Jubal
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| posted on 5/6/08 at 03:13 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by mr hendersonAs for it frighening the government? Don't make me laugh! A few traffic jams around Manchester,
yeah, very frightening I'm sure!
The British public is apathetic about almost everything. The best they can usually manage is an online petition. Any gathering of this nature will be
taken seriously. Of course, it's not likely to directly affect anything but it will make a difference to the way politicians think about the
situation.
You have to remember that outside election time demos are one of the few tools available to the public to show their voice en masse. They are hard to
organise and those who actually go are the tip of the iceberg. This is shown by the generally supportive comments about this event.
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Jasper
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| posted on 5/6/08 at 03:15 PM |
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Whilst I don't like high fuel prices, it's certainly having an effect on the habit of motorists. How many people on here are thinking of
getting a car with better fuel economy for the commute, or think twice about taking their car out?
And only today on the news they were saying how the sale of 4x4's have dropped dramatically.
I've even started cycling to work, keeps me fit and saves me loads of ££££....
However public transport is a joke in Brighton - two of us got the bus the other day, only about 2 miles max, and it was £6.40 return!! Would have
been cheaper to take the car and park.....
So whilst it may be painful I do think it's having a good effect on our motoring habits, unfortunately in the big scheme of things globally what
we do in the UK has such as a small effect it's almost not worth bothering with, unless China and India do the same....
If you're not living life on the edge you're taking up too much room.
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chrisg
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| posted on 5/6/08 at 03:44 PM |
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It'll stop all those nasty poor people blocking up the road for us plutocrats, that's got to be good.
I earn £500,000 a year a bit extra tax and petrols not going to bother me.
(unless I crash and there's no nurses at the hospital because they can't afford to drive there)
Is there no "solution" to the enviromental/congestion problem that doesn't involve pricing the less off out of their cars?
a fair way?
Cheers
Chris 
Note to all: I really don't know when to leave well alone. I tried to get clever with the mods, then when they gave me a lifeline to see the
error of my ways, I tried to incite more trouble via u2u. So now I'm banned, never to return again. They should have done it years ago!
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mr henderson
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| posted on 5/6/08 at 04:36 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Jubal
quote:
Originally posted by mr hendersonAs for it frighening the government? Don't make me laugh! A few traffic jams around Manchester,
yeah, very frightening I'm sure!
The British public is apathetic about almost everything. The best they can usually manage is an online petition. Any gathering of this nature will be
taken seriously. Of course, it's not likely to directly affect anything but it will make a difference to the way politicians think about the
situation.
No it won't. The government are already very well aware that the fuel prices are extremely unpopular.
quote:
Originally posted by Jubal
You have to remember that outside election time demos are one of the few tools available to the public to show their voice en masse. They are hard to
organise and those who actually go are the tip of the iceberg. This is shown by the generally supportive comments about this event.
The only thing demonstrations like this (and virtually all other ones) do is to kid the people taking part that they are 'doing
something'. Well, they are doing something, but the thing that they are doing is wasting their own time, and the time of everybody else who gets
caught up in it.
Like I said, the government already knows.
Perhaps those who think the tax on petrol should be reduced would suggest where else that revenue could be raised.
Cutting the MP's salaries and benefits would be a very popular move, but probably wouldn't take as much as 1p off the price of fuel.
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mistergrumpy
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| posted on 5/6/08 at 06:47 PM |
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I was on a quite serious job today on a main road whilst in uniform when a load of protestors came past on bikes. I gave them a crafty wave and thumbs
up. The buggers went mad bipping horns and revving engines and waving. 
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Jubal
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| posted on 5/6/08 at 08:33 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by mr hendersonThe only thing demonstrations like this (and virtually all other ones) do is to kid the people taking
part that they are 'doing something'. Well, they are doing something, but the thing that they are doing is wasting their own time, and the
time of everybody else who gets caught up in it.
Like I said, the government already knows.
Glass half empty kinda guy eh? Nothing will change, so no point doing anything? I'm glad not everyone thinks like that.
quote:
Perhaps those who think the tax on petrol should be reduced would suggest where else that revenue could be raised.
