This is not a chain mail. This has been publicised in the papers this week. But just in case you are not aware of it and feel the same here are the details. Please read this e-mail, and pass it on to anyone who you think may be interested. Fact 1 When the petrol price was hiked in America last year. Nobody bought petrol for a day. The loss of revenue was crippling for some of the big players. They rallied round and forced the prices down again. Fact 2 If you live in the UK, you are taxed at 614% on your petrol. Petrol is now approaching �0.90 per litre. That's �4.10 a gallon. For every �50 fill-up, you're just giving the government �43 out of your own pocket. Fact 3 For the average family, a 1p increase per litre in the cost of fuel means an extra �100 a year out of their pocket. Work it out for yourself. In the weeks leading up to mid June, you all took a salary cut of around �700 a year. Fact 4 Fuel duty has little to do with the environment. Leaded petrol was supposedly taxed highly for environmental reasons. Why then, when it was replaced with LRP did the price not come down? Diesel fuel is cheaper, yet pollutes more by producing carcinogens and particulates. LPG is the cleanest fuel there is but you don't see the government promoting that do you? Fact 5 �38billion is sucked out of motorist's pockets each year in tax. You buy the planet's most expensive petrol, but do you see that money going back into the roads? NO, YOU DO NOT. A recent study pointed out that most of Britain's roads are up to 15 years beyond their structural refurbishment date. Fact 6 Freight companies are suffering - so is our trade with the EU. When a haulage company has to fill it's tanks with diesel taxed at such a ridiculous rate, it's running costs become so expensive that companies take their business to haulage firms based on the continent. That in turn means a loss of income for our country. Fact 7 Public transport is not an option. Buses and coaches become more expensive again because of the underlying cost of running them. They privatised rail and bus companies, continue to slash services and close branch routes because running them is not "cost effective." i.e. the shareholders aren't getting their dividends. And the Government are doing nothing about it. Rail companies have been under-performing and missing targets as stipulated by their contracts ever since privatisation. Yet they're all still in business. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ SO ACT NOW !!! There is no major organisation that represents the British driver when it comes to matters of fuel duty. The government are bleeding motorists dry. Why? Because they can. As long as public apathy continues, and we keep paying ludicrous prices for our petrol, the government will keep laying on the tax. Starting on Tuesday, August 1st 2000, BOYCOTT THE FORECOURT PUMPS ON THE 1ST OF EVERY MONTH UNTIL THE GOVERNMENT ACTS AND CUTS THE TAX. Don't buy any petrol or diesel. Spread the word and force the government to listen. For once, let's stand up with a unified voice and make them understand that we will no longer be quietly steamrollered into a transport system that's crumbling under our feet whilst we pay for it through the nose. Tell them you have had enough of RIP-OFF BRITAIN. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ If you work in a petrol station and support us: I suggest you start printing on the receipts how much your punters just paid in tax. If people start getting receipts that read �40 (�31.60=tax), then they'll start to take notice. Official website: http://www.speed-trap.co.uk/boycott - ______________________________________________________________ Visit the Total Madness Mailing List website for: latest news, madmeet info, list charter, games, and more ... http://members.xoom.com/totalmadmail/ Contact the TMML Moderators at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] and in the message body put: unsubscribe total-madness
