one for the peterlee lot

[PTR]

are we the only country that has VAT on purchases ive never quite understood what the value is in the added tax like

Not at all, loads of countries have it. Everyone in the EU has to, for starters. America has state sales tax on everything sold.

 

[humbug]

Did you get hit with a big stick?

I remember when I’d left college, before I’d found a job, it was 1991 I think.

I lived at home and I received a poll tax bill so I had to attend an interview at the local town hall. I ended up not having to pay anything.

no, managed to dodge that.

i remember finishing work at dinnertime on the friday and riding down to london for it. young, full of anger and wanting to take part in something that would make a difference.
i knew there was always a bit of a bike meet at chelsea bridge so went there. went to heston services afterwards where a few bikers said there was always a bit of an impromptu stunt show. was ideal and went intending to get a room at the travelodge but it was full so ended up just sleeping in the services.
next day rode in and parked up at chiswick and tubed in. for some reason i thought the rally would meet at hyde park but was changed and not sure why. listened to a few speeches then set off. as we started walking there was a couple walking who i had been chatting to the precious night at heston-small world.
it was all very pleasant with people having a good time till we got to downing street and the crowd was funnelled onto the path on the other side of the road. that was when it started to get nasty. there was always a bit of an undercurrent from the nitwit anarchists who were there for different reasons to the majority. in all honesty when i got through the crush i just went to the stairs at trafalgar square just to get away from the crush. saw everything that went on. seeing the police drive a van into people was quite shocking even though the provocation was terrible.
i honestly believe it panned out exactly how the government wanted it to with the protest being overshadowed by the trouble.
got on the tube back to chiswick and rode home in the freezing cold.
sorry for the long post

 

[Deleted User 11453]

no, managed to dodge that.

i remember finishing work at dinnertime on the friday and riding down to london for it. young, full of anger and wanting to take part in something that would make a difference.
i knew there was always a bit of a bike meet at chelsea bridge so went there. went to heston services afterwards where a few bikers said there was always a bit of an impromptu stunt show. was ideal and went intending to get a room at the travelodge but it was full so ended up just sleeping in the services.
next day rode in and parked up at chiswick and tubed in. for some reason i thought the rally would meet at hyde park but was changed and not sure why. listened to a few speeches then set off. as we started walking there was a couple walking who i had been chatting to the precious night at heston-small world.
it was all very pleasant with people having a good time till we got to downing street and the crowd was funnelled onto the path on the other side of the road. that was when it started to get nasty. there was always a bit of an undercurrent from the nitwit anarchists who were there for different reasons to the majority. in all honesty when i got through the crush i just went to the stairs at trafalgar square just to get away from the crush. saw everything that went on. seeing the police drive a van into people was quite shocking even though the provocation was terrible.
i honestly believe it panned out exactly how the government wanted it to with the protest being overshadowed by the trouble.
got on the tube back to chiswick and rode home in the freezing cold.
sorry for the long post

Thank you for posting that, I appreciate a first hand account.

It’s similar to the differences when you attend a football match and then watch the highlights on telly... loads of editing to suit an agenda.