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But it is not compulsory to drive. The fact is that people get injured in traffic accidents sometimes catastrophically. How, as a society, do we handle this? Do we deny people the means to live, perhaps as a paraplegic? If this insurance were not compulsory, would you not have it? If you were to cause an accident, would you be happy to be sued for every cent you have in order to provide for the person you may injure? If you yourself had life-changing injuries, would you want to be provided the financial means to help you live? You say you get nothing from this insurance, but what you get is protection from losing your house if you injure someone, and protection for yourself should the worst happen. In life, there are rights and responsibilities. To want the rights without the responsibilities is childish. Operating a car does involve responsibilities and expenses. I am compelled to have tyres on my car that are roadworthy, the brakes must be serviceable, etc. (oohhh it's so unfair sob sob). I have not had a significant accident in 46 years of driving; however, obviously, it could happen. I am not willing to lose my house if I injure someone. I also am not willing to be injured by another motorist, which could cause me to have to sell my house for my medical treatment. Sorry, but this is just another one of your endless list of "whinges"

It's not compulsory to buy Lotto tickets.

It seems Charging for or threatening safe passage would amount to extortion: Under international law, Iran does not have unilateral legal control to close the Strait of Hormuz. While Iran and Oman share territorial waters within the strait, they are bound by the international law of transit passage, which guarantees innocent passage for ships and prevents arbitrary closure. Key Legal Constraints: UNCLOS Standards: The Strait of Hormuz is a "strait used for international navigation." The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) allows coastal nations (Iran and Oman) to pass rules for safety but not to stop or restrict transit. Transit Passage Rights: All ships and aircraft, including military vessels, have the right of "continuous and expeditious" passage that cannot be suspended by Iran. Customary International Law: Even though Iran is not a party to UNCLOS, the rules of transit passage are widely recognized as customary international law, binding on all nations. Limitations on Action: Iran can only legally act against vessels engaged in illegal activities or "hostile" maneuvers, but it cannot legally declare a total or selective blockade of the strait.

Spoil sport! Don't listen to him Willie. he's just jealous.

You blokes don't know how good you've got it. My 2.7L petrol 2WD traytop Hilux costs $914 for annual rego. My diesel 3.0L Hilux traytop is $954 annually. My Ford Ranger 3.0L diesel 4WD traytop is $1017 annually. But my 5 tonne Isuzu truck is only $1050 annually. Go figure. It used to be that small vehicles got a sizeable saving in rego - not anymore, it seems the authorities just want around $1000 for every vehicle on the road.

It's not legal for Iran to charge ships for using the Straits of Hormuz, it's International Waters. They're resorting to blackmail, or a form of piracy. They can no more lay claim to the waters in the Straits than they can lay claim to the worlds Oceans.

It's not the first time a keen innovator has built a Lister-powered Rat Bike!

Starter motor for wills Merlin powered bike

What are you going to do with it?

Iran wants to charge ships tolls for passing through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran is claiming sovereignty over the waterway in the middle of the war, and it's important because about one-fifth of the world's oil and gas goes through that waterway. NPR international affairs correspondent Jackie Northam reports. KCCU Public Radio - a service of Cameron University National Public Radio (NPR) is an American public broadcasting organization headquartered in Washington, D.C.

I only drive my 22 year old Holden Astra 4 cyl about 230 km per month. My 3 month rego renewal is due in a couple of weeks, for $116.34.

It doesn't seem that long ago that a V8 was $800, but I think it's up around the thousand now.

That's probably a similar rego cost for a four cylinder here in Qld.. All up somewhere in the 800 range; I pay 600 and something with the pension discount. I'd be lot better off if it was a pay per mileage charge as I often only drive on the road once or twice a week, and not very far at that. A tank usually lasts a couple of weeks or three.

I suppose if you buy a lotto ticket and you don't win, you feel you are entitled to a refund. You don't seem to understand how insurance works.

NSW CTP insurance. You know, that one where you never get any of it back even if you never make a claim.

Picked up this little air cooled 7.75 hp Lister SR1 today for bugger all. Most of it is there except for the fuel tank, air cleaner, fuel filter and some missing fuel lines. It's the clockwise running version. The 7.75 hp is the rating at full revs, 2,500rpm. At 1,000rpm I think they make 4 or 5. Hopefully it won't take too much to make it a runner. There's a place about 100 klm away that sells unaffordable genuine parts and reasonably priced non genuine parts. Everything is still available for them.

My grandfather used to grow red pontiac potatoes and he would bed them down in straw on the floor of the laundry outbuilding to keep them a long time. That was in a cool climate though. I don't know how he kept the rats away from them. I guess I'm an embarrassment to my Irish ancestors, not being a potato eater.

Grumpy, what's a greenslip?

Well, a Labor govt just charged me $400 rego for my little sedan. And greenslip cost another $400. $800 for nothing in return. Roads are still terrible, so what are they doing with the road tax? And with only few ks on the clock per month, why such a high cost for a greenslip? There's no other traffic. Talk about a total rip off. One day they'll cop it.

They talk all the time about the projection of hard power in regard to foreign policy.

onetrack, I'm a bit confused by your post and think you've misunderstood that. By hard power thay are not referring to Europe relying on US energy. The hard power refers to American military power, not America supplying energy. Hard power is a term the Americans use often to describe their military capability and the exercising of it's influence. I think he's saying that Europe relies on American protection but doesn't help finance it or respect it.

Jerry, you dared critisise a Labor government. Go and wash your mouth out.

An internet search brought up this from the Idaho State Legislature which I couldn't access But there was a report in the Idaho Capital Sun.

Idaho is a beautiful state. I know people in Idaho as one of my best mates was from there. He was out here last year visiting and we got to catch up after a lot of years, but sadly he died suddenly three weeks after he went home. When he left here we were discussing his next trip back here in a couple of years time and the possibility of me going over there for a visit in the interim, as I haven't been there since the mid 80's. It's a very scenic place with the mountains and rivers and a nice slow, relaxed lifestyle a bit like we had here several decades ago. Not a big popuation, the capital has only 235,000 people. According to the mate, it hasn't changed much since I was there 40 years ago. His family live on the Snake River; attached is one of his photos of a canyon near their place.

One US commentator noted that there was more strategy in the plot of Top Gun Maverick about a US attack on a uranium enrichment plant located in a deep, heavily defended bunker in a mountainous terrain in a nameless `rogue state' (meaning Iran), than there is in Trump's actual attack on Iran.