RANT: Stupid gov't measures (low Audi content)

[tnas@dtpdirect.nl (Tom Nas, DTP Direct bv)]

Hi all,

Just thought I'd give my feelings of frustration an airing. While watching
the TV news yesterday I was outraged by the latest stupid !@#$%R^&
hare-brained government scheme here in Holland- they want to reduce speed
limits in built up areas from 30 to 20mph! For the out-of-town roads
(currently 50mph) they want to go to 40mph. After the announcement of yet
another tax raise on fuel for which we get nothing in return, this will be
the last straw. I will vote for ANYONE who has sensible ideas WRT traffic
management. For every litre of fuel we buy (95 RON unleaded = DFL 2 per
litre) we pay DFL 1.43 of taxes! Fuel prices are about four times as high
here as in the US, and rising. It's even 25% more expensive than in the
UK...

Just for fun, yesterday I tried what 20mph felt like. Man, that was slow! I
kept on being passed by cyclists, mopeds, even some joggers came close! Of
course I only tried this when I was sure not to hinder traffic :-)
How are they going to enforce this? Well, by introducing yet more road
humps (thank you on behalf of all ambulance personnel!) and reducing road
widths (= more stop-start traffic = *more* pollution and noise).

Quite probably this will also be enforced by installing yet more speed
cameras. Even the city police forces admit that this is a ploy of the state
police to get their quota of tickets, to finance other activities. A major
organization for promoting traffic safety, usually the first to insist on
lower speeds, say that the constant use of speed cameras contributes
NOTHING to road safety. So my cynical insistence that this is a ploy to
wring some more money out of us poor drivers was right... and I hate being
right about such things.

Well, that feels a lot better. Anyone living in the US of A reading this:
if you envy us europeans, just remember this post. And even the Germans,
lucky above average compared to us poor Dutch folks, have something to
think about these days. The German gov't has dreamed up a super-tax on
non-catalysed cars. Remember, a cat became mandatory in the mid-80s in most
countries here in Europe. This means that the classic scene in Germany gets
a big crunch... wonder when this stupid idea passes the border.

Mandatory Audi content: Friday I went to my local Audi dealer to look at
some nice Audi gifts (keyrings etc.) I encountered the sales guy who gave
me my A3 test drive a week ago and still thinks he can sell me an A3.
Anuway, I mentioned A3 models to the guy and he got me a 1:43 Minichamps
model (beautiful!) in a special Audi promo box for a bargain price. I was
waiting for a monsoonlike rain to stop and looked around the showroom some
more- so the sales guy reached into his desk drawer and got out a super
1:87 promo A3 model which he *gave* me! Nice thoughts about Audi dealers
this weekend...

Sorry for the length and the low Audi content of this post. I *had* to get
it off my chest. Feels much better now, thank you.

Tom
1988 80 1.8S (which I think I'll keep for a bit, as it's easy on fuel and slow!)
Lotsa 1:43 Audis

 _______________________________________________________________________
   Tom W. Nas, graphic design                        tnas@dtpdirect.nl
   DTP Direct bv                              Voice +31 (55) 5 790 799
   Apeldoorn, the Netherlands                   Fax +31 (55) 5 790 125

             I think animal testing is a terrible idea;
             they get all nervous and give the wrong answers.
                                 --'A Bit of Fry and Laurie'