Citizens of the USA. What would you do if Gas reached $12.41 a gallon.?
(2012-02-03 15:25:08) 1. Says: I asked a similar question 4 years ago, and the answers were interesting. At that time Gas was $9.55 (equivalent as the Pound was stronger). To compare using the same exchange rate as at that time, it's now a real time cost of $12.41 a gallon for us.That's what the average price of gas is in the UK at the moment. