Terry Blanton wrote:
BOSTON (AP) A tentative plan to overhaul Massachusetts' transportation system by using GPS chips to charge motorists a quarter-cent for every mile behind the wheel has angered some drivers.
This makes no sense to me. They should use the odometer. A modern odometer is difficult to tamper with.
The "Orwellian, Big Brotherish" doesn't make much sense either. Unless you let your car idle in the driveway all day to burn up gas for no reason, a gasoline tax is also a tax on driving -- on going places, that is. What difference does not it make whether they measure how far you go or how much fuel you burn to get there? As long as they record only the mileage and not your destination.
This plan does have a huge disadvantage, in my opinion. It does not reward people who buy high efficiency automobiles.
I think they should use GPS technology to impose variable rate traffic tolls, to reduce traffic congestion. Say $0.20 per mile on congested highways and surface roads. They should also charge everyone $10 or $20 to go to downtown areas such as downtown New York and Washington, the way they charge for access to London. Again, they do not need to record exactly when and where you were downtown; just that you crossed a line and entered the toll zone some number of times this billing period. This would solve the traffic problem overnight, and give a huge boost to public transportation, which should be made free. It makes no sense to charge people to ride subways but let them use roads for free. Roads in the aggregate cost much more than commuter railroad tracks per passenger, and they cause much more environmental damage, and use more energy. We should charge people what they cost society, not some arbitrary amount based on when and how a particular technology evolved. It is also ridiculous and unfair that people who seldom drive should have to pay so much in taxes to support road construction for people who commute 100 miles per day. It should be pay-as-you-go.
- Jed
