The banker loving, baby-eating Tory party thread (regenerated)

[Davkaus]

7 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Thats news to me

 

It's not all blue badge holders, but the people most in need won't be paying this for another 4 years.

Quote

If you are disabled and your vehicle (or your nominated driver's vehicle) does not meet ULEZ emissions standards, you may qualify for a temporary discount from the ULEZ charge called a grace period.

Eligible applicants for these grace periods will not need to pay the ULEZ charge until 25 October 2027.

1. 'Disabled' and 'Disabled Passenger Vehicle' Tax Class grace period

Disabled people whose vehicles are registered with the DVLA as having 'disabled' or 'disabled' passenger vehicle tax class benefit from a grace period, that exempts them from paying the ULEZ charge until 24 October 2027 as long as the vehicle does not change tax class. If the vehicle is registered in the UK, then you will not need to take any action.

2. Wheelchair accessible vehicles (WAV) grace period

This grace period is open to wheelchair-accessible cars and vans that do not meet ULEZ emissions standards and have been converted by mobility experts to allow a disabled person to access the vehicle as driver or passenger.

3. Disabled Benefits grace period

To be eligible, you will need to receive certain disability benefits or meet specific medical criteria such as people with a terminal illness, those registered blind (severely sight impaired), and those with children under 3 with a medical condition which means they need bulky equipment or to be near a vehicle.

 

[Demitri_C]

23 minutes ago, Davkaus said:

It's not all blue badge holders, but the people most in need won't be paying this for another 4 years.

 

Thanks didnt know that. Thats good to know at least.

27 minutes ago, NurembergVillan said:

And yet they haven't banned smoking at home, or smoking outside in certain areas or in your own car.

So perhaps overreach isn't a nailed on certainty?

I guess in your own home you can do as you please same with car. Id support no smoking in cars for sure.

[CVByrne]

52 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

The smoking ban was one of the best things to happen in this country. I was thinking about this the other day. How the **** were we flying all those years ago when smoking was legal on planes? How was there not more fires? Or safety issues!

Another example was leaded petrol. If you want to read about a hero read about Clair Patterson. 

[bickster]

2 hours ago, Xela said:

I remember flying to Orlando as a kid on a family holiday. We sat in the smoking section of the plane as both my parents were smokers. Like you say, mad to think it was allowed. 

I was on a Bulgarian flight run by the national carrier at the time, just after the fall of the Berlin Wall. 
The plane was basic, you could see the rivets in the metalwork, none of that fancy panelling you get these days. It wasn’t that full and we hit some turbulence. The air hostesses reaction was to break out the red sparkling wine (and when I say red I mean deep crimson red - never seen or tasted anything like it before or since) and the Russian ciggies. 
Russian ciggies were back then and probably still are, the most rough heinous things known to man, they might as well have been filterless. The whole aircraft was thick with acrid, yet vibrating smoke  (due to the turbulence) within a couple of minutes,

Quite bizarre when I think back on it

Nobody quite like the former soviet countries back then for lack of safety and ignoring risk

[Follyfoot]

3 hours ago, CVByrne said:

Two things. This is about air pollution which is a serious issue in cities. Even the "outskirts" of London are still built up areas. People should have their health and more importantly the health of their children protected.

You need a petrol car from before 2005 for it not to be ULEZ compliant. That's like nearly 20 year old car. How many people actually have those? For those people we are saying your car harms other people and it's not acceptable. Upgrade your 2002 car to a 2006 car or pay £12.50 when you drive into the zone.

This is a public health issue. Like when smoking bans came in. Some people complain but it is the right thing to do. Next up we need to ban ICE cars. 

Pubs have never smelled the same since the smoking ban in 2007

[mjmooney]

17 minutes ago, bickster said:

I was on a Bulgarian flight run by the national carrier at the time, just after the fall of the Berlin Wall. 
The plane was basic, you could see the rivets in the metalwork, none of that fancy panelling you get these days. It wasn’t that full and we hit some turbulence. The air hostesses reaction was to break out the red sparkling wine (and when I say red I mean deep crimson red - never seen or tasted anything like it before or since) and the Russian ciggies. 
Russian ciggies were back then and probably still are, the most rough heinous things known to man, they might as well have been filterless. The whole aircraft was thick with acrid, yet vibrating smoke  (due to the turbulence) within a couple of minutes,

Quite bizarre when I think back on it

Nobody quite like the former soviet countries back then for lack of safety and ignoring risk

ln 1980, my best mate copped off with a Bulgarian woman at a party in Leeds (there's a whole other story there, but I'll save it for another time). She was married, and living in Plovdiv, and went back home. So he decided - despite never having flown before, and being terrified of flying - to go behind the iron curtain and conduct a clandestine affair. He flew with the aforementioned Bulgarian state airline, and from the way he told it, it was very much the alarming experience that you describe. Long story short, after a series of adventures worthy of a Le Carré novel, they've now been married for 40 years, live in London and have grandchildren. 

Edited July 28, 2023 by mjmooney

[Demitri_C]

56 minutes ago, bickster said:

I was on a Bulgarian flight run by the national carrier at the time, just after the fall of the Berlin Wall. 
The plane was basic, you could see the rivets in the metalwork, none of that fancy panelling you get these days. It wasn’t that full and we hit some turbulence. The air hostesses reaction was to break out the red sparkling wine (and when I say red I mean deep crimson red - never seen or tasted anything like it before or since) and the Russian ciggies. 
Russian ciggies were back then and probably still are, the most rough heinous things known to man, they might as well have been filterless. The whole aircraft was thick with acrid, yet vibrating smoke  (due to the turbulence) within a couple of minutes,

Quite bizarre when I think back on it

Nobody quite like the former soviet countries back then for lack of safety and ignoring risk

Thats mad. Imagine being on a flight and you saw even a inkling of smoke there would be absolute panic on the plane.

