The Dutch are not only paying 75% tax on their fuel but are paying
an additional tax called 'roadtax' also.

How much roadtax you pay depends on the weight of your car/truck,
the kind of fuel you are using,in which part of Holland you are living
and if you are using your car/truck privatly or for business.

At this moment I am paying 274 US$ or 410 Cdn$ yearly.
(My truck weighs 1940 Kg,fully charged to my business)
I paid 282 US$ dollar,422 Cdn$ for my previous car.
(Ford Taunus 2.3 V6, 1050 kg,privat use)

My brother is paying 470 US$, 704 Cdn$ for his Ford Mondeo 2.0 L.
(1324 Kg,privat use)

Now, as a compensation for the high fuelprices,our Minister of Finance
promised some months ago that this roadtax could drop with 20 % and
could be abolished within 10 !!!!! years.

Last week we heared this deal is off,no compensation at all.
Instead they launched a whole bunch of new plans.

*In 2010 everyone has to pay a certain amount of tax per mile/km driven.
How much that will cost per mile/km, will depend on the weight,fuel and
the use as privat or business truck/car. (same as roadtax)
Probably we will have some sort of device in the car/truck that will register your
mileage.(fraud secured offcourse)

Reduce traffic Jams.
Our Government is forcing us to take the train,bus,metro,bike by making
driving a car really expensiv.

*Toll gates at 4 major cities.
Only during rushours in the morning/evening.Special cameras register your plates.
Every time they are registering you, it means about 2 US$ toll.
On a yearly basis, about 1000 US$.( 50 weeks driving at work.)

*Special lanes you can pay for if you want no traffic jams at all.
I don't know what they are going to charge you for this but it must be quit an amount.
Otherwise,everyone is going to use these special lanes and we would still have these traffic jams.

Experiments

*The 'Keep Your Lane' system as you have it, was no succes here.
Cause: Too many exits here.(Small country)

Rule:Keep always to the right, fastest traffic is on the left,no passing on the right is allowed.

*They are really crazy about the system in the Chigago area.
(Dosing the amount of traffic on the highway by lights.)
It is said the Americans are using this system for ten years now and it is a succes.
But it is also said that a lot of drivers are ignoring these lights.

Speed

* City 50 Km per Hour (31.1 Mph)
* Outer city 80 Km per Hour (49.7 Mph)
* Highway 100/120 Km per Hour (62/74.6 MpH)

Westland Area

*There is a reconstruction on roads and crossroads going on here right now.
Thresholds/speedbumps on crossroads to reduce speed are popping up everywhere.
I hate those things,especially when you are towing a trailer.
Some are smooth ,others are really bumpy.
It will also effect my MPG,slowing down and pulling up again means using extra fuel.




------------------
99 F150 XLT V8 5.4 L Automatic
Regular Cab,Styleside,ShortBed
Bright Red,5 spoke Lariat Rims
Single CD-player,Class 3 Hitch
Pace Edwards Roll Top Cover
Dual exhaust at the back
Stainless Steel Gibson Tips 2.5"-3"
F150online WindowSticker
Tailgate XLT Triton V8 Badge

Worst MPG 9.8
Best MPG 15.6

The Bright Red One






[This message has been edited by F150Europe (edited 05-21-2000).]

 

F150Europe - I don't meen to be funny, or snide, but, why don't you move. It sounds like terrible conditions, for drivers.
I guess you like the place - other that what you write about. It certainley is interesting to hear about what other people are going thru, makes us feel somewhat good, or, as good as we can get. Mabye you are seeing what is in store for a lot more people. I hope not.
Good Luck

------------------
98 F150 S/C 4.6 2wd Vermillion/Silver,HD Tow Pkg, Boards, Vents, Lund Bug Chaser, LaBra Tonneau cover, DIY "breezer" Tailgate, 5th whl hitch, Tool box, 16" OEM Mag's,BEEP,BEEP roadrunner floor mats.
Mobil1 /Wix Oil filter/ K&N / air box mod.
In looks & go - Chevy - like a rock.

 

Oh, F150Europe, the "dosing the traffic" or metered traffic as well call it here sounds like a fantastic idea on paper, but in real life, it's a hassle. Enterance ramps were designed so it was long enough for your vehicle to reach cruising speed and merge into traffic without issue. The metered systems turn the ramps into launching pads. You sit there at a dead stop, and are expected to slam on your gas, rocket out of the half length of the ramp, and hopefully time it so you can merge in the lane (you're usually doing half the speed by then of the existing traffice). You then have now caused everyone behind you to slam on their brakes; if you were able to merge at all. There was a particular "exciting" metered ramp here in Columbus on RT315 off of Spring St Downtown before the renovations. (Any one from this area should remember this nightmare). You had to rocket from the light, but the oncoming traffic you had to merge into was coming around a bend, so you NEVER saw the cars until you were out of lane. Very scarey.

MrScot