Ulez

[OldCow1]

Got caught out. Had no idea was in the zone. Bought my diesel car because thought it was greener at the time. Just so upset. Trains were on strike. Never drive near London otherwise. Got fine letter late (royal mail strikes maybe?) I'm on about 2p above minimum wage. This just feels shit. £160 fine for one screw up. Off you go trolls

Great science, professor.

Yes, I forget Labour were in power 10 years ago. 🤔

And no, sorry, I don't have an engineering background and had never heard the "dirty diesel" comment you claim was so common. All I remember from my younger years in the 80's and 90's was diesel was SO much cheaper we always wanted to get a list with the diesel driving friend has our share of fuel costs would be so much cheaper!

Again. Doesn't help anyone now does it. Or improve public transport in the suburbs. Or find me the money to buy a new car. I will, more than likely just have to get the kids to give up their hobbies, give up my volunteering / close the youth spirts group I run, and stop engaging with healthcare.

I am so frustrated by some of the complete untruths being stated confidently as “fact” by folk who probably don’t think much further than “ooh my road tax will be £150 cheaper a year if I buy this diesel”.

yes, a while back, as in 15-20 years ago, diesel was favoured in tax terms by a government who were focused on one metric only - CO2.

they loved the idea that cars that emit less CO2 would help the environment.

What was ridiculous however was the complete overlooking of another thing - air quality. The one thing that matters hugely to those of us who are terrified by our kids inhaling noxious fumes from rows of idling diesels on the school run.

Particulates. It’s all about those nasty little particles that get into lungs, cause breathing difficulties. Diesels are the worst for them.

Unfortunately we now have a used car market stuffed with 2 litre diesel SUVs that perfectly meet most folk on here’s needs to be “high up” and not to be seen driving the unfashionable small petrol hatchback or MPV.

So some people will fight to the death for their diesels because they suit them. Irrespective of how they hurt others.

Also @OldCow1 what did you want from your post. A hand hold??

If so, why post on AIBU?

If you wanted to know if you’re being unreasonable to lament the high fine for going into the ULEZ? Then you have to expect some criticism in return?

But for you to sit there and spend the next half a dozen posts verbally attacking people who have dared to criticise you, is just bizarre.

What do you want from this thread?

How many hatchbacks have 7 or 8 seats and a boot that will take double buggy and 4 bags to get to the 2 schools that come out inside 10 minutes of each other and are 30 minutes walk from each other.
How many holidays do you take flying? A lot of us drive cars sold to us as efficient best buys for the environment now we're being sold electric vehicles that cause vast lithium lakes toxic to life but that's okay because it's not in the UK....the environment unfortunately still gets damaged and that will still effect us.

Guessing you either have enough to buy a compliant car, don't need to carry heavy goods or many passengers, can afford the high commuting costs around the outskirts of London or have the time to add 2 hours onto your day by going in and then out on public transport, don't fly, don't need an ambulance, police car or fire engine because they are being charged too .....the argument against is also that at a time when people are having to sit shivering facing high inflation and use food banks despite working long hours adding £60 or so a week to costs is not going to keep them and their children out of poverty or in work. Postponing at least until the economy picks up in a year or two would make a massive difference ...but he needs the money to bail out TFL so doesn't care

I'm 60 and have never heard what you're claiming and despite your blaming labour, the conservatives continued to encourage use of diesel by not raising car tax. How long have we had a conservative government now .....hmm not done much to change things have they

@jannier what I want/need/can or can't afford is irrelevant. People often make necessary changes to their lives when there is a financial imperative. Often it is the only way to make change happen.

The implementation is not perfect but the fact is that the ULEZ is there to improve our health by decreasing sources of pollution. How many more people have to be sick and/or die as a result of terrible air quality before someone says enough is enough.

I can assure you 100% that my (1.4l diesel small MPV. One of the 5 +2 type things. We need the boot space) was sold on it's eco credentials. It even has a little "eco" badge on the boot. And I'd love to change cars. But, while we can break even at the moment, we simply can't afford a new car. Even an old petrol that will fit everything we need for kids hobbies is out of our price range right now. (You can imagine that 10 year old diesels have very little resale value at the moment). The suburbs just aren't the same as inner London.

