http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/feb/03/shell-profits-nearly-one-point-six-million-an-hour

What i don't understand in all of this is the price we pay is quartered for fuel in the USA, so how can the prices we pay be justified, yes i know they are always banging on about Carbon Footprint in this country etc, but the average American car is what 4 litre engine size surely their emissions would be more and their Carbon output astronomical so how is all this fair?

Isn't something like two thirds of everything we pay on fuel in the UK going straight to the government as tax anyway?

Quote from: Bacon on February 03, 2011, 15:03:23 PM
What i don't understand in all of this is the price we pay is quartered for fuel in the USA, so how can the prices we pay be justified, yes i know they are always banging on about Carbon Footprint in this country etc, but the average American car is what 4 litre engine size surely their emissions would be more and their Carbon output astronomical so how is all this fair?

Just happened to read this earlier: http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=20812 and it's still under 3 dollars a gallon over there! they don't know they are born! lol

58.95p/litre goes to the government.

THEN there's 20% VAT.

So, if you're paying £1.30/litre, over 80p is going to the government.

Quote from: Bacon on February 03, 2011, 15:03:23 PM
What i don't understand in all of this is the price we pay is quartered for fuel in the USA, so how can the prices we pay be justified, yes i know they are always banging on about Carbon Footprint in this country etc, but the average American car is what 4 litre engine size surely their emissions would be more and their Carbon output astronomical so how is all this fair?

I know the last time I hired a car in Canada they were most apologetic because they only had an "economy" model available. It had a 3L V6.

Quote from: Goblin on February 03, 2011, 17:09:50 PM
58.95p/litre goes to the government.

THEN there's 20% VAT.

So, if you're paying £1.30/litre, over 80p is going to the government.

How much is car tax a year ?
Also to be fair to the government, how much is the cost of keeping and building roads, bridges, tunnels etc. ? and what is the cost of car accidents, injuries etc. ?

Quote from: bear on February 04, 2011, 07:14:31 AMHow much is car tax a year ?
Also to be fair to the government, how much is the cost of keeping and building roads, bridges, tunnels etc. ? and what is the cost of car accidents, injuries etc. ?

car tax is based on carbon emissions so goes from £0 for electric cars to £800 for a car/4x4 with a very big engine.... lorrys can pay up to £1500

iirc, the car tax collected more than covers all the costs to maintain/build roads etc..


what annoys me is the fact that if it was for the fact that the cost is nearly all tax, the government would step in and do something to force the oil companies to cut the price !