As a Canadian I can not do anything about the proposed scrappage programs
but I do find the program and the responses to have very narrow outlooks. I
think we would all agree that all the scrap crap lying in fields, on streets
and driveways need to be removed because they are visual polution. We have
that problem here even though it costs nothing to scrap a car, the scrap
yard will pick it up for free and may even give you a buck or two(my friend
got $70 for his old Ford wagon).
A good solution to this problem is to have local legislation controlling
the number of vehicles one my have that are visible from any vantage point.
This includes visible from an upstairs bedroom window into the neighbors
backyard scrap yard. This kind of legislation was put into the next county
and within 2 years the effect was noticable. The interesting point was that
the law was written by one member of our car club which had the effect of
another member being taken to court by the county for having 13 nice running
and mostly licensed British cars on his property in town but could be seen
from neighbors upstairs windows. His solution was to buy a run down used car
lot for a song and put his cars there.
The gas saving point is nonsense and only used to ifluence the legislators
because its easier to sell fuel saving than eliminating visual polution.If
there is a real desire to reduce polution then the annual license fee should
contain an additional fee based on the actual federally tested CO2 emition
for each vehicle, like $25 for the lowest and $500 for the highest. This is
type of process is done on all company cars in the U.K. I believe, but
appears on your income tax where you have to state the car as additional
income. That is why you see so many high end vehicles with turbo diesels, my
brother runs a 1996 Jeep Limited Cherokee with a 4 cylinder turbo diesel 5
speed along side his Audi convertible.The savings compared to the 4 liter
version is huge but performance (including noise) is just as good. Another
point is that pre 1973 cars have no annual license cost.
Finally, there are more old cars than people want and those that have
limited availability are worth something and are likely to be saved anyway.
What ever happened to the U.S. mantra of "free market forces"?
Owen Evans
#1355
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