Taxing Drivers By The Mile: Part II

>> (1) The current rate per kilometer (or mile) being paid.
>> This allows people to complain that they are being taxed
>> for driving on their own lawn. It also lets them know
>> about the expensive peak times, so they can avoid them.
>
>How is one supposed to avoid driving at peak times?

The proponents of the Big Brother Taxing Scheme claim that it
can by specifically taxing *congested* roads at peak times
higher (which is different from taxing all roads at peak times
higher, although it may not seem that way if "congested roads"
includes almost all of the freeways).

Someone may be able to avoid driving on congested freeways at peak
times. Alternate routes. Vary the schedule. Now, I don't claim
everyone can, but enough might change their habits to reduce the
worst of the congestion.

>The vast majority of people leave in the morning and
>go home in the evening because that's human nature.

Yes, but perhaps some of them can arrive and leave an hour earlier
or an hour later. I often do that just because of the traffic, not
because of a tax. If you can spread "rush hour" into "rush three
hours", the highway department may save a lot on building roads.
Of course, that doesn't help if the rush period for arriving at
work Friday already starts on Wednesday noon.

>Charging more for driving during morning or evening
>rush hour will do nothing to decrease the amount of
>vehicles on the roads at that time, it will only
>increase the cost of driving at those times.

If you only charge more for driving during peak times on congested
freeways, perhaps some people will take alternate routes using other
freeways or side roads. If some of that traffic, even 5%, doesn't
have to be done during the peak period, it could be shifted to
another time and help a lot with the congestion.

Gordon L. Burditt