Club Arnage

Looks like the trip could cost a bit more this year - not only is the £ sliding fast against the €, but  fuel (diesel) prices may be in for a big hike!!

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-21/french-minister-backs-diesel-tax-gain-to-cut-dangerous-pollution.html

Del

Interesting that over there diesel is the cheaper of the fuels.  Over here in the US its very much the opposite, diesel is more expensive than petrol.  That said, any hike in the cost of diesel fuel will directly impact the consumer.  If diesel fuel goes up, the cost to transport goods goes up, and guess who ultimately pays for it?  I know I'm being Mr. Obvious here, but they need to really think long & hard about the impact of hiking diesel taxes.  In my job as tractor-trailer driver for FedEx, I see the impact first hand.  The cost of aviation kerosene, and diesel fuel goes up, and so does our rates.
Fax

The French govt has been subsidising diesel for years, by imposing much lower taxes than on petrol; that's why diesel cars are so popular in france (and why Pug was very happy to race turbodiseasels at LM)
Wouldn't worry too much about the £ v the Euro - with Italy turning politics into comedy again and strikes in Spain and Portugal, we're about to see another stage of Euro-panic. (on the other hand, both currencies might well be caned against the dollar, which would push up fuel costs anyway.)

Radar makes a good point, all oil companies price and trade in USD regardless of where the fuel is sold, so with the UK Peso, sorry, Sterling and the continental cartoon currency, the Euro both heading south fast against the Dollar fuel will rise a lot regardless of tax (dis)incentives. As a resident of France it will hit us quite hard and diesel is currently about 1€40/l and petrol 1€75/l, so that's a substantial price hike even if it is 'phased' in. That said, the French are a rumbustious lot and there will be burning tyre blockades in Paris and lorries on fire on the autoroutes pretty soon in response, so the govt will likely back down anyhow. However, I guess I should make a backup plan and buy a DB9 as it will possible be cheaper to run than the Disco if this happens !!

Can't help but feel slightly smug as I plot my route to cycle my way to Le Mans on my super go-anywhere Salsa Fargo.

(http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab79/Dr_S/A9C6877C-D2C1-41B3-BF33-9E0F4B95ECF5-724-000000DD139092DC.jpg)

I can give you a idea of where fuel prices in the US stand, maybe helpful for some of you coming to Sebring.  Last night when I topped off the wife's Honda Civic, the local BP station had regular sitting at $3.85 a gallon, diesel was $4.25.
Fax

Think I'll be filling that rental with a really big smile in the next 2 weeks ... Local price over here : $8,71 (unleaded) and $7,41 (diesel).

thats a very nice bike