Motorists fuel their cars with cooking oil to avoid tax

[Eutychus]

Want Fries with that fill up?
=============================


'Frying Squad' Swoops on Drivers in Fuel Scam

LONDON (Reuters) - A Welsh police team dubbed "the Frying Squad" has been formed to sniff out motorists who fuel their cars with cooking oil from fish and chip shops in a bid to avoid paying high government fuel taxes.

Three Welsh motorists have already been caught and fined for using waste oil from restaurants selling Britain's favorite deep-fried dish, the Times newspaper reported Wednesday.

"I have halved my motoring costs since I started running my Subaru on cooking oil," the paper quoted one of those stopped as saying.

"The car runs just as well and even smells a lot better than diesel."

The drivers were fined 500 pounds ($780 US) and warned that persistent offenders may face up to seven years in jail. :eek:

[Jiggy]

its great, you try and do your bit to help the environment and what do you get in return, you get fined or locked up. i dont think you are avoiding paying tax on fuel by using cooking oil, if you look at it from the point that by buying the cooking oil you have paid your tax on that so why pay for it on fuel. thats it, someone found a loop hole, if the government dont get there bit the people will pay!!!

[bassman]

Well Jiggy my friend, that is one of the problems with a Monarchy, you do what they tell you to do whether you use the service or not. What would be the fine if you stopped buying any fuel at all?:rolleyes:
I'm quite sure though, that just like here, a portion of the fuel tax goes towards highway maintenance. And since you would be using the highways without paying that tax, that would be the basis for them penalizing.
Hey, I wonder if this stuff would work in a Kerosene heater?:eek: That would surely drive all the other campers nuts:D :p

Buy the way, how the heck have you been?:cool:

[Whyzman]

I suspect they could make up the difference in increased fish and chip sales...ever been in a mall or store where the aroma of popcorn delicately tiptoed up your nostrils? And, it was as if you were suddenly on auto pilot seeking out the source with wallet in hand?

;) :D

Then again, have you ever smelled your clothing after mowing the lawn using a 2 cycle mower? Don't know that I'd like my clothing smelling like fish and chips.....

[Jiggy]

bassman its been a long time, im a year older and still just as much fun, im trying to teach my self guitar thats fun, if you could hear me play, and tell me what im ment to be playing. im not bad at all.

[scroatbagg]

Think you may have (or Reuters) got it wrong Eutychus. It is not illegal to run a vehicle on fuel such as "frying oil" "rapeseed oil" or any other kind of oil that does not carry a government tax levy. Fuel that is not intended for road use - red diesel etc, is taxed at a lower rate so the Customs & Excise can prosecute. The actual problem here is that the drivers where adding cooking oil to diesel oil so diluting it therefore not paying the full tax. Most European car manufacturers are looking to develop ways to use alternative fuels; Ford however along with the US government says it’s not viable as there will be no demand!

I think as Americans you need to take something like this seriously, your fuel tax is low, if fuel goes up it would bring your country to its knees. The Middle East crisis is a major concern due to the oil reserves. At a recent conference only the USA refused to lower its use of fossil fuels. Our government taxes our fuel so highly that we need to look for alternatives, a gallon of fuel (or gas as you call it) costs $5.15 (that’s £3.30) of that $4.53 goes to the government. Some of the money raised does go towards road building but even that has been put on a go slow as we don’t want roads cutting across the country spoiling natural beauty.


Bassman - as a monarchy we do not do as the monarch tells us. The government, like yours, has the ultimate power. The monarch is just a figurehead and has not had power for some time. I think you have been watching to many Hollywood movies.

[Whyzman]

SB,

It doesn't appear that you folks are having a problem with fluctuations in oil prices due to conservation or lack thereof, or Mid-East conflicts...what's up with the taxes????????!!!!!! Actual cost per gal/litre appears to be miniscule.....Sheesh! :eek:

[scroatbagg]

Whyzman

dont think you understood me,

Fuel cost $5.15 per gallon, whats you cost!! Much less. That is the point I am trying to make.:confused:

[Whyzman]

SB,

In retrospect, I'm not exactly sure what my point was! :eek:

I was just astounded at the government reaming you folks with such excessive taxation on the stuff! I wasn't looking to compare oil prices from one side of the pond to the other, although after you subtract your mammoth taxes base prices are probably not all that far apart. Do they want you to ride bikes more or what?

It's my understanding the majority of our oil is coming from Mexico and I think Canada. Mid-East supplies are still a major player and I suspect the wild card in the pricing equation. All the suppliers get rich when doubts arise regarding instability. Unfortunately, our government chose to not allow exploration that would soften the pricing spikes!

Our gas prices used to be quite stable...a few cents here and there. Now, we can see jumps overnight of over .30 cents.

[bassman]

Scroatbagg, was somewhat unaware of that, but that is due to the lack of attention I give to the TV. What is a Hollywood?;) I do know that your government is a bit more controling then here, but with that comes benefits we don't have. One of the negatives would have to be the fact that they can charge that high of a tax.
The tax I was refering to is called Federal Excise tax here (which is collected in a number of areas) and it is intended to maintain highways, not necessarily build new.
I am also aware that Ford has a very strong presence in the UK. many of the parts on Fords here come from English plants. Not sure why they feel that alterative fuel/power vehicals would have little demand, They are developing several alternatives here as are most manufactures, with government support.
So how would it work if they sampled your fuel and found NO diesel?
The fact that the people of this country decided they don't want our government to spend billions on an industry that depletes and pollutes so profoundly is a great thing. This will allow the alternative industry to access money that was not available for R/D before.

DANG there I go on my soapbox again. :D

Hey Jiggy, have you gotten past the part of scaring the cat with that guitar?:D I never did.:confused:

[borgdrone1of2]

hello
if the fuel tax actualy went to raods my what fine roads we would have