Britain to Ban New Gas Cars by 2040

So, reading though the news and saw this.  Now I’m all for a cleaner environment and such, but these type of laws always make me wonder if the people who wrote it and passed it understand what will happen?

The obvious thing, its not eliminating gas and diesel cars in 2040, but no new cars will be for sale by then.

It is a first step to eliminating them thought, and while it might help the environment, jury for me is still out wither electric cars are more environmental friendly, there are other problems never thought about.

Let’s look at a few other social and possible economic impacts of the ban and the eventual outcome.

The biggest one, the corner gas station which one sees everywhere. 

Just near me, I can count at least 20 gas stations, and those are the ones I can recall.  Now, each gas station is usually open 24 hours, employs at least 1 person all the time, 8 hour shifts, 3 people a day, give some people time off who wants to work every day, and it employs probably between 4-8 people.  I constantly during the day when visiting a gas station see people either pumping gas or going in to buy something quick, like a drink or snack.

Now get rid of gas cars and such, and those disappear.  Now you have 20+ empty lots, 4-8 people employed, times 20 gas stations, makes 80-160 people with either no job or less income and that’s the economic part.

You make a drive cross country, or longer than a couple of hours to go visit someone.  Guess what, have to go to the bathroom?  Well, now instead of trying to find a gas station, which can be about a dime a dozen in most places, you have to look to find one.

And going to the bathroom, well, many when going in also come out with a drink, snack or both.  You’re rest stop is now gone with nothing replacing it.

So, while it sounds good, there will be an impact both economically and socially which writers of such bills never imagine.