a much grander scale. That was disgusting and this is even more so. Afterall, all those 'poor' refineries that are working flat-out to plug-the-gap, are making much more money as a direct result of increased demand, as the competition is out of action. So why these ridiculous increases? We have to stop it now and stop it for good! Second part deleted Kind regards and hope to hear, Kai Jansen Kai Thanks for your long email. The thought and effort you put into it obviously reflects the desperation you feel as a normal joe struggling to cope. You say you are not an activist by nature. Join the club. Like you I say enough is enough. I would hope that you would give me permission to include an edited version of the latter part of the email so that I can throw that in the face of some of the folks out there who think we are all anarchists and uneducated idiots! Your email goes on to explain how you are struggling to keep your small business going to support your wife and baby. You are a musician and how sad that this world would be deprived of music because of greedy oilmen and politicians! I haven't included the last part of your email as I feel that it gives too much personal details but with your permission I would be delighted to include at least some of it to get the point across. OK, onto the main gist of your email. You will no doubt be aware of the blockades next Wednesday. Whether it was wise to advertise these will no doubt be evident next week but that is one option for you. Just make sure that this how you want to go. You ask how the 'ordinary' car driver can contribute? Listen mate, if you even just spent a couple of hours on Saturday afternoon (or next Wednesday morning!) with a couple of mates or your family cruising round your town centre with placards and banners that would be at least something. The blockades will fail if we don't get the rest of the general public on our side. This is as important as actually standing on the picket lines. I note the anti-fuel protest propoganda is already kicking into life and the likes of you and me and the folks reading this can help fight the blah to give the blockaders a fighting chance. As a musician you could maybe contribute a song? That would be novel. We convince the Govt that the protesters have enough support and they may back down before the blockades begin. Remember that we are all voters at the end of the day. How about arranging your own local convoy. Anyone out there from the above areas want to team up with Kai & Co? I'll pass on your email address if anyone contacts me. How about you contact Karen from 96.4 BRMB (see above) and offer to speak on talk radio? You're a performer and I'm sure you will touch many listeners with your story. FYI, I HAVE been protesting for the past 4 weeks! Yep, a CAR protest. Not many of us, granted, but we have been all over getting the message out there. My dream is that we can arrange enough people to put together a rolling convoy comprising car owners to cruise from all corners of this great country heading into say London and getting as much attention for the cause as we can - peacefully! The problem so far has been firing people up. Just imagine it. Thousands of ordinary people in their Pandas, Yaris's, Focus's, BMW's etc joining in spontaneously. Sort of brings a lump to one's throat at the thought... Readers may recall the end of REM's video 'Everyone Hurts'. Powerful stuff! I should point out that I wasn't a blockader at the last protest. I worked for a company where I was working as a consultant to an oil giant at the time. I would have been sacked. That's life. We're not all perfect and sometimes have to bite the bullet. Fuel was only 69.9p then too. I hear what you say about hurricane Katrina. You may have read the email I received accusing anyone considering protesting of being as bad as the 'lawless' in New Orleans. You make the point better than I perhaps did as I am tired after a hard day at work. 'Crass' is a good response to this. Its definitely a mechanism whereby we can be accused of being nasty people based upon utter nonsense. Personally I can't see the connection and won't lose sleep over it. My thoughts go to those innocent people who have died or lost so much in the Katrina catastrophe. They are mostly 'ordinary' people too, don't forget. You also hit the nail on the head. GREED. That's the core of this problem. Its all about rich folk getting richer at our expense. I wasn't aware of the hotel prices in London issue but that's a case to the point. Unfortunately its young families that are suffering the most right now and my heart goes out to you guys. Best wishes to you and yours Rob www.fuelprotest.com Hi i am a sole trader in the house removals business in cumbria and i wish you all the best with the protest, i wish we could be there. i have placed your banner on our web site where the business name was, good luck. Fast Track removals & storage _www.fasttrackremovals.co.uk_ (http://www.fasttrackremovals.co.uk) Cheers mate. Rob www.fuelprotest Hi Rob, As a business that really relies on car transport to deliver training courses the current cost is proving prohibitive and eating into our profits. The majority of our contracts were set up last year and obviously these excessive duty charges - Gordon Brown must be laughing all the way to his coffers- we can not pass the cost onto our customers. If you have any protests in the Eastern area perhaps you could inform me as I would be more than willing to support you and your aims. All good wishes, John (details withheld) John I've not posted your contact details as I don't want to inadvertently harm your business. Let me know if you want them posted. I understand what you are saying. I've some small contractors working for me on prices we agreed many months ago and I'm aware they're hurting. This goes right down to the price of the guys travelling to work in the morning as well as the cost of large materials shipments. If it gets desperate we may have to sort something out. At the end of the day someone innocent always has to carry the cost. Thanks for your kind offer. As we live in the NW we haven't organised anything specific in the East as yet. We've been organising our own scaled-down publicity cruises for the past 4 weeks with to be honest little active response so far (plenty of verbal but no action) but we'll keep trying to build momentum here. Things have gone a bit bananas in the past three days though. The threat of blockades by The Fuel Lobby has at least got folks offering more and more support. The public apathy so far has been a tad frustrating but there you go. How about you suggest something and I'll post it on the website? I'll keep your details and pass these on should there be other folks interested in some kind of protest in the East to deal with the immediate issues. How about I set up a webpage for each region/ county/ whatever and folks can use us to meet and sort out their own local protests? Interested in a mass rolling convoy to London say next weekend? Look forward to meeting you sometime. All the best Rob Hi Rob I got your site this morning. All of which touched a nerve with me. Taxation generally in this country is far too high, and specifically on the Motorists. I shan't bother to list the taxes you know them probably better than I do. Now I basically have no problem with high taxation, if, and this is a big if, the revenue is used for the beenfit of the conmmunity. I do not consider a war in Iraq as being for teh beenfit of the community. I have a son serving over there and every time he comes homw he has to spend £2-£300 on kit his officers have said he needs. Why is this not being paid for by the MOD? At the same time people needing elective surgery have a choice either wait 6-9-12 months or pay to go private. Many are now going abroad where prices are cheaper I dare say you have your own examples, but I trust my point is made. What are our taxes being used for? Some part-time Politcial advisor to spin at £80,000 per year? Some lunatic scheme to generate 'respect' for £90m. Blah, Blah, Blah Anyway we've moved off topic. My main question is why are fuel prices increasing? Answer: because we all need fuel Duh. Yes but why petrol? Rapeseed oil, of which we produce millions of gallons can be used as a diesel replacement. All grown, all natural - blows the green argument out of the water. Similarly recitified alcohol, easy and cheap to produce can be used as a petrol replacement. Sure the engine manufacturers may have to make a few tweaks to their engine design, sure the Jeremy Clarkson's of this world might not be able to launch themselves to 60mph in next to nothing flat, but we would all be able to get around, we would not damage the environment, and we wouldn't have to pay extortionate fuel prices. I agree, we need to think short term, but we also need to have long term strategies as well. Prevention is always better than a cure. Good luck with the protests. Jim Thanks for your informative email. Very interesting subject. Why don't we hear more of this subject from Greenpeace and the 'environmentalists'. I am a keen 'tree-hugger' :) and feel disappointed that those spokesmen for Greenpeace etc just babble on ad nauseum about how bad cars are. Can I suggest you check out the Association of British Drivers website for more information on the political aspect of this. There are a lot of rabid anti-car folks out there who use their environmental credentials to back up their own hatred of everything with an engine. If anyone checks out the facts regarding the biggest polluters they'll find cars are a small issue in the scheme of things yet we are subject to equivalent of the Spanish Inquisition for daring to suggest that established dogma is just not true. I read somewhere that we produce vastly more ozone depleting CO2 from our homes than we do from our modern cars. Can someone verify this? As stated in the website, the bigger picture is for the Govt to offer us a REAL alternative to oil. My car may ultimately smell like a chip shop but that's got to be better than the vanilla air freshener my wife bought me a while back... LOL Can I add the point that I would change my car to gas tomorrow if it wasn't for the costs involved. One posting on the Road Users Forum goes into some detail about why in the end it wasn't financially viable to alter the fuel. Can't the DoT or whatever offer some kind of financial assistance to car users who want to convert existing cars? Plenty of incentives for home improvement etc. Anyone else got anything to add to this subject? We need more information. Hope your laddy is back soon in one piece mate. I was in the army for 7 years and understand what you are saying. Keep us posted on developments. All the best Rob Dear Rob We are presently campaigning locally to Hauliers, Vehicle rental companies, Couriers and Taxi operators a high Visibility vest for the cost of a gallon on Diesel fuel. Should you require funds to back this protest we will supply and print the vests for £5.00 and only charge to you for any sales the price of a gallon of Diesel Fuel. £5 per vest. we charge £4.56 and the 44p will be paid to you to finance the campaign. We are using the price of a gallon of fuel to lodge dissatisfaction at the discgraceful price of fuel and the danger of spiralling prices and possible job losses throughout the country. please consider this and an example of the logo is............ Reduce fuel taxes to save our haulage industry......Reduce Fuel Taxes you know it makes sense.........etc etc. Hope you like the idea. These vests are compulsory in Spain and Portugal so a long term benefit for all drivers. Buy now before they are law and the prices rise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Danny and Tim Sharratt Jaytee Supplies Best wishes Rob www.fuelprotest.com i think this site should be added to the list www.ispfree.co.uk/forum/ Thanks John Not much in there yet but I'll add it anyway sometime this week. One guy is asking for some abuse with his posting. Must have a company fuel card and too much money, the gobby git. I haven't time to respond to him personally but remind him that WE can CHOOSE to buy milk and soft drinks. We have no CHOICE regarding getting to work in the morning or running a business. Personally I don't buy milk or soft drinks if they are too pricey anyway. Please congratulate him on having so much available cash that he is more concerned about the price of milk than fuel when he goes to his local petrol station. I'm alright, Jack! The majority of us aren't so privileged. In his milk-derived stupor he also overlooks the bigger picture of alternative fuels. As for his feeble comment about public transport. WHAT public transport? Trains are a rip-off. Buses don't turn up and change timetables every 5 minutes when they do. Its cheaper to fly from Glasgow to London than get a train. How does that figure? Not everyone lives in urban areas. I tried various means of public transport a couple of years back and gave up after being late for work every day. Check the Association of British Drivers website for some facts and figures regarding pollution from public transport in relation to cars. If he wants to post something here he's welcome. Can I suggest he leaves his stately home occasionally and smells the coffee the rest of us drink? I wonder if he is actually a New labour activist trying to spread this nonsense? Regards Rob Rob, I took this picture today, TODAY. This is a Southampton fuel station, I could under stand it if it was the Highlands of Scotland, but Southampton, not 5 miles from the UK fuel Depot. Best Wishes Matthew Myatt British Association of Journalists (1671) Freelance Photographer. Matthew Sorry I tried to convert the pic to JPEG but it exceeds the limit here of 200kb even in that format. If you want to re-submit the picture within this size I'd be more than happy to post it here. For those in black and white the pic is of a price board at a petrol station with unleaded at 102.9p a litre! Wonder what their milk is retailing at? :) Shocking isn't it! Seriously, how's this for an exercise. Its the wee small hours now and I'm getting brain drain. Can someone do the maths and let us know how this price breaks down? Would be good with the picture to get the message out there. My brother was telling me he paid 109.9p for a litre of petrol down in Surrey! Would I hell as like.... Cheers mate Rob > Dear Rob, > My wife and I fully support your latest protest and have signed the e > petition. I only wish that this time the people have the back bone to see > this thing through and get something done about this constantly increasing > fuel price. We are both self employed working for Northcliffe newspapers > and > the cost of refueling our van is taking over £40 a week. Northcliffe which > own the Daily mail etc are not renown for their generosity and every day > we > go out and see the price on the forecourt signs sends shivers down the > spine > when will it EVER stop and now because of an hurricane on the other side > of > the world we are told we are going to have to pay more so now ENOUGH is > ENOUGH. We are 100% behind you and all the truckers in this country and we > would very much like a sticker for our van. We will gladly pay postage > costs > and the price of the sticker if one is available. > This situation affects us ALL and we will be urging the truckers on next > Wednesday. > Best Regards > Denise and Graham Palmer > Scunthorpe > Thanks guys Welcome aboard. Let's hope we catch the public imagination and this doesn't fizzle out and die. The last protests did however help reduce fuel duty and force the Govt to back off the road user for a while at least. Remember that there are more sheep than wolves in this world. We'll see if we can get a good deal for stickers or whatever. If you are able to help out sourcing a supplier and getting prices that would be great. I'm going to set up an order form webpage for stuff like this. Any other businesses or individuals out there able to help out? Hope you see the other side of this one. Best regards Rob www.fuelprotest.com > Hello Rob, Hi Max -A long and informative email so instead of responding at the end I'll do it as each point is raised. As we've stated before, we are here to be educated and reasoned with where folks think we are wrong or perhaps misguided. Its sometimes difficult to change a strong view, especially when its based upon a feeling of immediate injustice but without the ability to change perspective based upon fact and logic we might as well go back to the Dark Ages. -We note that you seem to think someone is going to have a go at you. Far from it mate. We need to understand the bigger picture and we respect your informed viewpoint. Any sensible input is welcomed regardless how painful it may be. > > I read with interest your fuel protest site and I assume that you are very > active in the current organisation of a new fuel protest. I feel I need to > tell > you about something that you may or may not like to hear - but I think > that it > should be shouted about just as loudly as the desire for cheap fuel. I > will try > to keep things short and simple - and believe me I don't like what I am > going > to tell you but as a Chemical Engineering research scientist I believe it > to be > true. Please acknowledge me if you read and understand this - I think that > your > protests to make the government spend the fuel tax more concientiously > rather > than wasting it on beaurocratic schemes is spot on. - Thanks. That's the longer term perspective. > > 1. Before Crude Oil ultimately runs out and we use the last drop > (predicted to > be about 60 years time at current world usage rates) there will be a thing > called "PEAK OIL". Peak Oil is the point at which the world demand for oil > outstrips the world supply, at this point prices will spiral > uncontrollably. > > 2 Peak Oil is a geological effect - there is only a finite amount of oil > in the > earth and we can only extract it at upto a given rate per day (it is > physically > impossible to just turn on the "taps" completely and take out as much a we > want). The rate at which we can extract oil from the remaining reserves is > diminishing daily because we have already used the easy to get stuff and > that > which is left is increasingly difficult to obtain. -OK. We understand the concept. > > 3 Traditional economics of supply and demand will not solve this problem - > you > cannot "make" oil and just because people want to pay more because they > need it > doesn't mean that people will be motivated to supply more - there will be > a > physical limit on what can be supplied (on a wolrd basis) regardless of > how > much people are prepared to pay. This is the point at which "Peak Oil" has > occurred and people will pay as much as they can afford in order to get > this > very important commodity and there will be bidding wars leading to > spiralling > prices. -Obviously. > > 4 Unfortunately the scientists who are predicting when this will happen > are not > in agreement, predictions vary from 2007 to 2025 (with the later > predictions > being from government funded agencies). These are based on sound > scientific > principles and a model that predicted the 1972 oil peak in America (based > solely on American oil rather than world oil). The effect of the 1972 peak > in > america was not felt until 2 years after it happened, it effects were > largely > mitigated because oil could be got cheaply from elsewhere in the world - > when > the world Peak Oil happens we can't get it anywhere else. -OK. Understood. > > 5 I don't know exactly when Britain Peaked (ie became a net importer of > Oil) but > I believe it was in the last few years and is one reason why prices are > very > high and increasing. The fuel duty is the other reason why fuel prices at > the > pumps in this country are so high, but you know that already. - Absolutely. Regarding crude oil prices we are in the hands of foreign and domestic speculators who have no qualms about squeezing us dry. Why is it that Norway shares the North Sea fields yet hasn't squandered the oil reserves for short term political ends to the extent that we have? I studied this subject at university and my Norwegian friends repeatedly commented on the short-term approach to NS oil by the UK Govt at the time. - Fuel duty. AND the VAT on fuel, Max. Extortionate amounts of tax explained away with mis-informed environmental arguments by people who think cars were invented by the devil. :) One question we will not pursue in any great detail here is WHY we need to have so much fuel duty and VAT and WHERE is this money going to? Let's follow this line for a moment. I NEED my car to get to work. I couldn't genuinely do my job without it. I would prefer to be sitting in a nice comfy method of public transport reading a book or glancing at the legs of the pretty girl opposite but that is mainly now not an option under the madness that is planning strategy in this fair land. Thanks Prescott! Flying a charter flight on holiday to say the USA. How many tonnes of pollutants does that chuck out over built up areas as it takes off and lands? What is the contribution of aircraft derived pollutants to car derived pollutants in the Heathrow area, say? Difference is that going on holiday is a luxury not a need. Why then is aircraft fuel not taxed to the same extent as my personal car is? > > 6 The effects on businesses that you are trying to solve by reducing fuel > costs > will happen regardless of whether your protests manage to reduce the fuel > duty > because as soon as Peak Oil occurs the prices will double, triple and even > more.....!!!! making the small amount of the fuel duty insignificant in > terms > of the overall cost of a litre of fuel. This will cripple businesses in > the way > that you are accutely aware - this is why I believe that your protests are > very > important because you know how crippling high fuel prices will be and that > businesses cannot be sustained. That is the bit that I don't like. -OK. Valid point. I must correct you on the statement ' small amount of fuel duty'. Check out the facts. Also don't forget VAT. Tax on Tax. What you say makes sense and most folks will understand this. Business is vital to this country. British businesses are our employers. They are the life-blood of this nation. Excessive taxation and red tape in relation to other countries is hurting us already. We agree that a sustainable solution to energy is needed. > > 7 British business and the way it currently operates on cheap fuel will > stop and > change, it is preferable if this change is realised and acted upon before > it > happens without our choice (ie when the prices spiral uncontrollably > everything > is screwed!!!). -No argument there. > > 8 I personally believe that you should continue your protests and that you > should push for the Fuel Duty to be spent on investigating alternative > fuels > (which by the way none are currently economically and technically viable - > expecially for freight transport) and it should also be spent on > encouraging > people and businesses to beceom more local - ie a lot less fuel dependent. -Again, no argument. As I understand it, Prescotts' new central planning strategy has been implemented to over-ride local planning authorities where New labour wants to drive through some wonderful new scheme against the wishes of people affected by it or where a local council tries to protect the interests of its people and businesses in the face of big business interests. We all hate commuting and its a fact that towns are becoming more spread out. Its a fact that most of us travel more than 10 miles to get to work in the morning. Its a fact that if we had the choice of working at home, cycling to work, catching a bus or using our feet we would all accept this choice without question. -It is a central idea of this campaign to stop the Govt wasting our money on the plethora of cash monsters they have created. Fuel duty should be used, at least in part, to immediately start work on alternative, clean, sustainable fuels produced in the UK (creating much needed jobs in rural areas) - with a definite critical path and achievable objectives. A previous mailing offered some potential options. This would isolate us from the effects of shortages and speculation and I imagine make us much more competitive in the medium term than other countries who rely on oil as a main fuel source. Anyone who says this is not achievable; if we were at war and this was necessary to win how long do you think it would take once we pulled together as a team and brushed the money men, policians and red tape aside for a common purpose? > > 9 The bit I think you are not going to like. - Assuming you agree with the > above > (and if you don't please, please let me know your reasons because ther is > myself and a lot of other engineers and scientists out there looking for > any > reason not to believe