UKIP's Pete Burkinshaw off on one
Discussion
I can accept his views, even if I disagree with them, but eesh, even ardent UKIP fans must be wincing at not even trying to justify any of his views.
http://www.camcycle.org.uk/elections/2013maycounty...
http://www.camcycle.org.uk/elections/2013maycounty...
kwit.It *might* be a less stupid move than first appears - he knows (or at least assumes) anyone vaguely pro-cycling is not going to vote for him anyway, he can attempt to grab people with a beef against cambridge cyclists (and at times I can't help but have sympathy with them....)
On the other hand, it worries me that people will go away from that thinking "this is what libertarianism means". If it's a choice between that and, say, labour... well that's not exactly an enticing choice.
Still, he's in my constituency, so I've emailed him detailing a)why I won't vote for him and b)why he's a generally awful person. I'm looking forward to the response, if he can operate a keyboard that is
On the other hand, it worries me that people will go away from that thinking "this is what libertarianism means". If it's a choice between that and, say, labour... well that's not exactly an enticing choice.
Still, he's in my constituency, so I've emailed him detailing a)why I won't vote for him and b)why he's a generally awful person. I'm looking forward to the response, if he can operate a keyboard that is
He seems to be of the opinion that cyclists pay absolutely nothing toward the upkeep of any roads in either VED, income tax, or any of the other myriad taxes that we can't avoid. He comes across in this as a very arrogant and bitter man who, obviously, has never cycled in his life but has a real hatred for cyclists. Exactly the kind of idiot I really hope never drives up behind me when I'm cycling because they won't give you any more room at all, 'because you don't pay road tax.'
It's my understanding that cyclists on average pay more tax and work longer into old age, while being healthier and needing less NHS treatment because they cycle and are generally fit and healthy. That's kind of the point of the initiative to get more people cycling. So for him to blindly state that cyclists contribute nothing is, at best, a BIG misunderstanding of the facts, and at worst blind ignorance and intolerance.
Or maybe he's just a dick?
It's my understanding that cyclists on average pay more tax and work longer into old age, while being healthier and needing less NHS treatment because they cycle and are generally fit and healthy. That's kind of the point of the initiative to get more people cycling. So for him to blindly state that cyclists contribute nothing is, at best, a BIG misunderstanding of the facts, and at worst blind ignorance and intolerance.
Or maybe he's just a dick?
Exactly right. The VED on my car is £275 / year. I pay close to £11K in income tax, £4K+ in NI, my council tax is £1660/year. VAT on the bike and kit.
Ok so there is a lot of tax on petrol but his attitude is cyclist contribute nothing and everything is paid for by the motorist, when the only direct tax involved in having a car on the public road is the VED which is a couple of hundred quid a year.
Don't know why his attitude winds me up so much. Normally wont even give a UKIP member the honor of listening to them.
Ok so there is a lot of tax on petrol but his attitude is cyclist contribute nothing and everything is paid for by the motorist, when the only direct tax involved in having a car on the public road is the VED which is a couple of hundred quid a year.
Don't know why his attitude winds me up so much. Normally wont even give a UKIP member the honor of listening to them.
People arguing against him regarding VED/Road Tax, just stop. It's more stupid than the original suggestion.
Some cars pay no VED as it's based on carbon emissions, it's a mute point. Even if cycles were classed as cars, they wouldn't need to pay VED as they produce no emissions.
There is no argument to be had.
Some cars pay no VED as it's based on carbon emissions, it's a mute point. Even if cycles were classed as cars, they wouldn't need to pay VED as they produce no emissions.
There is no argument to be had.
Camcycle knew he'd give them that - they got the same out of UKIP in 2009. It's not UKIP trolling cyclists here, it's the other way around.
I'm a vegetarian, cargobike owning, muesli eater and even I couldn't bear to keep up my Camcycle subs. I got the sense that if you thought there was more to cycling than riding on 2m wide separate cycle lane to the fair trade market stall to fill your dutch panniers with organic produce, you were a backslider.
Good luck to them, but I somehow managed to do the car-free thing for a bit with two small kids despite imperfect infrastructure. Sure it'd be good if there was more, it seems to me they end up implying cycling is unreasonably dangerous without a Dutch cycle network, when its not the vast majority of the time.
I'm a vegetarian, cargobike owning, muesli eater and even I couldn't bear to keep up my Camcycle subs. I got the sense that if you thought there was more to cycling than riding on 2m wide separate cycle lane to the fair trade market stall to fill your dutch panniers with organic produce, you were a backslider.
Good luck to them, but I somehow managed to do the car-free thing for a bit with two small kids despite imperfect infrastructure. Sure it'd be good if there was more, it seems to me they end up implying cycling is unreasonably dangerous without a Dutch cycle network, when its not the vast majority of the time.
DrMekon said:
Camcycle knew he'd give them that - they got the same out of UKIP in 2009. It's not UKIP trolling cyclists here, it's the other way around.
But it's not just directed at UKIP, it's to all the parties, so they are not guilty of singling them out. As was said earlier, I think UKIP are just playing the numbers game, as there are going to be more people who drive than cycle.Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff