Driver ticketed for using biofuel

The Charlotte Observer ^ | Jun 11, 2007 | Bruce Henderson

[The Old Hoosier]

Ideally, you make an agreement to get used vegetable oil from local restaurants, who already have to pay to have it removed. Then it’s free, and it runs just like Diesel, with great results. The diesel engine was meant to run on vegetable oil, but the problem is that veggie oil needs to be heated up before it can combust that way.

[moonman]

"He bought soybean oil in 5-gallon jugs at Costco, spending about 30 percent more than diesel would cost."

Let's re-calculate this after the government taxes ... He now spends 70% more than diesel fuel. :)

[antiRepublicrat]

Can we agree that social engineering is a bad thing and that doing it through the tax systems rather than through incentives is even worse ?

ABSOLUTELY!

[antiRepublicrat]

Let's re-calculate this after the government taxes ... He now spends 70% more than diesel fuel. :)

If he wants to "do his part" for the environment at all costs, more power to him. It's a (supposedly) free country. At least the state has no case in saying he did it to save money.

[Minutemen]

bump

[Onelifetogive]

He knew he was evading a tax and still using the roads the tax was designed to support.

How about electric cars? Do they face the same fees or fines?

[Kellis91789]

Resurrecting an old thread, are we ?

A rational approach to paying for roadways would basically be fees based on miles traveled and the weight of the vehicle. Fuel taxes are a bad proxy based on the assumption that heavier vehicles will use more fuel and therefor pay higher taxes via fuel purchases. However, since the driver in the article chose to drive a vehicle which requires fuel, and the state has defined fuel as a taxable item, and he was aware that fuel for vehicle is taxable, he is guilty of tax evasion. The state does not currently define electricity as a vehicle fuel, therefor no tax is evaded by electric vehicle operators. Yes, the taxes paid on the electricity used to charge the electric vehicle are very low compared to the wear and tear a heavy electric vehicle puts on the roadways. Laws are voted on by the residents of an area, and there is no shame in finding the loopholes.

[RobinOfKingston]

To legally use veggie oil, state officials told him, he would have to first post a $2,500 bond.

Gotta collect those highway taxes, donchaknow. I am so glad that "our country" and "our government" are not synonymous.

[MaxMax]

The state does not currently define electricity as a vehicle fuel,
therefor no tax is evaded by electric vehicle operators.

Well, what if he put an oil burning generator under his hood
and used electric motors?

/grin