IF you drive in London you may well feel demonised this week.
The rest of us probably don’t care if Ken Livingstone’s £8 a day congestion charge has been expanded to take in all points as far west as Lundy island. But we should.
Apparently there is massive support for all types of road charges.
It is clear to all right thinking people that the nation must submit to £1.28p per mile road charging to make the sky feel better, restore our cities to Georgian splendour and give England a cricket team it can be proud of.
The whole road charge debate is a wonderful example of the democratic process in action. Some1.7 million motorists petition against the proposals and are blotted out by overwhelming support that seems to be from the association of invisible drivers.
The good news is that ministers have promised drivers that tagging cars will not result in timed journeys being used to impose speeding fines. Even better news is that the word gullible is being taken out of the dictionary.
So, with taxes, charges and more cameras than Dixons, the motor industry is clearly going to catch a cold. Or is it?
Prospects for ox cart dealers are not as bright as you may think.
Manufacturers are working harder than ever to give motorists the cars they want. BMW alone has introduced 232 variants this year.
One of them was not the 325d SE which came out late last year.
The SE will set you back just over £27,000 without options such as leather, sat nav, bluetooth and parking sensors. In fact the extras package on this car added over £5,000 to the list price. That is, whichever way you look at it, a lot to pay for a 2.5-litre six-cylinder diesel with a six-speed box.
Buyers are then surely getting something that registers 9.2 on the pull-o-meter.
Er, well no. The 3-Series is rather like someone who goes to watch The Darkness in a jacket and tie. A sort of Hell's banker. Top speed 156mph and 0-60 in 7.4 seconds. But, whisper this, 44mpg.
While the standard car’s equipment list is long it leans not towards Toy Story II but firmly in the direction of engineering and safety.
Yes, everybody has antilock brakes, BMW’s are just better, coming in when they are truly needed. Certainly there are lots of leather seats around, it’s just that in the 325 the back one is as big as a DFS sofa.
So, in the motoring hell that we will all eventually be condemned to you can have smooth, fast luxury with a sensible fuel bill. Equipment will be what you need but not flash.
There will not, no matter how bad congestion and delays get, be an on board toilet.
You will recall from the bible, it is damnation without relief.
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