Title text:
'They really shouldn't let those small cars drive in traffic. I worry I'm going to kill someone if I hit one! They should have to drive on the sidewalk, safely out of the way.'
Transcript:
Transcript will show once it’s been added to explainxkcd.com
Source: https://xkcd.com/3167/
Texas used to, maybe still does. You made me try to look it up and couldn't find a simple source. Plenty of states use MRSP or some measure of the vehicle's value.
Back in the day (Tulsa, OK) my friend had a 2-ton dump truck with antique tags (over 25-yo), paid $20. Meanwhile, someone buying a super-light Corvette was paying $650. (early 90s money)
I say go on weight, maybe some factoring of value. Registration fees are paying for roads, if your monster vehicle is doing more damage, you pay more.
Yeah my state taxes you based on MSRP too. $25 per $1000 of value, 10% of MSRP value after 5 years.
So if your MSRP was 50K, it's $125 forever.
Honestly i'm fine with the value of the vehicle not affecting tax (beyond VAT upon purchase), because there's not much harm in someone having an expensive vehicle as decoration or collector's piece.
In fact i wish more people would do that, rather than actually driving the vehicles around on a daily basis.
Fuel taxes are paying for roads.
Subsidies are paying for roads.