TAKING THE MICKEY
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etter red than dead—a phrase that describes the views of some in light of our experiences this week in purchasing red diesel from Mickey's Diesel in East London (see Industry, News page 4). But is it really better to run red than go out of business? It's a sad indictment of the state of the industry that organisations such as Mickey's continue to find punters willing to break the law by avoiding fuel duty. Nobody understands better than Commercial Motor that spiralling tax on diesel has been the stuff of nightmares for hauliers, or that cost control is the name of the game in haulage. But tax evasion won't help bring tax levels down: the less the Revenue collects, the more it will need to look for next year. So if you decide to step over that line now, don't kid yourself you'll be stepping back later. In between, you're not only running illegally—hardly likely to help keep your business afloat if you're caught— but also helping to bang another nail into the coffin of the sector as a whole. Saving a few bucks illegally today in an effort to keep going tomorrow is a false economy. Only if everyone plays by the rules can competition become fairer and the industry exact better rates and conditions, attracting new blood and ensuring a proper future. So Commercial Motor's advice to anyone beginning to think they'd be better off red than dead is to think again. The only smart way to protect your business for the future is to play by the rules—however unfair they may seem to be.