While everyone in this country is angry about the high diesel prices, we enjoy the little things in life and about a new ban that politicians have just come up with.
If you want to make a bit of fat pants these days, treat your car washing program and then another tank full to the brim. The tank doesn't even have to be that big. A good 40 liters are sometimes enough for a three-digit bill. And because nowadays you also have to enjoy the small things in life: For the first time ever, we were able to fill up the old convertible for less than the reasonable family diesel. Where cheap is a pretty relative term at diesel prices from 2,35 euros for a liter.
Way too much tax
With these sums, people's souls are easily in turmoil and politicians are urged to do something about the galloping numbers on the display of the petrol pump, so that employees can still afford the way to work and entrepreneurs can still afford the company. Taxes should be reduced, ideally all of them, but definitely VAT on fuel.
In fact, we noticed that fuel prices in Germany are rising a bit more than in other European countries. Why that is, however, is not clear. At least not because of VAT, because it is even higher in the Netherlands or Denmark and similar to ours in most of the neighboring countries. Maybe a friend is right when he said the petroleum industry knows just how crazy Germans are about cars. Here the high price is paid and not complained like elsewhere. In any case, the - let's call it "production premium" - seems to be the highest per liter of fuel in Germany, measured against the use of crude oil.
You don't need a speed limit anymore
In any case, most car drivers don't care about the price of fuel, which can be seen from how slowly people are driving lately. The speed limit expected before the general election now comes almost automatically via the fee at the gas station. The environmental organizations can save themselves cheap calls to introduce it quickly now in order to reduce costs. The average driver in this country is still that smart.
Whether diesel and super are too expensive is a social and economic question that we do not dare to answer here. However, we would like to point out that, as measured by wage levels, the new peak at the gas station is no higher than the level due in the 1950s and only slightly higher than that of the 1970s. Yes, the good old days, when fuel cost less than one mark, but an hour's work hardly brought in five of that. Back then, smoking was still allowed everywhere.
Diesel is actually cheap
Today, if the federal states and their legislative initiative have their way, smoking is no longer even allowed in the car if children are in the vehicle. And whoever is caught should fork out up to 3.000 euros. In contrast, diesel is almost a special offer. There it goes, the freedom to be allowed to damage the health of others in your own car.
One would think that smoking in the car with small children present would no longer have to be discussed today. But apparently the number of parents who smoke their offspring on the go is quite considerable and they even have something of a lobby. Because the last time a corresponding legislative initiative failed was three years ago. We're excited to see how it turns out this time. Perhaps nobody will notice if such a law is passed on the side. With all the madness that's happening around us right now. Is there anything else? Next week again.