That would be scary as **** these days

I literally cannot believe there was not more fires on planes back then. 

[Sid4ever]

9 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Thats mad. Imagine being on a flight and you saw even a inkling of smoke there would be absolute panic on the plane.

That would be scary as **** these days

I literally cannot believe there was not more fires on planes back then. 

1995 BA Heathrow to Moscow, Marlboro Red, Mrs Doubtfire movie, and passengers applauding and trying to use the toilet on accelerating down the runway.

[AVFC_Hitz]

8 hours ago, bickster said:

I was on a Bulgarian flight run by the national carrier at the time, just after the fall of the Berlin Wall. 
The plane was basic, you could see the rivets in the metalwork, none of that fancy panelling you get these days. It wasn’t that full and we hit some turbulence. The air hostesses reaction was to break out the red sparkling wine (and when I say red I mean deep crimson red - never seen or tasted anything like it before or since) and the Russian ciggies. 
Russian ciggies were back then and probably still are, the most rough heinous things known to man, they might as well have been filterless. The whole aircraft was thick with acrid, yet vibrating smoke  (due to the turbulence) within a couple of minutes,

Quite bizarre when I think back on it

Nobody quite like the former soviet countries back then for lack of safety and ignoring risk

Still is like this.

[limpid]

18 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

I am now concerned about them - does anyone know how Nigel Farage feels about them?

Grifty.

[bannedfromHandV]

15 hours ago, NurembergVillan said:

And yet they haven't banned smoking at home, or smoking outside in certain areas or in your own car.

So perhaps overreach isn't a nailed on certainty?

How can they ban smoking at home? Or why even would they?

I’m a smoker and despite that, I agree with the smoking ban now in public enclosed spaces. Though you cannot argue that in a busy bar / club now all you can smell is BO and farts.

[Demitri_C]

31 minutes ago, bannedfromHandV said:

How can they ban smoking at home? Or why even would they?

I’m a smoker and despite that, I agree with the smoking ban now in public enclosed spaces. Though you cannot argue that in a busy bar / club now all you can smell is BO and farts.

Id rather have that then smoke tbf

[Davkaus]

Pubs still don't smell brilliant, but do you remember how **** revolting most of them were in the few weeks after the smoking ban, when it became clear that used the smoke to hide the fact that they never cleaned up the spilled beer and piss?

[Genie]

I remember going for a beer with the father in law on Christmas day many years ago. Everyone in there was smoking cigars, we couldn’t even see across the room and my eyes were red and sore.

I think the fact it came in pre-internet was a very good thing. I could imagine all the web based opposition and conspiracy to us being controlled by the government if it happened now.

Wed be seeing videos from “doctors” on facebook saying how healthy it is to secondary smoke, and it’s free so what’s the problem?

[Demitri_C]

1 hour ago, Genie said:

I remember going for a beer with the father in law on Christmas day many years ago. Everyone in there was smoking cigars, we couldn’t even see across the room and my eyes were red and sore.

I think the fact it came in pre-internet was a very good thing. I could imagine all the web based opposition and conspiracy to us being controlled by the government if it happened now.

Wed be seeing videos from “doctors” on facebook saying how healthy it is to secondary smoke, and it’s free so what’s the problem?

Such good points there genie. I think they never would have managed to implement it now if the Internet ans social media was like it is today

[mjmooney]

1 hour ago, Davkaus said:

Pubs still don't smell brilliant, but do you remember how **** revolting most of them were in the few weeks after the smoking ban, when it became clear that used the smoke to hide the fact that they never cleaned up the spilled beer and piss?

And you came home with your clothes reeking of cigarette smoke. 

[bickster]

3 minutes ago, Demitri_C said:

Such good points there genie. I think they never would have managed to implement it now if the Internet ans social media was like it is today

Why on earth would anyone think this?

When has any Government stopped doing anything similar science / health  because of the outcry on Social Media?

ULEZ? - nope

COVID vaccine rollout? - Nope

COVID Lockdown? - nope

None of those were stopped because of SM all that happened was that some whoppers turned into bigger whoppers

[Demitri_C]

10 minutes ago, bickster said:

Why on earth would anyone think this?

When has any Government stopped doing anything similar science / health  because of the outcry on Social Media?

ULEZ? - nope

COVID vaccine rollout? - Nope

COVID Lockdown? - nope

None of those were stopped because of SM all that happened was that some whoppers turned into bigger whoppers

Surely you cant argue conspiracy theorists hasnt escalated since the introduction of social media and the Internet?

[trekka]

3 hours ago, bannedfromHandV said:

How can they ban smoking at home? Or why even would they?

I’m a smoker and despite that, I agree with the smoking ban now in public enclosed spaces. Though you cannot argue that in a busy bar / club now all you can smell is BO and farts.

The number of smokers is reducing anyway.  It'll come to a stage where there will be no demand for cigarettes due to a number of reasons (older people who have smoked all of their lives dying from lung cancer etc and the younger folk don't want that happening to them, cost) which is why they're all desperate to push vaping as big as it can get.  We could (I'm not saying we will) go down the NZ route and ban anyone being born from a certain date being able to buy cigarettes, in effect wiping it out over time. 

[OutByEaster?]