My financial adjustment and that of my husband will be signing up for benefits and joining the foodbank, along with no longer caring for my grandchildren so mummy can work twice a week as we can't get there....NW London to Surrey by 7.30 am plus the cost. How much have you personally given up for clean air? And I'll still be breathing in the M25, M4, M40, Heathrow and HS2 lorries that are solid traffic jams all day

@jannier I am sorry that you are suffering. You miss the point though. Societal change that needs to happen can sometimes only come through changes like this.

It is not a race to the bottom or 'how much more you/I are suffering'. It is something that needs to happen for the sake of air quality, essential for health. I'm a Londoner born and bred and have seen many changes in car use and ownership over the years. Any time there is a change issues arise. It takes time to get used to the new status quo. And then it becomes normal.

Inner London is very easy to live carless and cheaper even before Ulez out London does not have good transport. I'm not disabled but 3 of my family members are in different houses I can't even go to help them once this comes in as it would be 3 hours on buses I'd be getting one up at lunch then heading straight back to put the next to bed but those who find life easy always have a good reason why you can loose out without really addressing the problem....outer London Ulez will make no difference

All vehicles have particulate emissions and so do wood burners. This ignorant and ill-informed attack on diesel is just silly. Modern diesel vehicles are actually no worse than petrol, but do have the advantage of less consumption and therefore lower Co2. But just keep chanting about petrol or electric cars and not learning any lessons. BTW how about banning wood burners, or taxing aviation fuel?

@Neededanewuserhandle the issue is nitrogen oxides not carbon dioxide.

So coincidentally, had a letter arrive for adult step child from Bristol Council today, was told to open and it was a Ulez fine from beginning of Dec. He had 3 options, pay £9 zone charge within 7 days of the letter, £9 + £60 fine within 14 days or £9 +£120 fine within 28 days.

He just got his new car and assumed because it was same make it would be compliant.....wrong.

If they were really committed to tackling pollution, the government would put a proper scrappage compensation scheme in place.

I too remember all the state messaging around diesel being better for the environment and yes it sounded crackers to me but same as most people I'm not a scientist and if government departments who do act on scientific advice say a thing is true, repeatedly, consistently and for a period of years then it's understandable that people make decisions based on this.

The price of second hand cars is horrendous now and people are already facing increased stagflationary costs and increased local taxation as we hurtle merrily into the post brexit economic wasteland.

OP you should definitely appeal your penalty though if you didn't receive it in time to pay the charge.

Can’t he drop the hobby?

Hobbies are not exactly essential, are they?

Well, I think sporting hobbies, and all hobbies, are a very important part of a young person's development. And this is one he has already invested 6 years of his life into and is involved on a national level now.

The scrappage scheme which incentivised the buying of diesel vehicles (to prop up the car manufacturing industry following the credit crunch of 2008) ended in 2009

Entirely under Gordon Brown's Labour administration.

Op people are lacking in understand and empathy.

We, humans often make mistakes when something happens to take us off our routine.

I imagine it was the last thing you were thinking about and instead working out how to to get somewhere you normally go by train.

I think clean air is wonderful.
I think driving people offer roads into unstable hideously expensive public transport is idiotic.

Get public transport cheap and wondeful and reliable and wait for electric cars to reduce in price FIRST

@Neededanewuserhandle my road is full of woodburners.

Air thick with it in winter.

We didn't use any scrappage scheme. But our car was sold to us with eco credentials. Which was also backed up by government literature at the time.

We're very very lucky that we've been gifted some money since I originally posted. It was gifted with the explanation it should be spent on something amazing for our family such as a holiday the children will remember forever. Sadly it will now be spent on a second hand car - the prices of which are ridiculous these days.

Sorry it happened to you, OP. Anyone can make a mistake and that's a whopping fine for making it.

Jennifer, could the family members that you need/want to visit, pay the charge, especially if they're getting free childcare, or could you cycle some of the way

*jannier