Electric cars.

probably safer than nicking it from a live electric train system.

 

What surprises me about so many modern cars is just how big they all are, especially how tall and with very blunt profiles. How can they be efficient when they have such huge tall flat front bonnets. Our NDN, has just got a new SUV style car. Our driveways are side by side, and it absolutely dwarfs our car, the front of this car is as high as the lower part of our var side windows.
What happened to aerodynamic profiles?

 

And because modern day cars are taller with blunt profiles, then pedestrians and cyclists are 44% more likely to incur more severe fatal injuries. There is also the issue with these taller SUV's causing other motorists in smaller passenger cars to be dazzled by the led lights. The UK government and others are looking at the impact glaring lights are having on road safety.
A report by injury prevention have said that if all SUV's were replaced by smaller passenger cars, then the fatality rate for pedestrians and cyclists in the US would be 17% less and 8% less in Europe.

I know our Vauxhall Corsa has led lights put it only tends to be an issue for me from taller oncoming traffic. Now we are into darkness, I tend to only use the Corsa during daylight hours and then drive the VW transporter highliner in the darker hours. The VW does not have led lights, but with the driving position being higher than the Corsa, then being dazzled from oncoming traffic is considerably less, unless the oncoming traffic forget to dip their headlights.

 

What annoys me are those who have these SUVs and don't seem to be aware of how big they are.
Even worse are the camper van and caravan drivers who only use them half a dozen times a year and forget things like how far the wing mirrors stick out, what the turning circle is and how long their vehicle is.

 

Years ago my brother (GP) went on a family holiday to Sicily, they went by train from Leeds to Sicily where he had booked a camper van suitable for his status as a GP, his wife had sorted out the route and booked overnight campsites. They rapidly discovered Sicilian back country roads aren't suitable for a large camper van.
Sadly I never heard the rest of the story as his wife came into the room.

 

Just read that EVs are going to be charged per mile does anyone know how this is going to be worked out. Personally not interested in buying one as I do not believe in slave labour.
Just read up on it. You will send in an annual estimate (ha ha). If you overestimate you will receive a rebate the following year. No GP tracking devices allowed due to privacy laws.

 

3p per mile

 

@waterbut how it will be implemented is a very good question. This is in addition to their car tax I presume. Actually EV drivers will be getting off lightly. That's £300 for 10,000 miles. Drivers of ICE vehicles will be paying a hell of a lot more currently in fuel duties, VAT etc on petrol/diesel. If drivers have to report their mileage each year I can see a massive market for kit to 'clock' the odometer.
I'm sure the Government will have everything worked out and an IT system ready to manage it by the time it's implemented.
Danger. Danger. Low Flying Pig Alert.

 

Three obvious methods: firstly if old enough for MOT they note the mileage at each MOT; secondly a lot of cameras with number plate recognition around; thirdly estimate the average mileage per annum and charge that amount per year a correction being applied at first MOT or on selling the vehicle.

 

They often ask you your annual mileage for insurance purposes, and as Nigel says its on your MOT, also service intervals.

As to LED headlights I find them dazzling even in the daytime, they are just too bright full stop, even those double motorbike ones get on my nerves.

Surely they could create a different kind of lens for them that is slightly opaque to make them less dazzling, they come at you like a brilliant white star.

 

Annual mileage on any domestic vehicle can also have an impact on the insurance premium.

 

How are they going to work out the mileage for PHEV, most only have a short range from the battery as most models will have a fuel tank capacity of 35 Litres plus. So you get hit by the fuel duty when you fill up at the pumps and then on top of that you pay 1.5p for every mile. Old model PHEV's will only give you about 20/30 miles off a charge with the rest being fuel.

 

3p per mile doesn't sound like a lot, but like most drivers I fear that its another stick to beat drivers . 3p now what will it be in 2030 when ICE vehicles for sale are supposed to be banned 10 - 13p per mile similar to ICE vehicles. Personally I don't think the 2030 will stick the demand isn't there for EV and now its possibly plummeted.

I wanted a PHEV van they only do 35mile ish on a warm summer day probably more like 20mile in winter, now its will be a double whammy bill fuel duty + EV duty then add on the cost of electric its not free and its already taxed. Makes you think might as well hold onto the older vehicle .

 

MOT isn't required until a vehicle is 3 years old so no use for a new car.
ANPR doesn't cover the entire country, and certainly couldn't provide an accurate assessment of mileage.
The overhead on the third for collecting and collating the information would be massive. Add to that there is an acknowledged problem with digital odometers being clocked just as the old analogue ones were.

 

Right you don't like any of those so let's really simplify, estimate average mileage for all cars and apply that mileage to each electric car and hybrid paid annually like road tax.
Anybody else got any ideas?