in it - apart from by saying its all a conspiracy) - > assuming you agree with the above I believe that you should be protesting > to > increase fuel duty.........Yes I want you to campaign to increase the fuel > duty > and importantly the way in which that duty is used. Please hear me out -No problem. > > 10 I am not crazy - this is why. Peaking Oil will raise the price of fuel > anyway, slowly at first but then uncontrollably and irreversibly. > Countries > that have a low fuel duty will be hardest hit as their economies will not > be > used to operating on such high fuel prices and evrything will shut down > catastrophically. British business will be used to operating on high fuel > prices and a relatively smaller number of businesses will go bust - > additionally the higher our fuel duty is to start with the more adapted to > running our business in a high cost way we will be - those that can't cope > will > have already gone bust and alternative business models more able to cope > with > epensive fuel will have already appeared - unlike in other countries where > they > will have no such businesses as they will all be operating as if fuel is > cheap > and will stay cheap forever. The major bonus of having high fuel duty is > that > the uncontrollable fluctuations in price and uncontrollable inflation in > fuel > price will be able to be absorbed by reducing the fuel duty as the prices > spiral in order to maintain the british economy - however this relies on > the > government accepting this problem, the general public accpeting high fuel > duties and changing business practice accordingly and then making drastic > changes once the Peak Oil effect starts to take hold and the government > starts > dropping the fuel duty. > NOTE - I predict that when this happens the prices of fuel will still rise > overall at the rate they have been over the last few weeks even with the > government dropping taxes as the production cost will be spiralling at an > increasing rate. OKayyyyy....where to begin? Please. Hear me out too. I completely respect your thoughts on this and it is nice to hear a reasoned proposal- albeit fatally flawed in a number of respects. Can I suggest though that you have already stated that non-one can accurately predict when Doomsday will fall? Thus we cannot with any degree of certainty plan for this without immense and unnacceptable national risk. If we, as you suggest, put up fuel duty and VAT even higher with effect of, say, tomorrow to be more competitive in the long run then that would add to the over-regulation and backdoor taxes that struggling businesses are already coping with and lead to even more businesses taking their manufacturing divisions to countries where people are cheaper (not having the need for high wages to cover the increased costs of everything). This would definitely result in mass unemployment and the fallout from that. Joe Bloggs, unemployed Fitter would be mighty peeved if he saw Wilberforce Smythe, the bankers' son, driving around in a new Bentley when Joe can't afford a car and therefore can't get a job because the factory is 10 miles away. Joe might reasonably ask why the privileged can afford to travel in comfort while he has to cycle up and down hills in the rain to sign on each Thursday. As he is escorting his kids the 6 miles to school, because he can't afford the bus due to high fuel duty, he may start to get angry. You can see where this is going. At the moment there is relative tranquility in the UK because we are all enjoying the benefits of cheap and plentiful fuel. Take this away and social models start to collapse. It goes without saying that there will be friction between working class and the upper classes, ethnic minorities and indigenous whites, North and South, Scotland and England, Managers and workforces, the employed and the unemployed. The delicate strands that hold us together in our current society wouldn't take much to break. I forecast that if we deliberately increased fuel duty then we would be wondering what hit us. Also consider how countries WITH oil reserves would react if they saw the former powerhouse of the UK becoming an industrial graveyard. We'd be a sitting duck financially. All they'd have to do was lower their fuel costs and the businesses who currently reside here would be re-siting themselves over there quicker than you could pour a gallon of petrol down a drain. It would be suicide mate. Please offer your evidence to the contrary. You and your learned mates would be emigrating because of the lack of work and competition for jobs. Thus brain drain... -How about this as a more realistic option? Bear with me. We reduce fuel duty now as an immediate remedy for the current problem. The personal debt in this country now is in the Trillions of pounds. Genuinely, most people are being hurt by this taxation windfall, especially young couples with kids and the elderly. According to one proposal by the Association of British Drivers we put in a sliding fuel duty scale to temporarily stabilise fuel costs at say 70p a litre for petrol for a period of time until we have developed the technology (which is already here for most alternative fuels) to produce a range of alternative fuels that we can happily guzzle with out killing the planet. We need to implement an infrastructure for the creation, production, and distribution of this fuel. As the fuel will no doubt be grown in massive farming projects this will help the ailing rural areas where unemployment is a major problem. This fuel is not subject to external markets and therefore can be fixed at an affordable price. The Govt will of course put a tax on this but that would be all right. Taxataion and death are inevitable, the old saying goes. It would still be cheaper than oil-derived fuels though and more importantly - the cost would be predictable as long as we develop a range of alternatives that would react differently to inclement conditions or other disasters. We must avoid putting all our eggs in one basket, of course. How about wave generated power? Cheap. Easily obtained using low-tech means. No chance of it running out. We have perfect conditions in the W of Scotland and SW of England. Eire could even chip in too. Use this as a direct means of power or use it to produce say hydrogen fuel. The broken-backed raft wave generator say isn't very efficient comparatively, but, when the supply is permanent and plentiful who cares if its only 15% efficient. They can be manufactured from a variety of waste materials such as recycled tyres or processed timberboard. The technology is here now. I'm sure you and your engineering colleagues would have a field day if politicians didn't keep shutting the door on funding to develop alternative fuels. The will by political parties who rely upon corporate sponsors for funding isn't there. It will be a hard struggle to get the politicians to ignore the pressure from the corporations and banks but with the right people in place we could achieve this quickly. Once the potential long-term stability and prosperity of our nation due to completely self-sufficient fuel production becomes known then the UK will be in a strong position. Investors like stability in the long-term. Bring on oil price fluctuations! As time goes on we start producing much more fuel than we can possibly use and then this becomes an export commodity. As a scientist or engineer you must be able to identify with this vision? I am an engineer and I lost faith at university when it became apparent that the powers that be were probably deliberately investing in the wrong technologies re-assured that these would prove too complex or costly and would therefore kill the initiative. Funding and development money wasn't there in the quantities needed. Planning issues are of course used to provide obstacles. The term N.I.M.B.Y. has been coined for people who want to see a countryside devoid of real people and prosperity because it spoils the view from their kitchen window otherwise. We need to completely re-visit our planning laws and let people be inventive about how they can produce energy locally. We also implement financial incentives for folks and businesses who transfer from oil to alternative fuels. We may perhaps also produce our own transport vehicles in the UK instead of importing them. Its a big picture I'm painting here Max and for it to work everyone has got to come on board. This picture is less painful than any other in my opinion, keeps us competitive and prosperous as a nation, will maintain a more amiable social structure, and fuel protests will be a thing of the past IF MANAGED PROPERLY. All those with kids out there – what world will they inherit if we continue to crash on the way we are? Do we need a Government for this? Should this be run by a public body staffed by the right people and who are not answerable to Government (i.e. politicians and their masters) but are answerable directly to the people through Democratic process. How this should work we haven't thought through yet but I see that it is vital to our nation that we seperate the politicians from our most crucial commodity - fuel. I am tired and this may not be as tight as I would normally want but the fundamentals are there. Scary isn't it? So, Max, I respect your opinion and look forward to what you have to say as an educated person. Can I also suggest we ban telephone salesmen and lawyers too just for heck of it ;) I can't imagine we'd get much complaint about this one. LOL > > Please let me know what you think. > If you accept this and tie it in with your campaign you will get a lot of > the > scientific and engineering community on your side. -As a scientist or engineer how can you not be fascinated and intrigued by this sustainable proposal? > > I have included a crude diagram of what I mean with the tax increases. The > blue > line represents the price of fuel in britain. The tax on british fuel is > shown > in black and the foreign fuel price is shown in red. Notice that until > Peak Oil > occurs I want british fuel tax to increase and when peak oil occurs is > decreases rapidly and goes into subsidies (from the pot of cash obtained > from > expensive tax to start with) - the net result is the price of fuel in > britain > goes up at a steady (but still horrible compared to traditionally cheap > british > fuel) rate thus enabling business to adapt at a manageable pace (or at > least to > adapt at the best possible pace). -Every business other than security companies would be bust by then. The countries with NO, or very low tax > will > have the massive spike in price shown by the red line - sudden > catastrophic > economic disaster. Neither option is a pretty picture but my proposal at > least > makes the change manageable and slightly less horrible. -Thanks Max. I like lateral thinking. The best way to solve intractable problems I always find. One flaw in scientists and engineers though. We tend to think in numbers and physical problems. You include human frailty or greed in the equation and your solution falls on its face, mate. Please don't be offended but can I assume that you are young of year and fresh of face? I've been round the block more than once and been kicked to my knees a few times, figuratively speaking. It may be my scepticism based upon experience that is blinding me to what you are saying. Educate me further if that is the case. -Have a think about it. Interesting to hear your feedback or that of anyone else reading this. Please accept my apologies if the above is a bit rambly or whatever but its a big subject and I need to go to bed. > > thanks > Max > (Robert Maxim) > > > cpp01rem@sheffield.ac.uk > > University of Sheffield > Chemical Engineering Department > More than welcome Rob > Hi Rob, > > I fully support the fact that our goverment takes far too much fuel tax. > When the chancellor worked out his budget to now he he earning tax on > another 15pence per litre. > Shocking and not within he's budget expeniture. > > Although there has to be a better way than driving up and down the M6 > burning even more money! > > The whole support for your agument rests on cost to the consumer. Dont > expect support to cost the consumer. > > Lets hope you can come up with a better idea. > > Rgds > KAMcDonald > Hi KAMcDonald Your points are valid. Any better suggestions? The idea was to get publicity for what we are all trying to achieve peacefully and with the support of the majority of the public. I'm sure you have some