BRFR Cake Stop 'breaking news' miscellany

[BoldonLad]

Vehicles paying by use is something I think must be the way to go. More miles you drive more pollution, more infrastructure load, etc. so encourage people to drive less and to pay for they damage they are doing.

With ICEs easy as you can just add tax to fuel; which has the added benefit that lower milesages but in more damaging vehicles drivers still pay in proportion to the damage they cause.

I've not seen any proposed mechanism the UK plans for implement it's EV road pricing system but assuming they have (or will have) a viable method maybe that should cover ICE vehicles as well. Even if that means existing cars buying and installing some GPS based data collector so be it. Driving is not a right and the cost of such a device will be significantly less that 1 year insurance cover for most (or make it optional where have device exempts you from VED, don't have the device and existing 10 x VED charge).

I would guess that most EVs already have built in data recording, we just need to negotiate with the Chinese to give us access to it. 😂

 

[briantrumpet]

It's going to be interesting to see the result of the French mayoral election 2nd round today. No hints so far. Polling closes at 8pm CET.

 

[briantrumpet]

It's going to be interesting to see the result of the French mayoral election 2nd round today. No hints so far. Polling closes at 8pm CET.

Stuff coming in from around France suggests that the far right isn't making the gains it had been hoping for, even in their strong areas such as Alpes Maritimes etc. If that is the case, less extreme parties might be thanking Trump somewhat, I suspect.

 

[briantrumpet]

Looking like Parisians like what Hidalgo has done and want more of the same, from this exit poll.

 

[briantrumpet]

And Marseilles hasn't elected the far right candidate as some had been expecting, but the incumbent leftist, Benoit Payan, again if exit polls are accurate.

 

[rakkor]

I hope the Trump factor is also reflected in the upcoming Hungarian elections later this year and Orban is kicked out on his ear

 

[briantrumpet]

I hope the Trump factor is also reflected in the upcoming Hungarian elections later this year and Orban is kicked out on his ear

Looks like the far right is trailing in Slovenia too, but not by much.

 

[briantrumpet]

I think this is rubbing the Right's noses in it, since they wanted to roll back Hidalgo's 'war on motorists' in Paris.

Mind you, they'll probably complain that he's not wearing a helmet or hi-vis.

 

[C R]

In Spain both the Conservatives (PP) and the equivalent of reform (VOX) are being battered by how unpopular Trump, Netanyahu and their war is. The war has actually caused a public spat between the president of the Madrid regional government, a rabid trumper who supports the war, and the the president of the Galician government, who opposed it. Both are high profile members of the PP.

 

[briantrumpet]

In Spain both the Conservatives (PP) and the equivalent of reform (VOX) are being battered by how unpopular Trump, Netanyahu and their war is. The war has actually caused a public spat between the president of the Madrid regional government, a rabid trumper who supports the war, and the the president of the Galician government, who opposed it. Both are high profile members of the PP.

In a world where it seems we're going hell in a handcart, things like that, and the acceleration towards green energy solutions might be small but significant comforts.

 

[briantrumpet]

 

[briantrumpet]

Lyon has gone to the ecologists. That also seems vaguely significant.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

I

In a world where it seems we're going hell in a handcart, things like that, and the acceleration towards green energy solutions might be small but significant comforts.

I suspect a part of it is that the spectre of Dictatorships, autocracy and facism still looms large across Europe as there are still so many people alive that witnessed it first or second hand. The key difference perhaps is that the US, pre Trump, does not really hold the same experience of it in their collective consciousness. Maybe that is why they are so slow to recognise it.

 

[briantrumpet]

French summary of the biggies. No earthquakes, which seems like a win in today's climate.

 

[Beebo]

French summary of the biggies. No earthquakes, which seems like a win in today's climate.

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That’s not Nice.