RE:view - SATS tests

I succumbed.

Motivated by a recent 1/2 hour drivearound seeking a venue, and promoted by a deal, I have bought a Sat Nav. So far, so blinking amazing.

I'd have to say the enviro aspects were not uppermost in my mind, but already I can safely say that it was the best £150 I have spent in a while, even if it is on a 'toy'.

I have already completed a few trips, and while the fuel cost savings may never cover the purchase investment, I am happy that enviROI is well and truly satisfied. There's also the intangibles (I hope) of safety, etc.

The Good

My model is a Tom Tom, and very easy to use and effective I have found it. Nice clear screen, simple, comprehensible audio warnings and instructions. Simple to program. WYSIWYG. Can't fault it yet. A few odd routes close to home when I know a quicker way, but it seemed to 'learn' when I ignored those.

The Better?

Of course, I now am more 'aware', and just clicked on a banner at for a competitor, and arrived at this. Too late for me! Though I am a little unclear as to what it does that others cannot. But maybe the eco. vs. fastest route is genuine. That said, 56mph on a motorway is probably the most fuel efficient way to go rather than 70mph, or stop start and winding the B-roads. Possibly a bit of a gimmick. Without buying one it's hard to say. But I may revisit this RE:view as I would a category as news is published from elsewhere.

The Ugly

And now the downside. This from last night's Ch 4 Snowmail sums it up: And seen any 40-tonne artics stuck up single-track country lanes recently? Well, the joys of Sat Nav Stupidity are becoming so well known now that there's a kind of unofficial hit parade emerging as the nation's tried and tested favorites grind to a frustrated halt in great clouds of diesel with ever increasing regularity. And the extraordinary thing is that the system never seems to learn and amend. The Lib Dems are demanding urgent government action. Don't hold your breath.
Enter 'Sat Nav HGV Hot Spots' here

Personally, I still keep a road map and the relevant pages of Google Maps to hand... just in case.

Driving Miss, Crazy Thinking?

Just watching a BBC Breakfast News report on a plan to tax folk out of older, less efficient cars into new, more efficient ones.

I'm all for efficiency measures; not sure keen on taxes, to be blunt.

Featuring Tim Yeo MP, it is an interesting situation. Actually, interesting to me was also the fact that I think I heard that of his committee of 17, um, 16 were not in favour (tbc* - it hasn't been repeated in any subsequent slots, oddly), but he was sure 'it would have got though if they hadn't had to rush 'cos they were all off on hols now.' Hmn.

To be sure, he was 'balanced' by a lady from the RAC, but I notice she has been dropped in subsequent clips. Which is a shame, because she is making the fair point that it is hardly fair, or very eco (what is the carbon consequence of a new car's manufacture?), to hit folk who still have the car they bought under available rules a while ago, and then try and force them to buy a new one in the name of green.

Mr. Yeo at least was advocating that revenue generated remained within the eco-pot, but again I think I caught he was talking about paying folk like me to scrap my 11-year old Volvo.

Now, I don't know what he is proposing, but it is currently something like £180 for a junker. But my car is, to all intents and purposes, perfect. Admittedly, it is only worth £2000 at best, but even if they compo'd me that value, just what the heck can I get? There seems to be some odd, dare I say, London pol/chatterati notion, that I happen to have the extra £15,000 on top to buy a Prius, assuming they did an estate that carries what mine does.

For possibly selfish reasons, but also with my eco-eyebrow cranked as well, I am not too thrilled the direction which this one is going, nor with the way our national broadcaster is trying to rather over-enthusiastically push the agenda of those who would claim one thing but possibly not have it all thought out as well as it might. And not for the first time.

Addendum - looks like Mr. Yeo was early morning only. There was a follow-on with a chap from the Society of Motor Traders (who one presumes might have a vested interest in flogging new, but possibly second hand across the board as well) and the point I am making was at least alluded to, namely the cost of the upgrade.

*Links, I am sure, to come...

Didn't take long:

BBC - MPs sceptical over car tax rise

Indy - 'Pay to scrap gas-guzzlers'

Indy - Driven to distraction

Telegraph - Government's green car tax plans in disarray - Courtesy of Dave from Solarventi

BBC - Plans for a graduated car tax

Autoindustry - NEW - Another link from Dave of Solarventi - A light right foot will do more to reduce CO2 than retrospective road tax, says the IAM - this tends to support the logic of more useage-based 'influence', which must translate into fuel tax. But this obviously becomes a political and 'fairness' (since when was that a problem) issue with those for whom driving, and over fair distances, is not really an option.

Gaurdian - NEW - The Mancunian way - Whilst being fine with all sorst of views being expressed, in light of the way media is shaped by what we are first served, I have to have a certain sympathy with the poster who notes this: 'I thought that Dr Huq was an academic specialising in pop music at a London Poly. I don't mean that in a nasty way. It is just that I don't see the connection with Manchester or transportation. Transportation is a complex issue that usually needs post-graduate training in engineering or mathematics to talk about in a sensible way. Some economics would not go astray either.'

Greenbang - NEW - Emissions car tax – a load of hot air? - I've been a bit rude, too. Sorry.

Gaurdian - NEW - Golf's water waste means only the fairways are green - Why here? Read on:

Telegraph - NEW - Anyone for green humbugs? Read to the end:)