dump the pump

A campaign organised in the UK to protest against rising fuel tax.

On August 1, 2000 and every Monday thereafter, Britain's motorists are being encouraged to boycott buying petrol. Of course, they will still need to buy petrol (so I imagine that the petrol stations will be busier than normal on the days directly before and after these campaigns), but presumably the idea is to make a point.

http://www.boycott-the-pumps.com/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_860000/860572.stm

---

In hindsight:
The Dump the Pump campaign made very little impact. In August we saw direct action taken by farmers and lorry drivers (including the drivers of petrol tankers). You can read all about it at Petrol Crisis.

The aim of this protest is to send a message to the British government saying that motorists are not happy to be paying 75% tax on fuel. It is not aimed at hurting the petrol companies and it probably won't do so. As stated by TallRoo, motorists will still drive and therefore will just buy their petrol on the adjacent days. However, refraining from buying petrol on certain days makes the protest measurable. This way opinion can be made clear and everyone concerned gets a chance to do something about it.

devil's advocate : The non cynical reason for tax on petrol in the uk is that it's goal is to reduce consumption - to encourage people to own smaller cars, to use the train, to walk and so on.

The British government commited to reducing carbon dioxide emmisions in the uk by twenty percent as part of the Kyoto protocol so that we don't destroy the world.

This will require a reduction in petrol consumption. I have heard many people complain that petrol is expensive now, but I have not heard anyone say they haven't made a journey by car because of the cost of fuel. Does this mean the tax is a failiure because it isn't high enough ? Are there alternative ways of reducing fuel consumption ? Are there ways of reducing the political sensitivity of fuel tax ? (ring fencing fuel tax to pay for public transport infrastructure ?)