11 hours ago, KenONeill said:

I await with interest your calculations to show that a Scale electric car has an engine swept volume over 1.4 litres.

What has engine capacity to do with travel expenses. Its a set rate nowadays and doesnt vary for the size or type of engine. Please explain if I am incorrect.

3 minutes ago, gkr47 said:

What has engine capacity to do with travel expenses.

It was a variable the last time I saw the official IR tables.

10 hours ago, skomaz said:

 

20 is definitely a record...   Its usually about 3 before he spouts off about putting cash into his pension to avoid paying tax, or how much he earns, or his little solar generator and battery, or something to do with politics 🤣

 

Just for factual correction I have three solar generators, the 1.8 kWh Bluetti EB180 and a couple of Powkey 407 Wh as below single panel which are mainly for testing of various aspects of not only solar generation but and probably mainly the storage of electrical power downloaded in the 0030 to 0430 super cheap power supply and use during the day and they have a nifty solar input for charging for free on a nice sunny day.

 

My aim is to have at least 10 kWh of storage by mid autumn, probably Bluetti AC 200 or 300 series with extra batteries and at least 2 kW of solar generation to add to my existing half a kW currently held.

 

I will be able to charge up and on good days have enough power to not only run the house but charge the EV a bit too. Take that Putin!

 

Edited 24 April, 20224 yr by lol-lol

?

Has anyone here actually now reduced the speed they normally drive at to reduce income to Russia or decided not to use their vehicle,

maybe turned their home heating totally off if they would still have it on at this time of year or in this weather?

1 hour ago, Pete_Ex-Wino said:

Blowhards should expect to be mocked, and bring it on themselves. Hope this helps. 

 

You could well be right but it is not my fault as I was born a Leo with Leo rising.

 

A I have said my intention is so that the less well off do not continue to absorb the UK gov line that we are all in this together as we are not, tax loop holes still exist as big as ever, barely have of all monies transferred is taxed and hence those seeing their pay slips this month will see a horror show unfold and linked with runaway inflation UK people are facing the worse cost of living crisis for at least half a century. 

 

As the UK public we can continue to take the well off massaging the system for their own ends or vote to change it.  I am probably going to vote Lib-Dem as Labour will not win in a well off part of Worcester I live in but we need to stop our Con Leaders and see them for what they are and fortunately that is happening as their true nature is being exposed.  If it take some wrath coming my way to be the messenger of this then so be it. 

 

5 minutes ago, roottoot said:

?

Has anyone here actually now reduced the speed they normally drive at to reduce income to Russia or decided not to use their vehicle,

maybe turned their home heating totally off if they would still have it on at this time of year or in this weather?

 

Weather has been quite warm in mid and late April down here and I have certainly used less gas but that is helped by Octopus's super detailed account information on line so I reckon I am doing well on that count despite the massive rise in gas prices even with Octopus.

 

As to road driving, and I drive a lot, I notice very little difference in any as I see car drivers pilling along at or above the speed limits.  

The huge amount of motorway road works and speed controlled areas on motorways mean loads of 50/55 mph areas but as soon as it end car drivers plant their foot down and are back up to an indicated 80 which I can note by my speed differential or occasional I will get up to those speeds to but then I am usually in my EV or my super efficient 1.4 TDI Fabia.

 

We are living in a bit of a phoney war period with the cost of living at the moment as it is only as and when the energy bills hit over the next few weeks and people notice that their salary or pension has actually gone way down in real terms that it will dawn just what a pickle many of the UK consumers are in.

 

40% in fuel poverty is a figure doing the rounds ! 

 

55 minutes ago, KenONeill said:

It was a variable the last time I saw the official IR tables.

 

It use to, happy days.  There were 3 tiers, under 1500cc, 1500-2000 cc and over 2000 cc which we 35, 45 and 63 pence per mile respectively.

 

As HMRC Officer, and other civil servants and possibly other members of the public who could get away with it with employers the over 2 litre rate was an absolute gold mine.  Imagine, 63 p per mile and doing long runs as I was having a Crown transfer from Plymouth to Gloucester.

 

Officers would trawl the Auto trader magazine looking for the low mileage cars that were just over 2 litres so the 2.3 litre Fords and the 2.2 litre Renaults and Vauxhalls were favourite.  Of course you would do the 10K miles in the tax year and then refuse or connive to not use ones car until the mileage allowance reset on April 6th to go back to the 63p and not have to be only claim 25 p per mile.  Rover 3.5 litre was probably not the best choice doing only about 19 mpg but the 2.6 Rover replaced it was much better at around 27 mpg.  

