So what do we get for our motoring taxes? - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

russellw · 09-04-2003, 02:24

Playing with a few numbers last night, I got to wondering just how much tac (direct and indirect) the average motorist contributes to the State and Federal Government coffers and what we actually get for it.

Using my own numbers for the last 6 months and extrapolating them out over 3 years we have something that looks like this:

GST on vehicle purchase (Fed) $ 6,350
LCT on vehicle purchase (Fed) 3,472
Stamp Duty on purchase (Vic) 1,993
Registration (Vic) 1,485
Fuel Excise (Fed) 4,320
Fuel Tax (Vic) 1,152
GST on Fuel 806
GST on services 545

Total $ 20,123

For this princely sum I get the following.

1. The joy of driving on the pot hole ridden goat tracks that pass for roads down here.

2. The pleasure of dodging the roadside revenue raisers for fear that I'll add more to the tax bill.

3. The boredom of cruising the few decent roads we do have at a speed that would euthanise a snail.

4. The concentration required to watch my speedo everywhere I go to ensure I don't creep more than a miserable 3 km/h over the limit.

5. The honour of being treated like a criminal (soon) if I should do something so horribly irresponsible as munch on a choccie while cruising down the aforementioned boring highway.

It's frankly enough to make me wonder why we even bother.
Or why we are continually silent at the continued invasions of the few personal freedoms we have left. Don't bother answering, it's a rhetorical question. I well know that all of these measures are termed in such a way that despite them being honoured only in the breach by the average citizenry, you have to sound like an irresponsible lout to argue against them. A quick look at the number of speeding infringements issued in this State on an annual basis tells you that there meust be about 3 people who haven't been caught. They must be the same three who get up and are interviewed every time one of these measures is adopted and bleat about how good for road safety it is. Presumably they are also fans of Fred Nile and knit booties in their spare time.

Thus I am happy to declare myself as an irresponsible lout and say that I've had it with these lying assholes who pretend to be doing us a service whilst placing their hand in our pockets at every chance.
The early stats for this year are the biggest indictment of the present road toll minimisation strategy as they have failed to make even the smallest dent in the numbers.

So -

I do nudge the beast over the nanny approved limit when I feel it is safe to do so.
I do eat the odd choccie while cruising the Hume.
I've spun the rear wheels on the odd occasion.
I enjoy driving my car.

Cheers
Russ

fordfan351 · 09-04-2003, 04:40

Well said....

last night i was watching the news and they said owing to speed restrictons and policing the road toll has fallen by 32%

they then showed stats showing the road toll for this year and it was up 11 over this time last year...

the power of propaganda hey

Rollin · 09-04-2003, 05:50

Quote:

3. The boredom of cruising the few decent roads we do have at a speed that would euthanise a snail.

too bloody right!!! - Russell that post was brilliant!

pretty much all of what you said is true for queensland as well.

Quote:

I do nudge the beast over the nanny approved limit when I feel it is safe to do so.
I do eat the odd choccie while cruising the Hume.
I've spun the rear wheels on the odd occasion.
I enjoy driving my car.

i will pay that, and raise you this: (and if anyone has a problem with it, you know where to go!!)

I wind my speedo around the dial every chance i get
I eat hungry jacks whopper meals on the highway - one handed with the cruise on
I smoke the bags whenever i feel the need - not sustained, just enough to bring a smile to my dial off the lights
I bloody LOVE driving my car, its the most enjoyable thing i do (er...activities with persons of the opposite sex not included lol) and i drive it the way i want, though with respect for other road users of course.

I pays my money for a performance-oriented car, i uses the performance available.

I suffer the monetary and licence-loss penalty.

I get my licence back and do it all over again.

I love my car and driving.

rsgerry · 09-04-2003, 06:16

YAYYYYYY

i agree with everyone (a first in itself).

i have also got a confession to make. i love driving fast. sorry, but i cant help it. the fiesta isnt really built for speed, so it doesnt happen much in that, but the XR6....well, thats a different story. if i see a ricer, i feel that i have a moral obligation to destroy. and i do.

i love driving late at night, with few cars, fewer cameras, cool breeze and the stereo up too loud. i love setting records for myself. great fun, however, i will keep some of the details to myself.....

i love thrashing the car.

just wait till the RS is running (a matter of weeks now...). i have 'R'spec tyres on that baby and fully intend to use them.

XR8 Lamah · 09-04-2003, 13:32

huh ? I've obviously missed something here - are they making eating while driving illegal now ?

Well they better freakin ban chicks walking down the side of the road in tight clothing, cause for me that far far more distracting than eating :)

If this is serious, they should logically also ban smoking while driving - I wonder if the Govt is brave enough to try *that* stunt ?

BLACK XR6-VCT · 09-04-2003, 15:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by russellw

$ 20,123

Don't forget that Bracks is going to impose tolls on the Scoresby Freeway. You can add this to the bottom line. Oh and the worst thing
about that is, that the Scoresby freeway had already been paid for by us, the tax payers under the previous government. However due to enless squandering of money those funds have been redirected and the tax payer will effectively be paying twice for this freeway!

Aussie Pete · 09-04-2003, 15:44

Russell:
Poke hard enough and you'll find even many of the 'do-gooders' and proponents of speed controls have themselves been caught for speeding.

This country is going to the dogs. Victoria first.

marine1 · 09-05-2003, 00:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aussie Pete

Russell:
Poke hard enough and you'll find even many of the 'do-gooders' and proponents of speed controls have themselves been caught for speeding.

This country is going to the dogs. Victoria first.

Make that Steve Bracks 1st AP.........

Rollin · 09-07-2003, 05:40

Quote:

if i see a ricer, i feel that i have a moral obligation to destroy. and i do.

i love driving late at night, with few cars, fewer cameras, cool breeze and the stereo up too loud. i love setting records for myself. great fun, however, i will keep some of the details to myself.....

i love thrashing the car.

WOOOOHOOOO!!!!!!! im not the only one!!!! ON YA RSGERRY!!!!! now THATS what the F*CK im talking about - esp the ricers bit - though im finding it damn hard to get a race lately- possibly they know my car now? have to stick to VN onwards now lol...

on ya rs, keep that XR on the boil - and preferably drive in such a way that you have to look out the side windows of the vehicle to be looking in the directoin of travel... passengers go

driver goes :s6:

Curls · 09-08-2003, 16:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by BLACK XR6-VCT

Don't forget that Bracks is going to impose tolls on the Scoresby Freeway. You can add this to the bottom line. Oh and the worst thing
about that is, that the Scoresby freeway had already been paid for by us, the tax payers under the previous government. However due to enless squandering of money those funds have been redirected and the tax payer will effectively be paying twice for this freeway!

I'll think you'll find it wasn't an allocated item in the forward estimates of the Kennett budget and therefore wasn't "allowed" for down the track. The Brack's governments decision, based on strong greenie lobbying, to use a tunnel rather than "cutout" has increased the costs by over $200 Million. Dare I say, no tunnel and there might not have been a toll which would have forced Howard to cough up his promised share as well. More buck passing then a Bull in a rodeo.