Dutch approve per-kilometer tax for drivers

[Tender Branson]

A new tax in Holland will charge drivers by the kilometer. Cutting congestion, accidents and carbon emissions are all considerations for the new tax.
 
The Dutch government approved a bill on Friday that will implement a new per-kilometer-tax on drivers. Beginning in 2012 the law will abolish current road taxes and sales taxes for automobiles, cutting the cost of a new car by 25 percent, in favor of the pro-rated distance tax.

Drivers will be charged 0.03 euros per kilometer (7 cents US per mile) in an attempt to reduce traffic jams fatal accidents and carbon emissions.

The tax will increase every year until 2018, when it will cost 6.7 cents per kilometer to drive in Holland.

The government says the tax will benefit 6 out of 10 drivers, with those who drive the most and at peak hours with the most burden to bear.

To drive from Groningen in the north to Eindhoven in the south is a journey of 252 km with a fairly direct route along the A50 and A28 motorways. If all goes according to plan with the tax, to drive between these two cities could cost a driver 7.56 euros in 2012, or 16.88 euros in 2018.

Carbon emissions would be cut in half, Minister of Transportation Camiel Eurlings said, according to media reports on Saturday.

Overall, the government expects that the number of cars on the roads should also decrease by 15 per cent, as more people would switch to public transport and cycling.

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,4893141,00.html

[Franzl]

You know there are so many reasons to like Europe.....but it's stuff like this that makes me want to reconsider.

[Tender Branson]

You know there are so many reasons to like Europe.....but it's stuff like this that makes me want to reconsider.

And what about the GPS devices in the cars ? Will they be integrated into the car so that they cannot be manipulated or removed by a hobby car mechanic ? Because many people are certainly not too happy to have mandated GPS crap in their cars ...

[Franzl]

You know there are so many reasons to like Europe.....but it's stuff like this that makes me want to reconsider.

And what about the GPS devices in the cars ? Will they be integrated into the car so that they cannot be manipulated or removed by a hobby car mechanic ? Because many people are certainly not too happy to have mandated GPS crap in their cars ...

That's a problem with enforcing it, yes.

Not to mention I simply don't want the government being able to keep track of where and how much I drive.

[k-onmmunist]

Well, this both sucks AND blows.

[Tender Branson]

You know there are so many reasons to like Europe.....but it's stuff like this that makes me want to reconsider.

And what about the GPS devices in the cars ? Will they be integrated into the car so that they cannot be manipulated or removed by a hobby car mechanic ? Because many people are certainly not too happy to have mandated GPS crap in their cars ...

That's a problem with enforcing it, yes.

Not to mention I simply don't want the government being able to keep track of where and how much I drive.

Well, I don`t know the details of the law but I guess it`s intended as a tax incentive for those who sign up voluntarily to save taxes. I also don`t know if every new car that is sold in the Netherlands will have a GPS device included or not. Nonetheless I´m opposed to this system, even if the idea behind it is good, and I'm more likely to prefer to pay a tax when I buy the car, for example our NoVA.

The following is a rant against the Dutch and their driving:

Besides I hate the Dutch driving culture. If they are here and I see one of their orange and yellow license plates in front of me, my blood pressure goes to 280 and I only see red anymore. Thats because Holland is basically one big city and in big cities there are speed limits of 30 mph. And if Dutch drivers come to Austria they think Austria is limited to 30 mph as well and obey their rules at home. That`s why overtaking Dutch drivers is like a sport to me, because they are even more annoying than tractors ...

[Franzl]

Besides I hate the Dutch driving culture. If they are here and I see one of their orange and yellow license plates in front of me, my blood pressure goes to 280 and I only see red anymore. Thats because Holland is basically one big city and in big cities there are speed limits of 30 mph. And if Dutch drivers come to Austria they think Austria is limited to 30 mph as well and obey their rules at home. That`s why overtaking Dutch drivers is like a sport to me, because they are even more annoying than tractors ...

I drive regularly on the A3 Frankfurt-Arnheim to get to my grandma in Kreis Wesel, and I see lots and lots of Wohnwagen.

I agree with you....having a Dutch driver in front of you is hell on earth

[Tender Branson]

Besides I hate the Dutch driving culture. If they are here and I see one of their orange and yellow license plates in front of me, my blood pressure goes to 280 and I only see red anymore. Thats because Holland is basically one big city and in big cities there are speed limits of 30 mph. And if Dutch drivers come to Austria they think Austria is limited to 30 mph as well and obey their rules at home. That`s why overtaking Dutch drivers is like a sport to me, because they are even more annoying than tractors ...

I drive regularly on the A3 Frankfurt-Arnheim to get to my grandma in Kreis Wesel, and I see lots and lots of Wohnwagen.

I agree with you....having a Dutch driver in front of you is hell on earth

Wohnwagen is good. Here they are called "Bremser" ...