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Long wait at the border.

Posted: Mon 03 Sep 2018 5:13 am
by Deniz1
Another very long line of greek cars waiting to cross over yesterday morning. i am all for saving money but surely they are harming their own economy by buying petrol here?. What a lovely way to spend a hot sunday waiting for over an hour with the car running and the air con on doesnt make sense!

Re: Long wait at the border.

Posted: Fri 07 Sep 2018 8:25 pm
by MoonageDaydream
It DOES make sense when you look at the exchange rates....especially if those queuing are buying things from supermarkets in the north as well as filling up with petrol or diesel!

Re: Long wait at the border.

Posted: Sat 08 Sep 2018 5:29 am
by Keithcaley
Deniz1 wrote:Another very long line of greek cars waiting to cross over yesterday morning. i am all for saving money but surely they are harming their own economy by buying petrol here?. What a lovely way to spend a hot sunday waiting for over an hour with the car running and the air con on doesnt make sense!
I don't think that the majority would worry about 'Harming their own (Country's) economy' if they could save a few bob on filling the car up, frankly...

As the price of Fuel in TRNC is capped by the Government (as a 'Social' measure to protect the lower paid - or so I understand) it means that those coming across to buy cheap petrol are being subsidised by the TRNC Government, and are thus indirectly harming the TRNC Economy.

It is a hidden form of smuggling cheap petrol across the Green Line, and could be reduced by limiting the purchase of fuel for ROC-registered vehicles to, say 5 Ltrs at a time. That may not be a practical provision to implement, of course, and the TRNC Government may well take the view that they would rather have the Foreign Currency flowing into the Country's Cash Registers...

Someo e who knows more about Finance might be able to give a more informed view

Re: Long wait at the border.

Posted: Sat 08 Sep 2018 7:10 am
by EnjoyingTheSun
Keithcaley wrote: It is a hidden form of smuggling cheap petrol across the Green Line, and could be reduced by limiting the purchase of fuel for ROC-registered vehicles to, say 5 Ltrs at a time. That may not be a practical provision to implement, of course, and the TRNC Government may well take the view that they would rather have the Foreign Currency flowing into the Country's Cash Registers...
I'm sure any foreign currency flowing in is well received but not if you are subsidising it.
If you are getting 1000 customers in and losing £10 on each one, getting more customers in isn't going to solve your problems.

Re: Long wait at the border.

Posted: Sat 08 Sep 2018 7:18 am
by erol
They could just charge a 40% surcharge to any non TRNC plated vehicles ?

Re: Long wait at the border.

Posted: Sat 08 Sep 2018 8:52 am
by Keithcaley
erol wrote:They could just charge a 40% surcharge to any non TRNC plated vehicles ?
Yes that would be simpler, it would make the petrol station operators happy as well!

Oh no, it wouldn't, because GCs would no longer be buying...

Re: Long wait at the border.

Posted: Sat 08 Sep 2018 9:00 am
by 13roman58
And how easy is it to get a set of number plates for TRNC!

Re: Long wait at the border.

Posted: Sat 08 Sep 2018 9:13 am
by erol
Keithcaley wrote:
erol wrote:They could just charge a 40% surcharge to any non TRNC plated vehicles ?
Yes that would be simpler, it would make the petrol station operators happy as well!

Oh no, it wouldn't, because GCs would no longer be buying...
If fuel is say 60% cheaper then set the surcharge at 35%, and put the 35% extra from non TRNC plated cars directly into the 'stabilisation' fund that is used to keep the base price low. Those with non TRNC plated cars still get cheaper fuel, just not as cheap, and they also help the subsidies for TRNC plated cars ?
13roman58 wrote:And how easy is it to get a set of number plates for TRNC!
Putting false plates on a car is a serious criminal offence I would imagine ?

Re: Long wait at the border.

Posted: Sat 08 Sep 2018 11:26 am
by Mowgli597
Just put a sticky patch over the first letter of the GC number plate. Then it looks like a TC car.

Well it obviously works for taxis going from North to South - nobody down there realises they’re in disguise

Re: Long wait at the border.

Posted: Sat 08 Sep 2018 12:02 pm
by Keithcaley
Mowgli597 wrote:Just put a sticky patch over the first letter of the GC number plate. Then it looks like a TC car.

Well it obviously works for taxis going from North to South - nobody down there realises they’re in disguise
I'll assume your comment was intended as ironic humour, but just in case anyone doesn't know the reason that Taxis from both sides cover the 'T' when on 'foreign territory', it is because they are not allowed to 'Ply for Hire' away from Home, by mutual agreement between the sides - just one of the many anomalous pragmatic day-to-day accommodations that allow this insane situation to actually function

Re: Long wait at the border.

Posted: Sat 08 Sep 2018 12:20 pm
by kibsolar1999
always interesting to see in how many ways govs are forced to subsidy (or quit any profits (tax) ) on fossil energy sources.

and therefore no money is left for the RE section...

i believe that the calculation for petrol at the moment is: buying price plus distribution plus 10% vat. (nearly) no taxing.

net, they do not do a "minus" and a higher turn over may compensate some of the lesser profits.
(btw, it is illegal for roc residents to fill their cars in the trnc. roc law)

Re: Long wait at the border.

Posted: Sat 08 Sep 2018 2:39 pm
by Mowgli597
Keithcaley wrote:
Mowgli597 wrote:Just put a sticky patch over the first letter of the GC number plate. Then it looks like a TC car.

Well it obviously works for taxis going from North to South - nobody down there realises they’re in disguise
I'll assume your comment was intended as ironic humour, but just in case anyone doesn't know the reason that Taxis from both sides cover the 'T' when on 'foreign territory', it is because they are not allowed to 'Ply for Hire' away from Home, by mutual agreement between the sides - just one of the many anomalous pragmatic day-to-day accommodations that allow this insane situation to actually function
Every day is a school day! And there’s me thinking it was the removal of the give-away “Taxi” sign on the roof which hid the fact that it wasn’t available for hire.

So all I need to do is look for vehicle with number plates beginning with “T” and I can be sure it’s a taxi (even if it’s disguised as a humongous truck).

Damn clever dickies these chaps

Re: Long wait at the border.

Posted: Sat 08 Sep 2018 2:57 pm
by Keithcaley
Glad to have been of assistance...