interesting ideas you may wish to put forward. All we can do for the time being is support or join the guys on the blockades but what we need is a long term strategy. Don't you agree? Anyone else got any ideas? All the best Rob > Hi Robert, > > Anything in Cornwall/Plymouth area please? > > Brin Hi Brin Nice to talk with you again. I haven't heard anything yet from the SW. As you may have read I'm going to create some webpages specific to regions where folks can advertise their local protests or whatever. No point me suggesting anything as I don't know your area. Why don't you put something together and I'll post it for you? Catch you later mate Rob www.fuelprotest.com HI MY NAME IS RICHARD HILL .. I HAVE VOTED ALREADY KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK, > I > WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS GOING TO BE SOME SORT OF DEMO IN LONDON OR M25 > TO > SHOW OUR STRENTH IN NUMBERS ? IF SO I THINK AT £1.00 A GALLON OF PETROL > AND > DIESEL WE WILL HAVE A CHANCE DON'T YOU ANY WAY GOOD LUCK KEEP UP THE > STRUGGLE YOUR RICHARD > > Hello Richard Thanks for the words of support to all the good people involved. Yes, we all hope the folks out there do come on board. Why don't you suggest a local protest and I'll post it for you? All the best Rob > If you want the tax on fuel to go down. You have every right to petition > and vote for what you want. What you don't have is the right to stop me > getting to work. If I blocked a farmers field with my car or a lorry depot > then you would want the police to move me or arrest me. Why shouldn't the > law apply to you. protest yes, blockade or obstruct NO! > Geoff Geoff Thanks for your frank email. If we petition. If we peacefully protest. If we vote. We would assume that the powers would be would recognise that many folks are hurting and heed our voices. What are we supposed to do when many small businesses are facing closure, when people can't afford to drive to work, when we are blatantly ignored? As I have stated I have my doubts about the wisdom of blockades. If they go ahead it will only go to prove that despite being given ample notice the powers that be are prepared to stand back and watch good folks like us suffering even more than we are already. I will support any peaceful measures but blockades will have their limitations and lose public support eventually. I worry that if we don't put some kind of brake on all these tax increases that are being thrown at us, that we could end up wrecking the economy and pushing a lot of people over the edge. Your point is published though and we'll see what happens Regards Rob > Hello there, I've recently heard about an upcoming protest next week on > the > fourteenth against fuel refineries, If you know anything about this please > let me know, as I would like to join this protest as I am fed up with > rising > insurance, petrol, and the possibility of tax costs. > > > > I also hear you are looking for site redevelopment,. Id be happy to help > Hi The blockades are being organised by the Peoples Fuel Lobby if that's what you are after. They have a website I have the link to somewhere. Welcome aboard. Thanks for the offer. I may need some help shortly if you're OK with that. Good Luck Rob Rob > I fully endorse what you are trying to achieve and agree wholeheartedly > with > your motives and those of your team but I wonder if Messrs Blair and Brown > can hide their smiles as you encourage thousands of people to fill up > their > fuel tanks and then use all that extortionately taxed fuel to drive around > for no apparent reason? > > > > I do not have the answer to the question that you are about to ask, "so > what > are we supposed to do then?" but I would suggest that actively encouraging > people to use more fuel than is necessary and to drive around in huge > groups > merely annoying other motorists is not the best way forward. How much > extra > revenue are you generating for the government by doing this? How much > more > tax are all you and your supporters paying? > > > > The only action that is going to work is simply to vote them out at the > very > next opportunity. If you wish to persuade people to do something then let > it be that. > > > > I did not vote for Labour and therefore for Blair in 1997 and have not > since. I am an ex-soldier yet opposed the phoney war against Iraq, I > agree > with much of what is on your website but I cannot agree or accept that > organising cruises and convoys will achieve anything at all. The petition > is a good idea and a step in the right direction but then the fox hunting > supporters thought that too. > > > > If you are going to generate interest and a groundswell of support as I > genuinely believe you will then use that to expose the sham that this > government has become. Use the power you will obtain to convince us, the > public, to look at what Blair and Brown have done to this country and to > its > finances and to look at where the tax is going. Expose the lies and the > deceit and people will make up their own minds and vote accordingly. > > > > I have signed your petition and I will actively promote your cause and if > there is anything else that I can do to help support this cause then > please > let me know. Just don't ask me to drive around on my weekends, I do > enough > driving during the week - and in a V8 Range Rover I pay just about as much > fuel tax as I can stomach! > > > > Kind regards > Angus Angus Nice to hear from you and thanks for the email. Your comments are valid and highlights the dilemma at how we as a loose community get the message out there to people to vote for a sustainable environmental and transport policy. The funny car cruises were intended for people in car clubs who do this sort of thing anyway. Cheers mate Rob > PRESS INQUIRY: FUEL PROTESTS > > FROM BRIAN BRADY, WESTMINSTER EDITOR, SCOTLAND ON SUNDAY > > Rob, > > I am trying to put together a piece, for publication on our paper this > week, on the prospect of further protests against the rising price of fuel > in recent weeks and months, and I'd be grateful for your organisation's > current position on the issue. > > Basically, I'd like to know if you will you be going ahead with your > promised protests next week, and what these will entail - where you will > be, who will be involved and exactly what you will be asking for, etc. I > am also interested in what sort of response you are expecting from the > Government - on the ground at the sites concerned, as well as in > Westminster. > > Any further details of your concerns would be very useful. > > You can get me by return of e-mail, or in London on 0207 219 6763. > > Thanks > > Brian Brady > Brian Thank you for your email. We are not a formal organisation and we are not involved in organising of the proposed mass protests next week. I assume you are referring to the blockades? Can I suggest you refer to the Fuel Lobby for details of their plans? We do however support a positive short term Govt response to the high fuel costs and support anyone protesting peacefully to achieve this aim. We can only assume that the Govt will react with spin, lies and manipulation of the facts. Please refer to their previous form on apparently contentious issues. Thank you Rob > Hi, > > Petrol is about 30p a litre - the rest is all tax! Whatever happened to > our > own North Sea oil bonanza? We should all be riding around in Rollers now > like the Saudi's. > > If we were the French we would be burning tyres on all the motorways by > now, > but as we are a bunch of pu**ies we will just let the politicos get their > snouts further into the troughs - Honestly when the deputy prime minister > is > nicknamed "two jags" they really are taking the P*&~~! > > It brings to mind Marie Antoinette saying "let them eat cakes" or words to > that effect. > > Herr Tebitts "on yer bike" seems to be the only option left to the rest of > us. > > As I will probably be "disappeared" by a government hit mob for this email > - > all I can say is will the last one out of England turn out the lights. > > Good luck to the campaign. > > Tim Stone > Hi Tim What can we add to this? Thanks for your support. Rob www.fuelprotest.com Rob, > > Hi, my name is James. I think I'm in a similar position to you in that > I'm trying to mobilise people to get the government to get its act > together! My focus is peak oil (and more importantly, preparing for what > lies beyond), and I understand you've been chatting to Max about that. > > I think that, say, 2 years ago before I began to fully grasp what Peak > Oil meant (a confusing term - people use it to refer to the whole peak > in production and everything after but it should be restricted to the > simple fact of the maximum amount of oil extracted) I would have said, > yes, fine, lower the prices a bit, give people a break. > > What has changed since then is I'm pretty sure now, from everything I've > seen and read, that there is no way for business to continue as normal > once we pass the peak of oil production. I think it was Exxon that said > we need to find the equivalent of 2 saudi arabias worth of oil by 2015 > for supply to continue meeting demand. That just isn't going to happen > (please see at the bottom). If you can show me the contrary, I'd be glad > to see it. And I think now, seeing what is happening to the climate, we > don't want it to. Short term, the period after peak oil is going to hit > us hard economically and we're going to have some big economic, social > and cultural adjustments to make. Long term, climate change is going to > mess us over. Well, it'll be the poorer countries first, but then again > in 2035 when we have no oil industry we'll only have the finance > industry to keep us going... > > ...but as you've probably learnt by now, economic growth is dependent on > increasing energy input. When energy input declines, the economy > declines, the financial industry declines...so by 2035, when the world > is operating on about 30% of the oil it is now, with no other energy > input able to make up for the shortfall...Britain is going to be in a > mess. The world is, because the rug will be pulled out from under us. > We'll be the poor ones! > > Mass unemployment, unavoidable. > > Social unrest, unavoidable. > > How do we minimise it? > > From what I've seen, we need to rebuild a localised way of living, from > the way we work to the way we source our food. We need to become more > reliant on our families and communities again. I think we'll have to do > what we did in the past, but find a way to do it better. > > We need to be more sensible about the way we use our fuel. > > So let us get back to the tax. From my viewpoint, the fuel prices, as > they are, aren't a bad thing. It really should be applied to aviation > fuel too. Oil prices, as they are, are making people think about their > journeys, about the cars they buy, about how they travel (people may > even start car-pooling again - not a terrible thing, surely). I think we > need to be brave and take the long term view. If you have descendents, > let's think about what legacy we'll leave for them. A drop in fuel tax > will just get people thinking that everything is okay and will continue > to be okay. > > Once we pass the peak, and that will be very soon, it will not. I think > what the fuel tax does is provide the UK with a buffer or a shock > absorber if you will, so when the prices go up, the government can > adjust them down a bit, keeping a level of stability. Countries like the > U.S are going to have to deal with shock after shock after shock. They > have no cushion. Indonesia and India are struggling politically because > they subsidize oil in their countries but can no longer afford to so much. > > We've gone through the last 150 years used to ever increasing > availability of oil. That is not going to last. Once we pass the peak, > we will have to get used to decreasing availability of oil - not just > higher prices but actual physical shortages. > > Let's start thinking about how we're going to do deal with that. If you > ask me, that means giving agriculture a break, it means giving haulage a > bit of a break because we're not ready to lose those systems - we need > to be thinking about how to adjust though. But to give the general > motorist a break? > > Access to cheap oil is not a god-given right. People need to get used to > that. If we want to prepare for a better world, I can't see how it can > be contrary to that statement. Can you? > > People