 

How anyone can run a car at 45 p per mile since fuel went to £1.60 to £1.75 a litre unless one runs one of those fine Dacias or go back a few years and get hold of cars like my Fabia 1.4 TDI.  No road tax, 75 mpg, cheap insurance. No sign HM Treasury is revising the 45 p per mile upwards but then if you have a ministerial car and first class rail travel refunded then where is the incentive and one can pretend to be green at the same time.  

  

59 minutes ago, roottoot said:

?

Has anyone here actually now reduced the speed they normally drive at to reduce income to Russia or decided not to use their vehicle,

maybe turned their home heating totally off if they would still have it on at this time of year or in this weather?

No option to reduce my driving as I'm 'next of kin' for a relative who is in hospital 120 miles from where I'm living.

 

In the last 3 weeks it has snowed twice and been several morning frosts where I'm staying so turning the heating off hasn't been an option, but I have turned it down 2 degrees.

 

Having said all that, I'm doing everything possible to avoid giving any support, financial or moral, to any Russian or Belarussian people or organisations.

59 minutes ago, lol-lol said:

You could well be right but it is not my fault as I was born a Leo with Leo rising.

Not all of us who are Leo's born with Leo rising have the same approach to life.

Snowed here as well, had to de-ice cars in the morning and had the heating off for weeks now.   But my house has been bl00dy cold.    I am being tight and living by my means and cutting cloth etc etc.    I will maybe do more cutting when the UK government start rationing fuel once they do stop all imports from Russia or from countries buying from Russia which includes EU ones. 

1 hour ago, lol-lol said:

tax loop holes still exist as big as ever

 

As the UK public we can continue to take the well off massaging the system for their own ends...   a well off part of Worcester I live in...   see them for what they are...    their true nature is being exposed.

 

 

But yo say yhis and yet your posts indicate you are a part of this as much as the 'well off' and 'conservatives' are. 

 

Its quite stunning that you cannot see this and the hipocritical nature of your posts. 

2 hours ago, Pete_Ex-Wino said:

Blowhards should expect to be mocked, and bring it on themselves.

 

 

Indeed...   And very nicely phrased...   I'm sure there are other words you could have used

2 hours ago, Pete_Ex-Wino said:

Blowhards should expect to be mocked, and bring it on themselves.

 

 

Indeed...   And very nicely phrased...   I'm sure there are other words you could have used

2 hours ago, Pete_Ex-Wino said:

Blowhards should expect to be mocked, and bring it on themselves.

 

 

Indeed...   And very nicely phrased...   I'm sure there are other words you could have used

2 hours ago, Pete_Ex-Wino said:

Blowhards should expect to be mocked, and bring it on themselves.

 

 

Indeed...   And very nicely phrased...   I'm sure there are other words you could have used

2 hours ago, Pete_Ex-Wino said:

Blowhards should expect to be mocked, and bring it on themselves.

 

 

Indeed...   And very nicely phrased...   I'm sure there are other words you could have used

2 hours ago, Pete_Ex-Wino said:

Blowhards should expect to be mocked, and bring it on themselves.

 

 

Indeed...   And very nicely phrased...   I'm sure there are other words you could have used

2 hours ago, Pete_Ex-Wino said:

Blowhards should expect to be mocked, and bring it on themselves.

 

 

Indeed...   And very nicely phrased...   I'm sure there are other words you could have used

New York New York.  They named it twice. 

36 minutes ago, skomaz said:

 

But yo say yhis and yet your posts indicate you are a part of this as much as the 'well off' and 'conservatives' are. 

 

Its quite stunning that you cannot see this and the hipocritical nature of your posts. 

 

If the Conservative government set the game then one would be an absolute fool not to take advantage of it and I think it is more important that one exposes the system for what it is and vote to change it.

 

When in Rome.

 

But work for a fairer country. 

 

If I did not do the £40k a year in to pension tax avoidance I would pay another £17k in taxation instead of that £17K going in to my pension pot.  I will still pay tax on the £50k or so of earning I leave exposed to PAYE so still paying a whack of income tax and NI including the new NI hike which is badly needed for social care which has been very badly funded for many years.

 

I do not agree with much of the UK government spending. Trident and even continuing upping the anti in Ukraine is going to have a very severe cost on the middle class and poor in the UK, but hardly effect the wealthy who will, as ever, find ways to do OK through it all.   

   

Just now, roottoot said:

New York New York.  They named it twice. 

 

So good they named it twice. New York city in New York state.  I'll take that and give you Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath.

Track, Album, Artist.

 

Best played at volume 11.......... 

 

 

30 minutes ago, roottoot said:

New York New York.  They named it twice. 

 

Tablet tablet playing playing up up 🤣

54 minutes ago, skomaz said:

 

Tablet tablet playing playing up up 🤣

 

Taking too many tablets can have such effects. 

So, when I posed my question yesterday I was reminded of the wise advice written on fireworks when I was a kid “Light blue touch paper and retire immediately “ 😉

 

Reading through the comments since it’s interesting it’s mainly about the legality of minimising tax liability and how it can be done within the rules. However, my point was about the moral debate.

 

Anyway, as a few have said, we’re now miles off the topic of speeds, fuel consumption, Russian oil imports and supporting Ukraine (however indirectly all that may be).

 

Thanks all for an interesting, lively and, in parts, unexpected debate which has probably now run its course.

For my part, I’ll take a few mph off my usual cruising speed, saving a few drops of fuel, slightly reducing imports of oil, save a few £ over each tankful to add more directly to my support the Ukrainian appeal.

Fair enough if less fuel used in the UK does decrease the 8% of oil that is imported from Russia but that is unlikely.

It might decrease the road fuel produced in the UK from oil from British waters and bought or imported and bought though. 

Mony a mickle maks a muckle. 

 

 If it makes a difference the Government can just reduce the NSL's for passenger cars by 10 mph.

They will not do that before the local elections though. 

44 minutes ago, sneal said:

So, when I posed my question yesterday I was reminded of the wise advice written on fireworks when I was a kid “Light blue touch paper and retire immediately “ 😉

Reading through the comments since it’s interesting it’s mainly about the legality of minimising tax liability and how it can be done within the rules. However, my point was about the moral debate.

Anyway, as a few have said, we’re now miles off the topic of speeds, fuel consumption, Russian oil imports and supporting Ukraine (however indirectly all that may be).

Thanks all for an interesting, lively and, in parts, unexpected debate which has probably now run its course.

For my part, I’ll take a few mph off my usual cruising speed, saving a few drops of fuel, slightly reducing imports of oil, save a few £ over each tankful to add more directly to my support the Ukrainian appeal.

 

As I understand it it is diesel fuel we get from Russia due to the Specific Gravity etc of their crude compared to petrol and lighter distillates that come from the sweet oil we get from the North Sea so if you have a petrol car then use it more, pay more taxes to fund the UK's funding in Ukraine.

If you have a nasty evil diesel then, as you can see that Shell and probably other outlets have Russian diesel in their system.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60948439  

 a bright red tanker carrying 33,000 tonnes of Russian diesel sailed up the Thames and delivered its cargo in Grays, Essex.

Its arrival - which doesn't violate sanctions - highlights the UK's dependence on Russia, which supplies nearly a fifth of the country's diesel.

   

 

Of course that Chinese made item you buy may have made its way over to Europe powered by Russian diesel in the container ship.

China is still honouring its diesel supply from Russia, 1.6 M barrels a day and of course buys natural gas as well from Russian pipelines so indirectly you may be buying products that in part have got to you via Russian diesel.  Supply chain is such a complicated field.  We, in my company, are trying to lower our CO2  profile and we buy almost 1 million TEU container spaces per year mainly from SE Asia and half a million tonnes of airfreight.  Airfreight is now even more expensive a Western aircraft have to fly around the Russian and other territories so each air freighted item requires more fuel to get to Europe which raises the price of fuel and puts more money in to Putin's pocket.

 

Drive an EV, or cycle, and live like a hermit might be the only way to have a big effect on Putin maybe. 

 

Oh and the 7 speed DSG is a more economically box than the manual, well it was in the 150 hp 1.4 TSI Mk 3 Octy, 57 mpg DSG against 55 mpg manual I recall, particularly the free wheeling function in ECO mode, bloody awesome.  I could get wheel over 60 mpg when tootling along.

 

Edited 24 April, 20224 yr by lol-lol

Skoda have apparently managed to produce an engine / car that seems to be very low on diesel use even if people are not even hypermiling.

Maybe even with legal engine management software.  

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/503475-836-mpg

 

 

I drive as economically as possible within reason (unless it's on a Saturday since that's the day I blow the cobwebs oot) since I'm a student and petrol is so ****ing expensive these days. I'm only seeing about 36-38mpg mind you, however, I'm usually driving with the car being three (and a dog) or four folk up, then with shopping/various paraphernalia in the boot of the car. But yes, I do try to do my bit, even if only for saving dosh.