Old Cars die
I agree with the idea to restrict old car imports, anything that enables us to tackle global warming can’t come fast enough…
The government is proposing restricting the age of second hand vehicles imported into the country to help cut vehicle emissions.
Ministers have also directed the Ministry of Transport to work with the motor industry on a regulated sales-weighted fuel economy standard for new and second-hand vehicles.
Associate Transport Minister Judith Tizard and Climate Change Minister David Parker said the measures would also involve options for improving the average fuel economy of vehicles entering the country.
"New Zealand imports all its vehicles so we have the opportunity to select the best - not the mediocre," Ms Tizard said. - which of course is funny coming from such a mediocre politician.
The only concerns I have are the same ones the Greens point out…
1) Any standards really need to apply to large vehicles like trucks and buses, which produce greater emissions, not just small cars as the Government proposes.
2) We have to remember that people on low incomes will be disproportionately affected by any moves in this direction, which will make car ownership even more expensive than it is now. Therefore, these moves must be offset by investment in public transport so that no-one is disadvantaged by not owning a car, but can get around freely and quickly by bus and train.
posted by Bomber @ 1:16 pm
13 comments
13 Comments:
This is like swatting a fly with a grenade. Is anyone in the Labour Government using their brain cell at the moment?
Instead of just banning all the old cars, did it ever occur to them to simply measure emissions during a WOF test? And then demand the owner tune his or her car?
Oh silly me, that's far too simple and wouldn't be a grand enough gesture in the fight against global warming.
According to the Herald editorial the key factor is how well maintained a car is and not how old it is. The worst 10% of cars cause around half of the emissions. And with a bit of TLC a car of any age can make it into the top 20% of clean vehicles. So the government "solution" is going to be to make cars more expensive to buy which presumably will make the all important maintenance less affordable.
Plus Bomber thinks it's a good idea so naturally alarm bells are ringing... ;)
Poor people like me and my family will find it harder to buy a cheap car. In recnt years it has been possible for almost anyone in South Auckland to have a car, but it may not happen anymore.
Well said you lot.
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actually it would be better to have cars stopped all together - but I imagine there might be some resistance to that. Our use of cars must fall if we are to contain Global warming which means more public transport and did none of you manage to read far enough through the blog to read...
The only concerns I have are the same ones the Greens point out…
1) Any standards really need to apply to large vehicles like trucks and buses, which produce greater emissions, not just small cars as the Government proposes.
2) We have to remember that people on low incomes will be disproportionately affected by any moves in this direction, which will make car ownership even more expensive than it is now. Therefore, these moves must be offset by investment in public transport so that no-one is disadvantaged by not owning a car, but can get around freely and quickly by bus and train.
North Korea and Albania prior to 1990 are the two places where private car ownership was banned. Cool. Lets be like them...
What about hybrid cars Bomber? Who knows, once we run out of oil, or it becomes too expensive, there will be the economic incentive to market alternatives...electric/hyrdrogen, who knows...surely there shouldn't be any problem with individual ownership under such circumstances?
Come on Bomber, public transport in NZ? It is shite. Improving it will take billions and we don't have the population density to make it viable, unless we tax the living f*ck out of NZers, who already pay a ridiculous amount of tax, or make that public transport very expensive, which kind of negates the whole point.
And who sold off the public transport networks in Auckland Deano? How long have we had right wing councils in Auckland who haven't given a fuck about public services knowing that people will come to Auckland regardless of the crap services. Wellington and Christchurch seem to have goo public transport, but not Auckland - and what do you think we will do to stop Global Warming tipping point in 10-15 year4s - or are you a climate denier as well as a Public Transport savant? The reality is that we have lived beyond our means with no sustainable alternative, but I love watching chickens come home to roost and all the twitching rationlisation that follows to try and deflect the obvious.
Public transport can never work in NZ on a large scale anyway - that is bloody obvious - it’s a numbers game. I can't see Bomber or his well known actor friends getting on a bus with the proletariat can you ???
Mind you if some of the fat NZ bastards walked or rode a bike more they might do themselves some good.
Just remembered though I rode my bike from Manurewa to Papakura once, after nearly getting sucked under a couple of trucks I soon gave that idea up.
I used to walk to the movies in Manukau and jog back but as the local riff-raff took over I had to give that up as well. I wouldn't be game, or foolhardy, enough to get on a bus or train at night, or in the day for that matter, anywhere in NZ.
Anyway, after years of saving got my first brand new car last year - LOVE IT.
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Um - actually I take public transport all the time and don't own a car, let me know when you start feeling stupid
Private transport produces less pollution per commuter than Busses and Trains. And before you say how about Electric bla bla, how was that electricity produced? It's a myth that busses are good for the environment. Ride a bike.
Z.
Bomber I expected you to have a Jag at least - hope you are not wasting your education.
Does your well-known actor friend(s) get the bus home alone at night - hope not unless big brave Bomber is there to protect her.
Ever worked shifts ??? Ever worked miles away from a bus route ....?? Ever worked at all.
Have you ever had to take someone to hospital at night, did you carry them to the bus stop and wait for a bus ... or are you rich enough to be able to call a cab when you need one, or maybe you have lots of rich friends on hand who you can call and use their car, maybe you sat back and waited for the tax-payer funded ambulance service to serve you, maybe your ‘principles’ delayed them from getting to an emergency.
Ever tried to take a dog to the vets on a bus, they won’t let you on.
I would never (I hope) have to use public transport in NZ, it is not safe, had a few scares and one bad one some years ago while traveling alone, never again.
Do you travel in others people’s cars – if you do you are a hypocrite.
I used to know people who were to ‘good’ to own a car but were happy to accept free rides from me. I didn’t mind the ones who were to broke to own a car but I got sick of the smug freeloaders and started asking them to contribute to my expenses, they didn’t like that, buying petrol was against their ‘principles’ but using it wasn’t.
So if you do take advantage of other peoples cars at least have the consideration to pay your fair share, buying and running a car costs a lot of money. Of course if your ‘principles’ do not allow you to ever ride in a private car that does not apply and good for you.
I lived for many decades without a car, my reason was poverty not principles, it’s damn hard when you have small kids and elderly parents and little money. Fortunately I was fit and healthy so walking large amounts of km’s pushing a crappy pram was not to bad and certainly kept my weight down, where I lived at the time had some public transport and crime was not as bad back then.
Do you have responsibilities and people depending on you – I hope not.
It's a 4 litre.
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