So many people all over the place are spouting different opinions, it’s hard to tell what Brexit means for the country, let alone the motoring crowd. With popular commentators such as Clarkson, who you’d probably have put money on to have thrown in his lot with the out crowd, saying we must stay, no-one seems quite sure what we should be doing, let alone how we should vote.
One way of looking at the situation is from behind the wheel of your vehicle. If you’re a fully signed up petrol head who lives for nothing more than the open road and the smell of rubber melting on a hot summer’s day against the tarmac, then perhaps it’s best to look at how a potential Brexit could change your favourite pastime.
Fuel Prices
The global cost of fuel is likely to stay the same whether the UK leaves or stays with Europe. The value of the pound on the world stage however is set to change in response to the UK’s vote on Europe.
Many experts say that a leave vote will push the country into a short term recession, which would definitely see the price of petrol rise. However, other experts argue that climbing in with Europe would see our economy weaken in the long term, gradually pushing the cost of petrol up.
Conversely there’s a chance that without having to deal with trade embargoes issued through some of the proposed agreements with the US, the UK could be free to deal with emergent nations such as Brazil, which are currently uncovering vast oil fields in the Southern Atlantic. Much hinges on the countries the UK could potentially use as trading partners in the future.
Cost of Vehicles
No one can predict what Brexit will truly do for the economy, but one question we need to ask is will leaving affect our car prices? According to a study conducted by Head and Mayer, there’s a strong case for a number of manufacturers pulling out of the UK including BMW.
With around 40% of exports going to the EU, this could be disastrous for the motoring industry in the country. Will this push prices up as foreign manufacturers hold the country to ransom, or could prices drop through the floor? At this stage it’s difficult to tell.
Booze Cruises
With tighter restrictions and import tariffs set to rise under a successful leave vote, the chances are that booze cruises will fast become a big thing once again. You’ll be able to bring back car loads of alcohol or tobacco, as there’s a good chance that the duty free market will reignite with some people travelling over to the continent multiple times in a single day to stock up on the good stuff.
The shops in Calais seem to be hoping that this might be the case as they will be in for a bumper pay-day. Do you remember the EastEnders warehouse? Brexit could spark a new level of commerce specially designed to fill up your motor with cheap luxuries to bring back to old Great Britain.
This may well introduce a larger smuggling market as the underground demand for booze and fags grows, but with e-Cigs now legal in the UK it is unlikely tobacco smuggling will reach the epidemic levels of the early 2000s.
Mobile Roaming Charges
If you’re travelling round Europe in your car, even if you’re going for pleasure, the chances are you’ll want to use your phone either for web stuff or calling your nearest and dearest.
Well, under a leave vote there’s a chance you might be paying more for such activities with the EU set to abolish all roaming charges in 2017. With unrestricted regulations on charging, roaming fees could be back in a big way if we’re not in with Europe.
However, the counter argument is that as we already have competition for roaming charges and European calls, a Brexit is unlikely to change things. Mobile operators will still have to offer packages that remain attractive to users, so whether we are in or out, there could actually be very little change.
Chunnel and the Borders
So what about when you want to take your motor abroad? With free passage throughout the EU set to be diminished in the event of a Brexit, it looks like you might have to wait a little longer to board the ferry or get out of the Chunnel if you have to declare all your papers and go through the extended rigmarole of having to explain yourself and reasons for travel.
Still there may be some advantages to leaving, with the predicted downturn in foreign trade if we do go through a Brexit, there could actually be less traffic on the UK’s roads, giving you more space to rev up your engine and put the pedal to the metal. People could even swerve holidays abroad for more simple and less congested past-times in England’s green and pleasant land.
In Conclusion
Whichever way we vote, one thing is for sure – there will still be cars on the road and you’ll still be fined for speeding or driving without insurance or an MOT. Quite beyond that it’s anyone’s guess. Even with the best will and data in the world, no one seems to truly be able to tell what’s really going to happen to the country if we all vote leave, and they’re no clearer on what will happen if we stay.
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