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DUMPED July 05 2000 Why we should all boycott the petrol pumps... forever. On August 1st 2000, drivers across the UK are set to boycott forecourts and filling stations to protest the high price of fuel. And, they say, the boycott will continue on every subsequent Monday until the Government slashes the tax on petrol. Many drivers will feel as if they are making an enormous sacrifice, depriving themselves of a car for a day in the interest of our nation. But it's basically about money, and the extent to which the Western world bows down to the machine. If we really want to solve our transport crisis we should boycott the car - and petrol - completely. A car is usually many times the size and volume of a human being, built to seat several but most often used to carry one. It has become a crutch, used to travel short distances when we are too lazy to walk. The car damages our streets, harms our health, vastly increases an individual's ability to kill others, and demands that huge slices of land are desecrated to feed its appetite. Even the normally straight-laced and hateful Evening Standard acknowledged it: "We are a small, densely populated island, with high levels of pollution and roads in imminent danger of traffic seizure." I'm convinced that, had Messrs. Daimler, Benz and Ford seen what a burden their creations would become, they would hang their heads in shame and demand for the car to be locked up forever. I'm not perfect, but I do my best to travel by car only as a last resort, to transport more than one person over long distances. When I have had to pay for petrol I am glad to contribute as much tax as possible - punishment for my sins. At least I know that what damage I am doing to society is in some small way off-set by the taxes, benefiting other citizens. The vast majority of the time I travel by foot, train or bus. And with the advent of the Internet I think more and more of us will be able to work from home, lessening the need to travel at all. Admittedly, high taxes on fuel are not in themselves a solution, especially since the Government feeds little of the proceeds back into related issues such as public transport and health, and has failed to convince that earnings from petrol tax will be 'ringfenced' for investment in public transport. I'm also not in favour of any policy which penalises the lower-paid members of society while the rich notice little difference to their lifestyle. But one thing's for sure: lowering the tax on petrol will do nothing to deter people from using cars. We might be better off in the short term, but the enormous devastation to our country will ultimately be immeasurable. The "Dump the Pump" campaign website argues that "Public transport is not an option.... and the government are doing nothing about it." But what are we, as individuals, doing to change the situation? We need a holistic approach to the transportation crisis in our country- and it has to start at ground level. Currently our Government has no incentive to reduce car use and reform public transport because it is earning so much money from tax. comment on this article e-mail this to a friend start a discussion 
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