Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past week or so, you’d have seen that hi-larious [sic] video of one of the Barack-mobiles getting stuck on a ramp outside the U.S. Embassy in Ireland. The U.S. President’s eight ton, “Beasts” are monsters of cars, built to withstand bullets, bombs and probably reporters’ shoes (yes, I went there).
In a cute footnote to this story, notorious car-hater environmentally-conscious London Mayor Boris Johnson is considering levying a congestion charge on each car in President Obama’s motorcade, the cost of which would be £10 (US$16) per vehicle. A spokeswoman has stated that they will not be paying the charges if billed.
"Our position on the congestion charge is based on the 1960 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which prohibits the imposition of this sort of tax on diplomatic missions. It is a position shared by many other diplomatic missions in London. The U.S. Embassy in London conscientiously abides by all UK laws, including paying fines for all traffic violations, such as parking and speeding violations.”
The U.S. Embassy has consistently refused to pay these charges, and now owes somewhere in the vicinity of £5.3 million (US$8.7 million) in congestion charge fines. Mr. Johnson raised the issue of the fines with the U.S. President during a state dinner at Buckingham Palace. Mr. Johnson explains:
“Our roads were not closed during the President's visit so his motorcade will pay. The Beast will pay the charge, I'm delighted to say. We didn't charge the Pope when he was here because all the roads were closed, so the Popemobile was exempt. But this was different.”
A spokesperson for the Mayor’s Office told the AFP: “They already owe £5.3 million so it is probable the bill for the motorcade will just go on top of that.”
A spokesman from Transport for London, which handles the congestion charges, states:"The presidential motorcade is subject to the congestion charge. Any vehicle, regardless of where it is registered, which is identified within the congestion charging zone during the hours of operation without a valid charge, discount or exemption may be subject to a penalty.”
The U.S. Embassy in London, along with delegations from other countries, allege the congestion charge is a tax and therefore they have diplomatic immunity. It’s believed that they collectively owe some £51 million (US$83 million) to Transport of London in unpaid charges and fines. The exact amount owed for President Obama’s motorcade is still unknown.
By Tristan Hankins
13 Comments:
It doesn't look like it got stuck, more like the front suspension completely collapsed.
Hmm....this angle shows a lot more.
Bunch of twats, they should both pay, out of their own pockets for making us put up with them and the inconvenience caused. Obama, please just go home and take our major with you, ta
give-me-a-fricken-break...traffic fees on a diplomatic trip? i say let's pull the embassy out of Britain and charge them a million dollars for each american soldier that died saving her ass...then and now!
They should thank to America for getting free flow of oil and ,they ought to pay more money to America. Unless they want to go back on horse carriages.
'i say let's pull the embassy out of Britain and charge them a million dollars for each american soldier that died saving her ass...then and now!'
'They should thank to America for getting free flow of oil and ,they ought to pay more money to America. Unless they want to go back on horse carriages.'
Howdey folks! how is your sister (sorry I mean mother) and how is your brother (sorry I mean father)!
Inbreads!
this photo shows that it was actualy moving in oposite direction..
"give-me-a-fricken-break...traffic fees on a diplomatic trip? i say let's pull the embassy out of Britain and charge them a million dollars for each american soldier that died saving her ass...then and now!"
IT WASN'T FREE! BRITAIN PAID THE LAST INSTALMENT IN DEC 2008 FOR THE SEVERAL BILLION DOLLAR LOAN FOR THE WAR EFFORT!
AND YOU GUYS ONLY CAME IN BECAUSE OF PEARL HARBOUR!
THE UK SHOULD NEVER AGAIN HELP THE US IN ANY WARS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. DESPITE THE MOST MILITARY EQUIPMENT YOU HAVE THE MOST STUPID, INCAPABLE SOLIDERS. [STUPID JUST LIKE YOU!]
And who told Pearl Harbour was Pearl Harbour. They provoked the Japanese. And Carscoop it does not help when you provoke by writing things like Notorious car hater and striking it out to get the double meaning across.
Maybe better this doesn't progress, UK and US fighting amongst ourselves, a very sad state of affairs.
"They provoked the Japanese"
The yanks were isolationsts before the attack and were indifferent with the war as a whole. The Japanese were the aggressors in that case and were already bloodthirty from their invations in China, Korea, and the Philippines.
I don't trust either the yanks or the japs. BOTH have committed atrocities.
Let's keep this a forum about cars, not a springboard for brain dead redneck bigots who only echo their leader Sarah Palin's history and gerography lessons by the way she thinks Fucking is a town in China.
Bashing the USA is a waste of effort, spit in their faces and they think it's raining.
Americans prove that ignorance is bliss.
The US never won a war on it's own, except the revolution and the movie wars and has slide down hill slowly from that point.
There will soon be another revolution between the illiterate, gullable tea baggers and born agains versus the educated compationate left and centrists.
(above) Looks like you did a great job keeping this all about cars.
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