Cutting the MP's salaries and benefits would be a very popular move, but probably wouldn't take as much as 1p off the price of fuel.
No-one's saying it isn't a difficult issue but no reason things can't be discussed. All the demonstraters are doing is opening those
discussions the only way they know how.
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andyps
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| posted on 5/6/08 at 09:40 PM |
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I was at Birch services this morning when they set off. I wasn't there to protest, it just happened to be the time I was around.
For anyone who says the protesters caused delays you are wrong, the delays and closures were caused by the Police. Basically, as the protest left
anyone else was blocked from leaving the services (that was me!) and anyone on the M62 had to wait on the motorway until they were all on their way,
the protesters being followed by two police cars (4x4's actually, so nice and green ) who were stopping anyone passing. So blame the police for
blocking and closing roads and causing the delays - they don't want us thinking this protesting lark is a good idea you know!
Not only that, there was a copper stood at the exit from the car park the protesters were leaving from with a video camera on a tripod which was
obviously filming everyone as they left, so those involved will now all be on record for being involved. If you think that is OK try filming the
Police and see what reaction you get. Last time I was told we apparently live in a free democracy, but it looked much more like a Police state to me
this morning.
More revolution please!
Andy
An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less
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mr henderson
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| posted on 6/6/08 at 07:14 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Jubal
quote:
Originally posted by mr hendersonThe only thing demonstrations like this (and virtually all other ones) do is to kid the people taking
part that they are 'doing something'. Well, they are doing something, but the thing that they are doing is wasting their own time, and the
time of everybody else who gets caught up in it.
Like I said, the government already knows.
Glass half empty kinda guy eh? Nothing will change, so no point doing anything? I'm glad not everyone thinks like that.
Starting to get a tiny bit personal there! I haven't said there is no point in doing anything! I have said there is no point in blocking
roads!!
quote:
Originally posted by Jubal
quote:
Perhaps those who think the tax on petrol should be reduced would suggest where else that revenue could be raised.
Cutting the MP's salaries and benefits would be a very popular move, but probably wouldn't take as much as 1p off the price of fuel.
No-one's saying it isn't a difficult issue but no reason things can't be discussed. All the demonstraters are doing is opening those
discussions the only way they know how.
They are not opening discussions, they are blocking roads. And before you say they didn't block roads, but that the police did, well, maybe that
was the way it worked out, but it was their intention..
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andyps
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| posted on 6/6/08 at 08:31 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by mr henderson I haven't said there is no point in doing anything! I have said there is no point in blocking
roads!!
So what do you think they should do?
quote:
Originally posted by mr hendersonThey are not opening discussions, they are blocking roads. And before you say they didn't block
roads, but that the police did, well, maybe that was the way it worked out, but it was their intention..
I don't think the intention was specifically to block roads, but it is an outcome of the demonstration that they will be using road space, one
lane on the M62 would have taken them all yesterday and not blocked the road. It was the Police that blocked the whole road. That was a deliberate
action by the Police which caused inconvenience to many not involved which could have easily been avoided had they used different methods. But then we
might all think protesting is a good idea and do more of it, and the more that happens the less chance the Police have of controlling us and they and
the government couldn't allow that to happen. It's for our own good of course, we don't understand and aren't as clever as
those in power
Andy
An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less
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woodster
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| posted on 6/6/08 at 09:14 AM |
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i think the next ones being planned i don't know the date yet ....... 22nd june was mentioned
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Jubal
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| posted on 6/6/08 at 09:48 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by mr hendersonStarting to get a tiny bit personal there! I haven't said there is no point in doing anything! I
have said there is no point in blocking roads!!
You said they were wasting their time. I was picking up on that. I accept that maybe you're not apathetic. But I think they achieved some goals
with this demo so we'll have to agree to differ.
quote:
They are not opening discussions, they are blocking roads. And before you say they didn't block roads, but that the police did, well,
maybe that was the way it worked out, but it was their intention..
If getting the issue on national tv, making us talk and getting others talking up and down the country isn't opening discussions then I
don't know what is.
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