are going to lose their jobs. Businesses will close. The economy > is going to get such a shock when the oil bubble bursts. But these are > things we need to prepare for. These are big structural issues and they > are unavoidable whether fuel tax is dropped or not. > I don't believe that having the UK pay 70p a litre is going to help us > prepare for that. > > Yes, the government should spend the tax more wisely - but isn't that > true of all tax? > > And more tax will be on its way probably in the shape of Domestic > Tradeable Quotas. Effectively, carbon rationing. > > Anyway, I think I've rambled enough there! > > I'm going to point you to a couple of sites. The first is > www.PowerSwitch.org.uk - we're a UK campaign focussing on raising > awareness of peak oil > > the second is www.lifeaftertheoilcrash.net which is a touch extreme but > I think presents the general case pretty well. > > the third is www.wolfatthedoor.org.uk which is a well written british > site. > > There's plenty more but I'd be interested to know what you think. I know > you're trying to ease the pain a lot of people are feeling now, but I > think the pain now will help minimise greater pain in the future. Well, > I hope it does. I also think you're in a great position to make people > aware of Peak Oil as the consequences will reach so far into everybody's > lives. > > All the best, > > James > www.PowerSwitch.org.uk > > > > Of the main alternatives: > The main ones cited are the Hydrogen Economy. This is an incredible no > go. This article is a good explaination. > http://www.powerswitch.org.uk/portal/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=483&Itemid=2 > > Biodiesel: > We'd need about 5 times the land we currently use to grow food to grow > fuel crops. > http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2004/11/23/feeding-cars-not-people/ > > Read this: > It is the Hirsch Report, presented for the U.S Department of Energy. > http://www.powerswitch.org.uk/portal/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=497&Itemid=2 > > > The Industrial Revolution opened in the mid 18th Century with the > exploitation of coal, initially in Britain, providing a new fuel for > industry, transport and trade, which grew rapidly. The Oil Age dawned > 100 years later, initially to provide lamp-oil for illumination, but > later to fuel transport, following the development of the Internal > Combustion Engine. Electricity generation expanded widely, fuelled first > by coal, but later mainly from oil, gas and nuclear energy. This epoch > has been widely seen as one of amazing technological progress, which has > conditioned many people to think that there must always be a > technological solution. > > The Industrial Revolution was accompanied by an equally important, but > less visible, Financial Revolution. In short, commercial banks lent > money in excess of what they had on deposit, effectively creating money > out of thin air, but the system worked because tomorrow’s expansion > provided collateral for to-day’s debt. It was effectively a system of > confidence, an intrinsic element of all debt. > > So, it might be better termed the Financial-Industrial Revolution. The > Stock Markets evolved from being simply an exchange of dividend-yielding > instruments to become largely speculative institutions, being in turn > stimulated by the tax regime that gave preferential treatment to > speculative gains. In addition, World trading currencies, previously the > pound sterling and now the US dollar, delivered massive hidden returns > to the issuing countries, becoming in effect the prime benefit of Empire. > > The World’s population expanded six-fold exactly in parallel with oil, > which provided much of the fuel with which to plough the field, and > bring food and manufactured goods to market, thus indirectly supporting > the Financial System. The internationalisation of transport of food > reduced the risk of local famines when harvests failed for climatic and > other reasons. > > The Second Half of the Oil Age now dawns and will be characterised by > the decline of oil, followed by gas, and all that depends upon these > prime energy sources. The actual decline of oil will be gradual at less > than three percent a year: such that the production of all liquid > hydrocarbons in 2020 will have fallen to approximately what it was in > 1990. In those terms, it does not appear to be a particularly serious > situation. > > But in reality, it is a devastating development because it implies that > the oil-based economy is in permanent terminal decline, removing the > confidence in perpetual growth on which the Financial System depends. > Without the assumption of ever-onward growth, borrowing and lending dry > up: there being little viable left to invest in. It follows that there > will be a need to remove vast amounts of so-called Capital, which in > fact was not Capital in the sense of being the saved proceeds of labour, > but merely an expression of speculative confidence in ever onward > economic growth. > > This in turn leads to the conclusion that the World faces another Great > Depression, triggered more by the perception of long term decline of the > general economy rather than the actual decline of oil supply itself > which is gradual not cataclysmic. The World is definitely not about to > run out of oil, but it does face the onset of decline having consumed > about half of what is readily available on the Planet. This is not > welcome news, and those with mindsets conditioned on past experience > find it very difficult to accept, some becoming vituperative in their > reaction. In terms of pragmatic politics, it is virtually impossible for > Governments to plan and prepare with logical strategies to face the new > world that opens. Accordingly, the transition will likely be a time of > international tension and resource wars of which the first salvoes have > already been fired. But some of the more philosophically inclined wonder > if in fact the post-oil world might not turn out to be a more harmonious > one for the survivors. There are indeed hopes, Deus volens, that they > may number somewhat more than the Planet was able to support prior to > what by then will be seen to have been the brief Age of Oil, during > which the World consumed its inheritance of fossil sunshine. > *- Dr.Colin Campbell, Association for the Study of Peak Oil & Gas, > February Newsletter 2005* Hi James A very informative and intelligent email that offers a reasoned argument for sorting out the fuel issues now rather than waiting for the bubble to burst. I'll have a browse through the websites you suggest and see what more learned folk are saying on the subject. Your email highlights the long term issues that we all have and worry about. As I read your email it seems that we have two simple options as a nation available to us. We simply return to the dark ages or we implement workable solutions that will allow us to move forward. If we act quickly as a country then there is the real possibility that we can avoid the great collapse that we are being warned of. If we don't.....well, I don't want to think of that. A depressing outlook if we maintain the status quo. Anyway, thanks again Jim for your input and we look forward to hearing from you in the future. How would you feel about providing feedback to some of the enquiries from radio and press about our campaign? You seem informed and we need people able to speak coherently on the subject. Best regards Rob > Rob, > > Thanks for the speedy reply, I appreciate your honesty and your attitude > towards > this - I have also taken on board what you have said about why my idea > won't > work and I'll be rethinking it to include many of the things you brought > up. > There are still a fw things I disagree with or rather, have a different > attitude towards but I'll think about what you've said look into it > further and > get back to you shortly. > > I'll point out though that when I discovered Peak Oil about 10 months ago > I was > faced with a decision about using my scientific abilities: Do I continue > in > research and try to work on the development of the alternative fuel > sources or > do I use my abilities to work on the mitigation of the effect if the > science > doesn't pull through. Working in the department that is one of the leading > departments researching hydrogen fuel cell technology I realised that > researching the alternatives was not an option I wanted to lay my hope in > (mainly because at the moment they don't really work the way most people > think > they do) - I'll explain this in more detail. > > In the meantime thankyou again, I am always open to learning new things, > ideas > and looking at the options to solve the problems - what I do know is it > isn't > going to be easy and as long as there is people like yourself who are > obviously > prepared to listen to others' contradictory oppinions and change your own > ideas > and counter intelligently and to then act there is hope that people will > take > this seriously and not push it aside like so many other "issues". > > speak soon > Max Hello again Max Nice to hear from you again. You'll note that we've heard from your friend, Jim, who also sends us some excellent material that takes the discussion forward. I have already included his email. This subject, as you point out, requires that we all come on board and find a positive solution. There will be the irrational hecklers at the side - God only knows I'm coming across them each day - but this always happen in times of change. There will be intense opposition from those with a financial interest in maintaining our depency on oil and gas but this is to be expected. We look forward to receiving more info on the problems with alternative fuels. Best wishes Rob > Dear Robert, > > I was looking at your site and while I'm sure you don't care there are a > few points I disagree with; > > This statment is rubbish; > According to government models, last year's annual rise in fuel tax would > produce no more than a one per cent reduction in CO2 - at a cost of an > additional £53 per motorists (travelling an average 8,700 miles a year). > Two energy-saving light bulbs, costing around £15, would have achieved the > same effect. > > Power stations produce apporox. 0.4KG CO2 per KWh. > Cars produce approx. 0.15kg CO2 per km. > > Assume 60watt replaced with 7watt saves 53watt/hours = 0.053kW/h. > Leave the light on all year = 8760 hours * 0.053kW/h = 464kW * 0.4KG CO2 > per Kw = 185kG CO2. > Two light bulbs saves 185 x 2 = 370 kG CO2 per year (If you leave the > lights on all year 24 hours a day, kind of unlikley). > > Car 0.15KG CO2 per km (8700 miles = 13920km) total CO2 for year = 2088kg > > In reality you would not use lights all year and you would most probably > travel more than 8700 miles in your car per year. Light from bulbs > benifits > more than one person, sadly most cars do not. > > Kind regards > > Dr. Martin Mellor > Consultant to Philips Applied Technologies > > http://www.makepovertyhistory.org > > Dr Mellor Your statement makes assumptions that somehow we don't care about your correction to this statement. This is not correct and couldn't be further from the truth. We thank you for your input and hope you are able to supply us more information on the subject. To defend the context of the information we published, this came from a Third Party source and the general aim was to point out that there are other ways to reduce fuel consumption/ pollutant emissions other than blaming mainly cars - especially modern cars. We feel that the witchhunt on the common motorist has more to do with raising revenue to fix the ever-widening economic black-hole than any real political desire to reduce pollution or resolve any road transport issues. We accept your correction and will, of course, publish your email. If anyone should wish to make further comment on this subject we would be most interested to receive accurate data in order to gain some perspective. Thank you Rob > how do we get the fuel protests started again but this time bring the > country to its knees until they listen Ashley The country is listening, Ashley! The sheer volume of emails we are receiving daily testifies to that. Its our current Government and the teamsters running it who aren't doing the listening. The issue is about both oil price PLUS taxation. Oil prices and availability we, as the general public, can't do anything about immediately. Similarly, 'bringing the country to its knees' will certainly only result in the haulage associations and such-like getting special concessions while the common motorist continues to be hammered. Note these words! The immediate problem seems to be excessive taxation. What WE ALL have got to do from now is take the time to get to understand where your hard-earned tax money is going and why so much of it is needed and by whom? This will help you to use your vote for positive change at future elections. Of course this won't sort out the immediate hardship we are all currently facing due to fuel costs.... We welcome of course any constructive ideas to peacefully protest our joint anger and bring down costs. A lot of people asking 'how do we-?'