Duff info

Projection bias, highway hegemony, and why cyclists rent the road, they don’t own it

Projection bias, highway hegemony, and why cyclists rent the road, they don’t own it

“They think they own the road”: This is a common criticism of cyclists from a large minority of motorists, a gripe seen on forum postings and letters to newspapers the world over. It would be laughable if it wasn’t meant so seriously. Do you really think you, a cyclist, own the road? A highway, let’s […]


Car makers think ‘road tax’ exists

Car makers think ‘road tax’ exists

Thanks to all those who keep sending in proof that car companies and garages like to perpetuate the myth of ‘road tax’. There are many examples out there and iPayRoadTax.com gets sent lots of pix and links to TV adverts. The banner on this Volvo garage gets it right, although unwittingly. Yes, there is no […]


‘Road tax’ video to turn petrolheads

‘Road tax’ video to turn petrolheads

No bicycles. No mention that cyclists have every right to be on roads (not) paid for by motorists. Just footage of a rather famous pre-1973 motorcar, as used in a movie and a TV advert. [iTunes link for getting Chitty road tax video on iPods and iPhones]. ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ is one of the […]


Telegraph commenters want cyclists killed

Telegraph commenters want cyclists killed

Predictably, one of the comments on Andrew Gilligan’s Telegraph piece on last night’s Spectator’s debate (‘Cyclists are a menace…’) was about cyclists not paying ‘road tax’. “Who are the rudest and least safe road users? Why, the non road-tax paying cyclists, that’s who.” utrinque1951 But then the comments started to take a morbid turn and […]


Government bodies disagree on ‘road tax’

Government bodies disagree on ‘road tax’

“There has been no direct relationship between vehicle tax and road expenditure since 1937.” Policy and External Communications Directorate, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, Swansea, August 2009 The DVLA – Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency – now gets it right every time and calls Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) a tax on vehicles, not something that […]