Elephantman

How do you explain: "Across Europe, the actual wholesale gas price, together with suppliers' profit margins, represents 54% of an average gas bill, while distribution represents 23%, energy taxes 7% and sales tax 16%. In the UK, the price of energy including margins makes up 67% of a gas bill, while distribution represents 23%, energy taxes 6% and VAT 5%." From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25639406 So strip out taxes and we are being ripped off by the energy companies, 13% higher!

An opinion based on Rossiter's record at Coventry where as Trump's mouth piece he regularly jumped the gun with statements and press releases that subsequently were not shown to be accurate. Time will tell. You again; so nice to have a contribution from you, usual standard I see

Having read and re-read the press release, it seems typical of the type that are issued when an organisation has screwed up and wish to point the finger of blame elsewhere. It is extremely unprofessional and typical of the sport that clubs wash the dirty linen in public rather than dealing with-it behind closed doors! As nobody knows who the members of the new Sheffield consortium are; then who exactly is being accused and how come they've done all of this dirty dealing in such double-quick time since the takeover....... I smell a large traunch of west country BS

I stand corrected; my source will be shot at dawn! Not quite correct; British Rail was light years ahead of any other national railway in terms of cost control and use of technology. According to all independent research BR were the cheapest run national railway to the Tax Payer between 1975 and privatisation. The Tax subsidy to the rail industry has more than doubled since privatisation in real terms and most of this has been paid out in over inflated wages to senior managers and profits to the private companies. We the tax payer are still paying for the renewal of infrastructure and then we can't afford the fares to use the damn things! As I mentioned for me immigration is not an issue; the facts show that the majority of immigrants make a significant contribution to this country. If all other countries started behaving the way we do to Johnny Foreigner and sent all the Brits back home we really would be in the do do! I do feel sorry for the people who have been caught up in what is just political posturing.

Sort of answer I'd expect from the Spokesperson for.... how many people do you represent again; is that just you and your dog, or your mate down the pub as well? You may have been a British Gas Manager but you fail the basics on competition theory.

You are correct; delete Holland except when it comes to Railways. You cannot compete for Rail Franchises in Germany or France unless you are German or French owned. The reasons the French Companies were in better shape was that they were correctly funded by the French Tax Payers. The publicly owned companies in the UK wanted to go to the capital markets to raise the capital to invest; the Thatcher government refused to allow that because of political dogma; "privatisation is best"! My point is that many other countries do not operate a "free market" when it comes to essential services. So EDF (for example) can take their profits from the UK and subsidise power prices in France. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89lectricit%C3%A9_de_France Greater Anglia Railways (Abellio) are the Dutch National Railways (NS) who are owned by the State of The Netherlands http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nederlandse_Spoorwegen Many people (perhaps like you) are perpetuating the myth of competition in Utilities and Essential Services; there is no such thing and if Nationalising these industries was so bad and our industries in such a poor state why would the National Owned Companies of other countries buy them..... because we are a Nation that has a gullible population that accepts been ripped off by big business that is why! To relate it to the Visa issue; the immigration numbers are chicken feed in terms of cost to this country the big money is been lost giving profits to Foreign companies that have purchased Utilities and Essential services. As a UK Passport holder of many years that worries me far more than a bunch of Aussies coming over here to race speedway!

I'm not here to educate you but as you asked. The National Industries that were privatised were significantly under valued to encourage Joe Public to buy shares. Despite this fact the majority of the shares went to the management of these organisations and City Institution. Within a short period of time many of those shares were sold at the correct market values making millionaires of many average middle managers and making the City billions in profits. Just like the recent Post Office sale the shares were sold at a price way below the value of the company so that the government could rake some cash in to cover the failure of their economic policies. So in effect billions of pounds of our money was GIVEN away! These shares were bought by the foreign investors mentioned because even though they paid a high price for control of these companies they knew that the "regulation" of these false markets was weak and they could charge what the hell they liked as the Great British public are so gullible. All these businesses are in a monopoly market place set up to look like a "open" market. Non of these companies compete with each other in real terms as the variance in price they offer is driven by two factors 1. Costs of sales and marketing 2. How much profit they can get away with before customers switch. All other price factors are pretty much the same for the utilities. The train companies cannot effectively compete with each other for two reasons 1. Most do not run services in direct competition to each other 2. The Civil Servants (i.e. Polticians) decide the Timetables and the rail franchises bid to operate a service designed by Mandarins who are in effect playing with the biggest trains set in the world. This is what they have done which is why our power, water and train prices are the highest in the world (for any major economy). * The French, Germans and Dutch do not let Johnny Foreigner run these utilities and services in their countries. Does that clarify the situation for you. To further assist this is all relevant to Speedway because the biggest issue the sport has is getting people through the doors; bearing in mind the sport has traditionally appealed to what is euphemistically known as the "working classes" it is this group that have been most hard hit by the rip off prices for essential services and the failure of the current Governments economic polices. Costs in speedway have risen significantly; the sport is struggling to reflect those costs in the prices that are charged. Do you really want me to start on Air Fences again??

Quite right too if you can't con the people in to believing you are doing something when you're not then the title "Politician" does not apply to you. UKBA and the policies affecting them have become a tool of right wing politicians who want to show how tough they are on "Johnny Foreigners" who come here and steal our jobs. Those same politicians are the one's who sold a large chunk of our Power and Gas industries to the French and Germans; the Water industry to the Australians and Far East conglomerates and British Rail (we do hate nationalised industries) to the National Railways of France; Germany & Holland. So the Government have given away billions of pounds worth of our money making us all poorer; then give individuals a real hard time when they want to come and work here in the sport/entertainment business. The Governor of The Bank of England got his visa; no problem I'm told!

You really are an unpleasant individual.

You and The Doctor are really not with the game are you. If you are going to change something you must prove that the replacement is going to be better than that which is already there. You cannot say that air fences will be better for every track because you do not have the evidence. Whereas with the fence technology that has been in place for many years there is clear empirical evidence of its efficacy. So to spell it out for you if it ain't broke don't fix it!

Yes I am; only because you don't want me to be here though:) The maths isn't too difficult, even for a Doctor. if what we read on this thread is accurate. £20k for an air fence; as few as 120 people attending some meetings; equals one club out of business due to poor attendances and an extraordinary cost for a safety device that possibly isn't required. Hopefully a benefactor will step in and pay for the fence.

This sums up your crap argument; a better fence but forced to change............. Stupid argument; stupid rule, if a change cannot be demonstrated to improve safety then it shouldn't happen. Not in all situations.

I would have done but some nob decided they'd pm me telling me to stop. So up yours delores. I'll post what I wish when I wish in what thread I wish if the comment can be related to that thread. This thread is another club that are on the ponce for money for an air fence; the question that one should be asked is are there other alternatives types of fence that may be cheaper and not reduce safety for this track. That cannot be considered because of an arbitrary decision made by the BSPA. So to the Doctor and you Tsunami; gan stick yee heed doon the nettie!

Yes you are correct. I'm just shocked that on a forum that often lambasts the BSPA for things they haven't done (as in wrongly attributed to them) a decision they have made, based on limited science, that will lead to the closure of some tracks and at some tracks possibly increasing the risk of injury, has just been waved through by the forum on the nod! I've said my piece on it, which will undoubtedly cheer up those who wish to supress genuine debate.

Your posts have become over aggressive. You really need to sort out your issues in a less public domain.

Well done!

Only for FIM events; EL, PL & NL are not FIM events.

Yes I'm quite certain that is good enough for a lot of people.

And there is the rub ; it is only "needed" because it is imposed and it is only saving "possible" serious injury because there is no data available to demonstrate it's superiority to all other type of fences. Apologies to those on here who prefer to work on opinion rather than facts.

That argument would hold water if these things had been independently tested and a risk assessment done at every location they are to be installed at. Patently this has not happened. The more likely scenario is that there will be litigation over injuries caused where these fences have been poorly designed or installed. I always thought forums were for serious debate. yet many of you want to shut down the discussions on this serious issue. It is clear from a number of posts that injuries have been made worse by poorly installed or failing air fences. Proper research and accreditation may have prevented this. Yet you champions of rider safety don't want to ask why or what can make things better?

I have moved on. Still waiting to see some independent evidence that shows Air Fences are safer than any other type of fence at every track operating (because imposing them as a requirement says that they are). You really don't have that evidence do you? One size never fits all! I don't need your input Oldace; the only thing I have ever questioned is the lack of evidence to show that Air Fences are safer than other fences in every instance. This is not proven and for some reason a number of posters believe this is something I shouldn't question. Well tough really if I think something is amiss I'm the sort of pain in the b/side who will keep asking. Apologies if that offends.

So the chickens are coming home to roost! Do they really need a new air fence or are they been forced to buy a new air fence?

Many riders English or not would be delighted to be seen as a 6-7 point man as they are essential to any team and that average is a clear indicator that they have amounted to something in the sport.

You really are unbelievable; manufacturers webs sites full of marketing bull rubbish and your convinced. Having read all of this my points are still all valid. Why do you have such an interest in ensuring discussion about safety is suppressed? No independent verification or testing!

The very fact that people with some experience are talking about the best way to install these things sums up the problem. The manufacturers and BSPA/FIM et al should be in a position to instruct users how to safely install them. But they can't, because they don't know, due to the fact these fences have not been independently and thoroughly tested. The approach to such a key safety item is staggering and borders on negligent!