paddy_cooper

I do not understand why Americans are complaining about gasoline prices.Back in the UK people are paying more than 5 times what they pay here. In the UK they have been paying much more to fill their tanks for many years. There are too many SUV's and pick_up trucks.
I know the arguement that the need for gas is greater in that you have to use a car to get anywhere but if the adequate rail service had not been dismantled so completely perhaps the effect of oil prices would have been largely negated!

meauxna

You've been living in the US for 7 years.
You've experienced gasoline at $1.30 a gallon or less.
Your price today is $4 per gallon.

You don't have a complaint?

Duncan Roberts

???

Cape Blue

Average US price $3.78/gallon
Average UK price $8.33/gallon (GBP112.6/litre)

UK is only 2.2 times more expensive on the price of fuel

UK average MPG is 31mpg combined cycle (37mpg UK gallons)
US average MPG is 21 mpg (not sure if all trucks/SUVs in this)

As the US tends to have far larger engines than actually needed plus auto transmissions, the cost per mile between the two countries is closer

US = 18 c/mile
UK = 27 c/mile

per mile driven, the UK is 1.5 times more expensive.

I suspect US citizens are complaining because its all relative, they have grown up with super cheap gas and its only in the last 4 years that prices have rapidly increased.

another bloody yank

I don't live in the UK.

This always gets me... Why is always SUVs and pickups that are the object of derision? Large, older and some luxury cars get equal or worse mileage but people always complain about the trucks. I think some "environmentally conscious" types equate trucks and SUVs with people who they find objectionable in other ways. They view the vehicle as kind of an easy identifier.


Why was the rail service dismantled? I believe it was because because gas was so cheap and driving so convenient that people chose to drive instead of take the train. Less passengers = less trains. But that's just my guess, maybe someone with facts can tell me the real reason.

Duncan Roberts

Maybe because the best selling vehicle in the US for donkeys years (25 or more I think) is the Ford F-Series truck which gets (current model) 13-14/17-20 MPG depending on the type.

chicagojlo

Must be the Britishness rubbing off from all the expats on the locals...

lapin_windstar

That's probably true for some places, but in LA and other cities, many believe public transport was destroyed as the result of a conspiracy by GM and other car industry companies. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_A...eetcar_Scandal

another bloody yank

Best selling vehicle or best selling truck?

Irn-bru

I agree with you. (as usual , mostly)

Folinskyinla

Hi:

BTW, it was not the "trains" that went away, it was what is now called "light rail" service.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General...car_conspiracy

Tarkak9

imo; mostly because its the backbone of life and the economy here and if you look at the proportionate disposable income spent on gas, its obviously increasing and its not something one has been accustomed to and it is squeezing people. There are people who are spending more on filling up their tank than on groceries. In general, since wages have been stagnant, it amplifies the problems many people and households face.

One facet though, is that noone really is inclined to really look upon themselves to change their lifestyle and pattern... "as long as I can afford it, I will continue to live the way I do.." Then again, a gradual shuffle of priorities and allocation of money is happening.

The knock on effects of increasing fuel costs is a constant spiral... (set aside inflation) you think that the housing market is in the toilet in many places ... utility costs will very soon have a significant impact on the housing market as both affordability and qualification is rapidly deteriorating... best I can tell, there hasn't been much discussion about correlation of energy and housing.

RoadWarriorFromLP

As noted elsewhere on this thread, the price in the UK would have to more than double in order for that to be accurate.

Bob

cost of insurance is more pricey over here too, so cost of running a car really does level out........

Bluegrass Lass

Errr, what rail service?? The city I grew up in never had one, and still doesn't. Rail doesn't do rural folks any good at all. Given the distances that would need to be covered in the US, rail service for rural areas (or outlying city counties) would not be that cheap because of the cost of building it.

And rail service doesn't do a lot of good to get into the city if there isn't adequate bus service to get you from from the station to your job. This infrastructure will take years to get built, so the increasing price of gasoline will slow this economy considerably (which won't be so good employment rates).