. Not many ideas coming through as yet, although we've still got a pile of communications to plough through. Please feel free to have a think about how we get people on board and how we should peacefully protest AS INDIVIDUAL CAR USERS. A long reply to a short message but we thought it was needed. Rob > Rob, > > It's good to see that action is being taken again (albeit very peaceful > action!). I was involved in the last round of protests (at trafford > park). I know that this isn't the plan this time but would still like to > help out. My question is.... where can I get one of the banners / > stickers you talk about. I would be more than happy to sport one on my > car! > > Let me know, and also whether I can be of any more help to the cause. > > Kind regards > > James > James Thanks for contacting us. We've had a chat here and we're looking into getting someone externally to produce banners, window stickers and such. As we're a bit pensive about handling money and dealing with postage and all that, we will include a link directing folks to someone who will supply this type of material in the near future. For the time-being we will post some banners that one and all can print off on their home PC or at work to whatever size they need. This will follow the idea of the anti-speed camera banners on the Association of British Drivers website that people can produce en-masse at home for a few pence and stick in their car window with some cellotape. You can of course make up your own banners that you can share with us if you're able. Thay don't have to be works of art :) On another subject, we'd be fascinated if you could share your previous experiences protesting at Trafford Park with our readers. Doesn't have to be a small novel or anything but it would be interesting stuff for those who do not perhaps have your experience. As for your aside about our 'peaceful' protests. We can only say that we have been trying to get people on board for a few weeks and now realise, mate, that most people are full of talk but short of action. We started off full of gusto, honestly expecting all those talkers out there to join us but they were too busy painting walls and gardening, apparently. All this does is lose the campaign credibility when only a handful of folks can be bothered turning up on the day. Truckers, farmers etc mostly already belong to communities they can identify with and who have their own groups to organise more direct action to deal with the immediate hardships we are all facing. The common motorist is a more difficult animal to deal with as we are sure you found out in 2000. With your experience, if you have any ideas or want to promote an event you can do so on our events page or for a faster response through say the Road Users Forum. Thanks for your support. How do you fancy sending us a few daily/ weekly paragraphs of your perspective on say the preceding weeks events and news? We can include this in the website on the news page to offer opinions on events other than our own. This is something we feel we need need to avoid accusations that our website does not represent the wider public opinion. Thanks again and we look forward to hearing from you. Rob > Dear Rob > > Thank you for your enquiry but he would rather not be involved due to his > work and would render him unable to have an objective view in his > journalistic capacity. > > Regards > > > Anthony Blackburn > 2-4 Noel Street > London W1F 8GB > Tel: 020 7292 7555 > Fax:020 7292 7576 > www.blackburnsachsassociates.com > > Due to new Government Regulations in the UK imposed on all forms of > Employment Agencies, we can no longer discuss business with any company > old or new unless they first sign up to our Company Terms of Business. > This is law in the UK and is effective from now. > Please contact us to enable us to send you our Terms of Business. Thank > you for your co-operation in this matter. > Anthony Re our request for support from Tiff Needell We thank you and Mr Needell for taking the time to respond to our enquiry. We can understand Mr Needell's desire to remain impartial. Regards Rob Andy Thanks. Eyes wide open, mate. Fancy contributing a few paragraphs each week with your take on things to get a wider perspective? All the best Rob > Hi Rob, > > I've just been looking at the site, taking shape nicely. However the link > to > the RUF although saying "The Road Users Forum" still points to the www > fuelprotest.com/forum url. It should point to http://finance.groups.yahoo > com/group/RUF/ if you wouldn't mind editing it. I just want it to be clear > that the RUF and fuelprotest.com are two different entities, albeit with > the > same goal. > > Thanks, > Mark. > Nice hearing from you Mark. Hope all is well with you. Fullest apologies. We'll make the changes as soon as. You'll note we've included the statement clarifying that we are seperate entities just to allay any confusion. Keep up the good work. Best regards Rob > Hi Rob, > > I'm a producer with BFBS Radio 2 (broadcasting to the UK armed forces > around the world) and wondered if it might be possible to interview you > about the prospect of more direct action over fuel prices. > > Please call me on xxxxxxxxxxx to try to arrange something. > > Regards, Will > ----- Notice ----- > > This email may contain confidential / privileged information and is > intended solely for the use of the named recipient(s). If you are not > the intended recipient you may not disclose, copy, distribute or retain > any part of this message or attachments. If you have received this > e-mail in error please notify the sender immediately via e-mail. > > The views expressed in this e-mail are those of the sender and not > necessarily those of SSVC or of any of its subsidiaries. > Will For those who don't know already, British Forces Broadcasting Service is a damn fine organisation serving our armed forces with news and entertainment while they are serving abroad. I'm sure that although the lads aren't allowed to say anything publicly, most will understand what what are doing and support our aims for affordable fuel. If it is me personally that you wish to speak on behalf of the campaign to reduce fuel costs that is not a problem. There are of course loads of other people here that I am sure would be glad to contribute also. Anyone else out there interested in expressing their views on fuel prices to the lads? All the best Rob > I think it is important to outline that protests are a group of citizens > who > "disagree" with the government. > isn't blockading of fuel pump unlawful as this stops fuel getting to > public > services. > It is clear that your last attempts were unsuccessful because we are here > again. > However sadly that may be the only thing that will change tony blairs > Agenda. > Which is how an oposition stands in parliment Peacfully. > james parker > libdem stand in candidate > James Thanks for your email. As we are aware, public services, by which you mean emergency and genuinely essential services assumedly, were permitted to fuel up in the previous blockades. Nobody argues this point. We note that your concern appears to focus on public services and not anyone else. It would be useful if you please clarify what YOU mean by 'public services'? We think we speak for everyone when we say that we'd ALL rather not be without fuel and that the Govt should sort this mess out and get us to an affordable level of fuel duty before normally law-abiding people are pressured into breaking whatever laws have been concocted since 2000 to keep us masses in our place. Please excuse us but we must correct your statement. The last attempts were not unsuccessful! This is the sort of casual remark that is incorrect and demonstrates that you haven't been doing your homework. We would expect more accuracy from an electoral candidate hoping to represent the general public in Westminster. We understand that the fuel prices came down and stabilised to a certain extent as a direct result of the 2000 blockades. They were also successful in solidifying public support until the New Labour/ media spin doctors stepped in and painted the folks holding the protests as being children of Satan on a mission to destroy this country! They stopped short of issuing propoganda posters of blockaders bayonetting babies and raping nuns but I'm sure these were in the next phase of the campaign... We welcome input from anyone who took part in the year 2000 protests to correct James' comment or to correct our own limited analysis of the outcome. You're email is generally a tad incoherent and we're not sure what your actual message is. We assume its your support for direct action? Anyone out there wish to offer their own response to James Parker, LibDem stand in candidate? Best wishes Rob www.fuelprotest.com x > You have my support for the upcoming protest even though I will not be > there. > > However, I detest and loath the government's proposed 'road use' tax > even more and will definitely take to the streets to protest if it > comes into effect in the future. > > Regards, > Andy > Andy No-one here has had a chance to read up in any great detail on the proposed 'road use tax' to any extent yet. From what we've seen it appears to be another potential for cock-up and injustice on a grand scale but let's see... We're busy enough as it is mate. Can we suggest you email the Association of British Drivers and join their organisation for the measly sum of £20, as we are sure they propose some kind of response this proposal and will need your support. Best regards Rob > Hi Rob, > > at Rock FM we're hoping to run a news item today about the current fuel > crisis - protests - effects on local businesses - taxes etc... We would > greatly appreciate it if you could call us asap to give your views on > the situation and perhaps give us a short interview. > > Many thanks, > > Joby Lubman, Rock FM Newsroon, Preston > > 01772 477777 > > > ** For Emap magazine subscriptions & gift offers visit > http://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/emap ** > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > The information in this email is intended only for the addressee(s) named > above. Access to this email by anyone else is unauthorised. > > If you are not the intended recipient of this message any disclosure, > copying, distribution or any action taken in reliance on it is prohibited > and may be unlawful. > > Emap plc and or its subsidiaries do not warrant that any attachments are > free from viruses or other defects and accept no liability for any losses > resulting from infected email transmissions. > > Please note that any views expressed in this email may be those of the > originator and do not necessarily reflect those of this organisation. > > IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT AUDIO DESPATCHED TO YOU BY EMAP PERFORMANCE. PLEASE > READ CAREFULLY > > "All rights in and to any services provided to an Emap Performance client > by Emap Performance including without limitation any advertising services > are owned by or are licensed to Emap for the full duration of those rights > and any extensions thereto. The rights including without limitation > copyright in any artistic, literary, dramatic or musical works, sound > recordings, films, broadcasts, cable programmes and published editions and > rights in performances where applicable. Emap Performance does not > transfer any of the above rights to its clients nor grant any licence to > any of those rights. > By providing any client with a physical copy of any advertising services > by way of CD, DAT or other format does not imply any right or any licence > for the client to copy or supply any copy to any third parties, perform in > public or broadcast, edit, adapt or remix