Selected letters will be edited for publication in one or more of Open Road’s three media products:
After reading your petrol price breakdown on fuel, I cannot work out why we have to pay nine per cent GST on top of the government’s 31 per cent excise tax. Surely this is double dipping.
D. Body, via email
Professor of Business (Marketing), at Macquarie University, G. Elliot, writes about the performance of diesel-powered vehicles and diesel’s pump price compared to unleaded (‘Diesel has major benefits’, May/June). I agree with his sentiments completely. A few years ago motoring organisations and the government pushed for people to purchase diesel cars because of their fantastic economy and because diesel was also some 30 cents cheaper than ULP.
I, too, changed to a diesel LandCruiser, which I use to tow a horse float and camper trailer. I am quite happy to get about 9km/L out of a heavy vehicle. But with the price of diesel now 25 cents dearer than ULP, the shine has come off.
The most frustrating thing is nobody has an explanation for the price increase. As a Member, I ask NRMA and the government to look into this just as vigorously as they have into the price of ULP.
J. & K. Kenny, Lawrence
Regarding the letters about the price of diesel fuel in the May/June issue of Open Road – it is relatively simple. It is the result of the recent tendency to switch to diesel engines. The volume of petrol produced per barrel of crude oil is around 73 litres, while diesel fuel is around 30 litres, less than half as much. With more people worldwide using diesel vehicles than ever before, diesel fuel now dominates the cost per barrel of oil.
There are other factors, such as increased processing costs due to the need to produce diesel fuel with lower sulphur content these days.
B. Withey, Mylneford
There are no “victories for Australian motorists” as purported in the NRMA President’s column (May/June Open Road). The only way motorists will get fairer fuel prices is to change the whole concept of fuel in Australia.
At present Australia is exporting natural gas offshore. We could strengthen our own domestic supply via a pipeline to every home, with an external fitting on the outside to pump, underpressure, natural gas into vehicle gas cylinders.
Not only will our economy grow with an assembly line of new natural gas powered motor vehicles, we will see a major reduction in greenhouse gases and fossil fuels as our home heating, including stoves and hot water systems, moves over to gas.
Why is no one saying to the petrol moguls that we as a nation have had enough of being exploited? Why are we accepting this outlandish price for fuel and not progressing to reduce carbon emissions in a more timely fashion?
R. Graf, via email
I do rotating shift work, so travel at different times of the day and night, and it amazes me how many drivers insist on have their car’s driving lights switched on. They are very dazzling, even during daylight hours. If the drivers don't know how to turn them off, I'm sure a quick reference to their car’s manual will tell them how. Come on guys, be considerate.
Name withheld
I frequently drive from Sanctuary Point (near Jervis Bay) to Sydney and return. For some time now there has been a roadside hazard about one kilometre south of Waterfall, adjacent to the southbound carriageway. An orange trailer with an electronic advisory display is parked so that it completely blocks the bicycle lane. If a large group of cyclists needs to pass by, they are forced to use the metre-wide separation corridor, or possibly enter the left-hand traffic lane. The speed limit on that stretch of road is 80km/h, but many motorists disregard this, and travel at 90-100km/h. It doesn't take a genius to note the hazard for both cyclists and vehicular traffic. It has been there several months now, and it appears it may be permanent. It could be relocated to the grassed area to the right of the road without reducing its effectiveness. I find it quite incredible that anyone could have located the trailer in such a dangerous position.
R. Asplin, via email
HAVE YOUR SAY ON MOTORING at: mynrmacommunity.com/motoring.
SEND YOUR LETTERS TO:
E-mail: open.road@mynrma.com.au
Mail: The Open Road
NRMA Publishing
Level 1, 9 George Street
North Strathfield NSW 2137
Fax: (02) 8741 6697
