I WAS wondering how long it would be before Bromley jumped on Richmond's bandwagon and started charging 4x4 owners extra for parking in the borough.

The extra revenue on the one hand and green credentials on the other is irresistible.

I have always preferred driving a big car, simply because I find them more comfortable.

While small cars have their benefits, I would rather not drive with my knees round my ears.

So the question is: comfort or economy?

Suppose, for example, you are driving a BMW M5 and you have to travel by motorway.

You fully expect the carriageway to be packed solid with foreign-registered lorries moving at around 20mph, but there is hardly another vehicle in sight.

So, as the red mist comes down, you take full advantage of the 285bhp now at your disposal.

But if you give in to temptation you will be photographed more times than Kate Middleton.

In three weeks, a sinister white envelope will land on your doormat, the contents of which will threaten you with a £60 fine and at least three points on your licence or a bracing Speed Awareness session in an anonymous office block somewhere in west London.

If you resist temptation, you will wonder why you bought such a powerful car when you cannot travel any faster than a Nissan Micra.

MR J PIKE

Ruskin Walk

Bromley