any part of the services. > > The client agrees to indemnify Emap Performance from any losses, costs and > damages Emap Performance may incur by any failure by the client to comply > with the above obligations." > Hi Joby You're lengthy legal blurb at the bottom of your email does not make it clear if you want this published on the website but as its been addressed to the website I assume this is not an issue? Let me know therwise and I will remove it if desired. I listen to your station frequently and recommend it to folks reading this. As we have probably stated many times before, this campaign is one where we invite input by everyone for everyone. We are only a voice and a central forum for information. If you specifically want me to offer my tuppeny-worth on your show that is fine. I would, however, suggest that many of our readers from the Preston area or further afield would be only too happy to offer equally valid opinion and input. I have published your contact details on the website and hope you receive offers from members of the public visiting this website who need to voice their frustration/ opinion. Best regards Rob > Hi Rob > > Why dont you suggest everyone drives around on a specific day with their > headlights switched on, then we and the government will see who supports a > protest. > > Regards Paul Hi Paul We're sure we can count on the support of all the Volvo drivers out there then, LOL. Thanks for your input, mate. We don't know what effect we expect from this but its something on the table at least. How about as previously suggested you print off some of the banners that we will be offering for download sometime today - Sunday 11th Sept - (or order a better quality one as they become available)and have you and the folks you know stick them in the windows of their cars? Best wishes Rob > Hi Robert, my name is Bob Stark, an expat living here in Melbourne > Australia. I have frequently travelled to the UK over the last 20 years > and am therefore well acquainted with the fearsome fuel prices you all > have to contend with. In Australia we were until a couple of years ago > enjoying relatively cheap motoring but that has all changed in the last > year or so with prices rising from around $80c p/litre to the latest of > $1.40 p/litre, not far off of a 100% rise! So I have a number of reasons > for contacting you. > 1. My sympathies are with you all and I hope you guys can make a > difference,Good luck. > 2. Unless you live in the U/S with their rediculously cheap prices (even > now) then most other countries will continue to suffer the same fate as > the UK. > 3. I am wondering if you may know of any similar organisations to yours > in Australia or how I miight go about organising such a thing over here > as I am in just the right mood to try and do something but want to > direct my efforts in the most productive way. > Thank you for taking the time to read this and I look forward to your > reply, regards Bob Stark. > Hello Bob Interesting stuff, mate. We be interested to know if you're also contending with the equally fearsome Council Tax rises (you may have heard our Queen's legal system happily jailed a vicar the other day for refusing to pay the excessive increase in his Council Tax to cover goodness only knows what plain stupid schemes his local council thought of this year that they haven't the money to cover), taxes on pensions, national insurance contributions, cost of parking, cost of road fund licence, cost of contributing to the speeding revenue - sorry - fines, cost of gas, cost of wanting to drive into London, toll fees, even the cost of a packet of fags, the very fearsome cost of housing especially for first time buyers, and all the million and one backdoor taxes that our guys in charge aren't honest enough to openly put on our income tax to make voting a simpler choice? We think we speak for everyone here by thanking you for your support and our thoughts are with you guys too. I've got a lot of old mates living in Oz but I've lost touch with many of them now. The one's I am in contact with tell me your beer's terrible and your cricket team are rubbish! LOL No, we don't have any information on Australian or even New Zealand groups as yet but that doesn't stop you setting up one and linking with us. Feel free to use whatever material you want from this website. We'll provide a link when you get it up and running. One point. Australia obviously has different issues than the UK as we assume that the open spaces and the vast amount of sunshine you suffer in silence offer the potential for electric power generation to one degree or another? We don't know much about this and appreciate that its not the complete answer but what are your thoughts? Feel free to regularly contribute to the website as its useful to have a more international perspective, mate. All the best Rob > Dear Rob > > I have read with interest the information on your website and, like many > others, agree with your views. > > As a partner in a very small business, we have seen our costs rise since > the company was formed in 2003 and this has made trading to a profit very > difficult indeed. Due to this, we have changed our direction and now try > to operate exclusively from our offices in St Ives, Cambs. > > We are now in the garment printing business and offer a range of printed > and promotion clothes, including Hi Vis Clothing, and wonder if there is > anything that we could offer to generate support in this campaign. Our > prices would only incorporate our costs and would be very competitive (Hi > Vis vests from £2.50 each depending on print area) and I wonder if this > might be of interest to you and your supporters. > > Should you require any further prices and information, please contact me > using this email address. > > Thanks for your time, keep up the good work. > > Kind Regards > > Danny Sharratt > Danny Once again, thanks for your kind offer. To be honest we love the idea but we're run off our feet doing what we do. I'll definitely have half a dozen in the near future! Can I suggest you set up an order form somewhere on the interweb offering your products for sale and a means of payment and we'll link to it? We'll be publishing some protest banners on the website later today hopefully. You could use these as a basis for the printed message or produce your own. Any ideas we get from people we'll post them here. Many thanks Rob > morning rob just got your e-mail Ididnt no about wednesday but I can try > and > rally some of the lads together for saturday a go slow through manchester > centre with the shoppers if you could let me know how we stand with the > law or > any other ideas or info on blockades cheers see you for now > > les > Sorry for taking so long to get back to you Les. The numbers of people contacting us with emails and requests for information is swamping the boat at the moment. If you and your mates want to suggest a form of protest in the Manchester area that anyone can take part in we'll post it on the events page and we will definitely be there if we can as we are local to you. If you're worried about the Law, we suggest that once you've sorted something out that you contact the local copshop for advice. You'll find them very helpful actually. Whether you heed the advice is something else altogether but at least you'll be aware of where you stand legally. Check out the Fuel Lobby website for info on blockades and any other direct action as they seem to be the main kiddies organising direct action. We're trying not to blur the picture by getting involved with organising blockades of refineries and storage depots but we'll offer support and publicise events for visitors who feel this is the only way to be heard. Any probs give me a shout and I'll pass you onto someone who may be able to help. All the best Rob > The media never mention tax exemption for disabled drivers..I can barely > walk,I rely on a car to go anywhere..Public transport for disabled is > mostly impossible..I live in rural location and am house bound without own > transport. > > Ernest JONES > Ernest What can we add to this mate? You've said it all. We are very aware of the hardships that the genuinely disabled suffer and acknowledge your reliance upon a vehicle to live any standard of life. We're also aware of the massively expensive scam surrounding disabled cars and the losers who abuse this system. We're actually surprised its taken this long for a disabled person to contact us to make your valid points. We can't imagine that the powers that be don't know about your plight. Their current inaction says more about the guys making policy than anything we could add. It would be easy for us to use this to have a lengthy diatribe but we think your email says it all more concisely. Do you have any views on direct action such as blockades? A good point you also add about living in a rural location. This has always been a sensitive subject when talking about fuel costs. We understand that for many rural folks it is simply a case of NEED and not LUXURY to have a car. I lived rurally for a while and discovered for myself how difficult it is in an emergency when my car was away at the garage being fixed! Unfortunately rural folks are the minority and need to perhaps shout louder than the majority urbanites to get some fairness?? Here's an idea... How do you fancy talking to the media and getting your message out there on behalf of the disabled? We've included a humber of requests from various radio shows that I imagine would be interested in what you have to say. Why not drop them a line or give them a call? Copy your emails to us and we'll publish them here. We can also probably post a file of your interview(s) for folks to download and listen to. Any help we can offer let us know. Anyone else with an interest in helping the disabled get their message out there want to help? Any invites by media groups for input by disabled people? Rob > The media never mention tax exemption for disabled drivers..I can barely > walk,I rely on a car to go anywhere..Public transport for disabled is > mostly impossible..I live in rural location and am house bound without own > transport. > > Ernest JONES > Ernest What can we add to this mate? You've said it all. We are very aware of the hardships that the genuinely disabled suffer and acknowledge your reliance upon a vehicle to live any standard of life. We're also aware of the massively expensive scam surrounding disabled cars and the losers who abuse this system. We're actually surprised its taken this long for a disabled person to contact us to make your valid points. We can't imagine that the powers that be don't know about your plight. Their current inaction says more about the guys making policy than anything we could add. It would be easy for us to use this to have a lengthy diatribe but we think your email says it all more concisely. Do you have any views on direct action such as blockades? A good point you also add about living in a rural location. This has always been a sensitive subject when talking about fuel costs. We understand that for many rural folks it is simply a case of NEED and not LUXURY to have a car. I lived rurally for a while and discovered for myself how difficult it is in an emergency when my car was away at the garage being fixed! Unfortunately rural folks are the minority and need to perhaps shout louder than the majority urbanites to get some fairness?? Here's an idea... How do you fancy talking to the media and getting your message out there on behalf of the disabled? We've included a humber of requests from various radio shows that I imagine would be interested in what you have to say. Why not drop them a line or give them a call? Copy your emails to us and we'll publish them here. We can also probably post a file of your interview(s) for folks to download and listen to. Any help we can offer let us know. Anyone else with an interest in helping the disabled get their message out there want to help? Any invites by media groups for input by disabled people? Rob > Hi Rob, > > This picture any good to you. > > Hope it helps, you can use it as you wish, but please make sure photo > credit > given please, Bless You. > > If you need a bigger image let me know, I have reduced it to save on > upload > time. > > This table shows the hidden tax on unleaded petrol and diesel. > > Fuel Tax information taken from http://www.abd.org.uk/taxtable.htm worth a > look although I think it needs updating as is only goes up to 99.9 pence a > litre. > > > Best Wishes > > Matthew Myatt > British Association of Journalists (1671) > Freelance Photographer. > > -----to us Matthew. We'll include the pic later today in our Home page for impact. Great stuff!! Best regards Rob > I recently visited friends in Los Angeles. They were complaining about > having to pay $2.20 per gallon....when I told them we pay $7.15 per gallon > they were shocked...they couldn't understand how we can afford to live !!! > I actually pay more on petrol per week than I do on food for my family of > four ! It's disgusting !!! It is not the fault of a hurricane or global > warming or the war in Iraq (sorry Rob...dissagree with you on this...its > not unjustified...why should a bunch of [editted] Arabs have a > stranglehold on the oil...its time the big boys took control of the oil > fields), it's purelly down to a GREEDY chancellor...Gordon Brown. A > MESSAGE TO THE TORY PARTY.....I have voted Labour all my life, but if you > offer to reduce the tax on petrol to normal levels..ie VAT level...I'll > vote for you...infact 30 million motorists will vote for you...think about > that !! > Paul Thanks for the email Paul. Yeah, we all know the USA Govt is terrified to put up the price of oil or reduce consumption of same in their own back yard in case the voters suddenly are forced to recognise that there is actually a world outside the USA. Big subject dealt with in depth elsewhere by Michael Moore, Greg Palast, Noam Chomsky etc. Doesn't help our businesses much when you think about international competitiveness I should imagine.. I can understand why your friends were shocked. Its why we are known as rip-off UK! I haven't time to check back through my past emails to look up the specific comment you refer to. I'm sure I didn't say the Iraq War ( actually a CONFLICT like the Falklands. I understand that WAR, legally, is a different thing where two countries legally declare a state of war on each other - or has this changed since I was in the forces?) caused the prices to rocket. I may have drily commented that the conflict was supposed to have stabilised production and prices and that's why we all shut up about illegal wars and so on eventually? I'll think that you'll find if you look deeper that the Arabs per se do not have a stranglehold on oil in the world market. What about Russia, Nigeria, Khazakhstan, South America, Alaska etc etc? What has happened to North Sea oil? Why are we depending on foreign imports now? Anyone want to contribute to this? Again, a huge subject you've touched on here mate. Ultimately its market speculation/ manipulation that appears to be the prime cause of this leap in the price of a barrel. AND as you so rightly point out - a GREEDY Chancellor who is geting us deeper and deeper in debt! Where does he spend it all? There's a challenge to the Tories. Any takers? Good one mate. No need to apologise for disagreeing with me. I'm married and used to it LOL All the best Rob > Hi Rob... > I'm a tight bugga ..being a Yorkshireman..and I agree with most every > thought and protest again'st these fuel price rises..It really pi**es me > off..all these extra tax ..we pay just to cover for incompetence waste > in > government departments. > Our transport system is way behind the rest of modern Europe.. at last > check ..some 18yrs behind..no matter who's in government ..they're all > wasteful ba**ards..just filling their pension pockets.....fuel rises ain't > gonna affect them ...even in their limosines !!... > Having said all this ..I have a fu**in problem ..personal ...can you > please > leave the A1- M11 and A12 alone ...I'm ex forces...and we have a > berevement > in Colchester 14th september...with loads of lads coming down from > Yorkshire / Lancashire Scotland and west country to funeral...'yep' it's > gonna cost us a fu**in bomb in fuel...but for once ...this 'old' soldier > is > worth the journey. > Other wise I hope your protest ..hits the city circular system and all > exept > above...??? > Have a good day...We are with you ...are you with us !! > Regards...Ronnie... Ronnie Hope everything goes well on the day mate. Our sympathies. Must have been a nice bloke to have so many friends travel so far to see him out. I've posted your email. If for whatever reason you do get stuck you can blame the 'wasteful ba**ards' whom you have referred to. Let us know how it goes. Best wishes and Good Luck Rob www.fuelprotest.com > Hi Rob > I applaud your idea of the protest and fully support it and have > registered > my email address with the website. > > However last time the fuel protests took place, it seems the organisers > lost > their bottle and backed out of it resulting in Blair and Brown rubbing > their > oily hands together. > > This time I sincerely hope that the protest gets carried until a positive > result has been made. > > Regards > > Mark Exon > Mark Thanks for your support. Well, we've tried to galvanise the ordinary car users with little effect till now. We'll keep on trying. Any ideas? The Fuel Lobby is promising direct action. Are you planning to join in? We echo your sentiments but hope that Blair & Brown PLC sort their act out before it comes to blockades and fuel shortages. If they don't it'll be interesting to see who caves in first this time?! We'll see how the British public reacts to this at the next election... Keep in touch Rob > Hi Rob > > Can I offer another way to protest? > > The government wants use to use E-Government > > The old way of protesting doesn't really work any more. > > Protest via E-mail, Fax or letter, hit them by messing up their > communications. > > Politicians use email fax and letters to talk to their constituents. > > Get everyone to email fax or send a letter to their politician every > day/week about fuel tax > > This will have two uses. > > Blocking up their email fax etc boxes of politicians > > They also need to respond to the communications. > > If you can list every politician in the UK on a page of your site so > people can email fax or post them. > > The government system should grind to a halt because they will not be > able to filter the different types of communications > > Hope this helps > > Regards > > Mark Williams Mark Thanks for the email. Bang on the nail! Why doesn't everyone who has read this do exactly what Mark suggests. Can anyone advise if MP's are obliged to respond to every communication they receive? We'll send an email every other day to every MP. We'll list MPs email addreses here but you'll find them with a quick Interweb search easily enough. No point in blanket emails. They will just respond likewise. Ask for specific details on policy or ask them to respond to your personal issues. Those demand a specific and more time-demanding response. It will also get the message across better. I don't know about Westminster grinding to a halt but certainly it will get the point across. Tell the buggers how high fuel duty is crippling your business or adversely affecting your life. Warn New Labour that you will base your next vote on the party with the more reasoned and sustainable fuel policy. The problem is that it looks like the Tories, if they win the next general election, will be inheriting another shambles...oh well.... Want to write some more for the website, Mark? Keep in touch Rob > Hi Rob, > Thank you for your reply. > As you realise I am against blockades and am worried about the > consequences. My mother who is 86 has just come out from hospital > following > a heart attack. Both myself and my sister are currently doing a lot of > mileage to make sure we keep a close eye on her. This includes taking her > to > hospital appointments as she is unable to use public transport and the > ambulance pick up would make a very long day of the appointment, and we > also > do the shopping for her. I am concerned that your actions in 2000 if > repeated would leave her with no support. > I am not the only person with this kind of issue. Should you take > action such that my mother suffers I hope you will be able to sleep at > night. > The rights and wrongs of the UK tax situation are a legitimate > subject for debate. However as I stated in my first letter I feel I could > not take similar action against a farm or transport firm without laying > myself open to criminal and/or civil actions. I'm sure you're aware that > the > same will apply to your organisation. > > We will I'm afraid have to differ over tactics. > > Thank you again for your reply. > Geoff > Geoff Nice to hear from you again. So sorry to hear about your mother and your current predicament. Hope she is back on her feet soon... What to say mate? Its not a matter we here can affect directly as its in the hands of the Government to do something to avoid direct action and the Fuel Lobby. At least the Govt has had plenty of notice to do something meaningful to make all our lives less taxing. We must add that we are not responsible for the promise of blockades although if they do kick off its because the Govt are playing stupid political games instead of sorting the immediate problem. Why don't you help us by writing to your MP to explain your predicament to him/her? That may put some pressure to bear to prevent direct action? All the best > Rob, > > Hard news about next week's blockades is thin on the ground. I am > supposed > to be driving my daughter back to university (Southampton to St Andrews > and > back - 3-4 tankfuls) next weekend. What are my chances? > > Ben Bennetts > > Ben No idea mate. Lots of different groups involved and lots of people panicking. Thought about the train instead just to be on the safe side? Rob > i am a car driver,but a bit curious. > > the public(bless them and not i) voted this lot of wastrel loonies in-and > these are their spending plans what taxes do you expect to go up to > replace this windfall-as receipts were down until this happened. > > secondly a large part of the fuel price increase is due to chinese/indian > demand what cheap imported goods should british consumer give up to dampen > down demand-affordable clothing? > > with no democratic mandate why do you feelyou have a right to threaten us > again with blockades > > brian Brian Valid questions. We are too busy at the moment to go into details but wouldn't an honest up-front tax be better? That would let us more easily use our democratic mandate when we vote next! This is how we want to protest. We would like to point out AGAIN that www.fuelprotest.com is not organising these blockades. We prefer to have peaceful protests but we can understand why folks out there feel that they have no other option to make Blair & Brown PLC sit up and listen. Blockades will also get faster results than promising to vote for the other guy. I read today that Brown has borrowed another £33 billion on our behalf! Where is it all going? Are we ever going to get back in the black again? Don't blame the protesters please Brian. Blame those 'wastrel loonies' who aren't listening. Folks have a democratic right to protest peacefully. Let's hope it is peaceful.... > Hello, > > Could you please tell me if your organisation is involved in the > proposed fuel protests next week? > > Thank you > > > Tom Bergin > > European Oil and Gas Correspondent > > Reuters > > Tel.: 00 44 207 542 1029 > Mobile: 07990 560 683 > Reuters Messaging: tom.bergin.reuters.com@reuters.net > > > To view my most recent stories, please click here: > > http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newssearchresults.aspx?srch="tom%20bergi > n"&searchtype=a > > > REUTERS.KNOW.NOW. > www.reuters.com Hi Tom This is a website and not an organisation. What our readers/ visitors wish to do is up to them. Regards > Hi is there a protest arranged for 2005, its now September and we are > looking at £1.04 a Litre of petrol in parts of Kent. > > We have to do something soon > > Regards > > Paul > (Dover) Hi Paul I'm sure you know the answer to this by now. Blockades and go slows are planned for Wed onwards. Can we suggest that if you take part, that you also use your vote when the time comes, mate. Thanks Rob > Subject: Petrol Prices > > I have received the following and am passing it on as suggested. It might > just work: > > See what you think and pass it on if you agree with it. We are hitting 95p > a litre in some areas now, soon we will be faced with paying £1 a ltr. > > This makes MUCH MORE SENSE than the "don't buy petrol on a certain day" > > campaign that was going around last April or May! The oi |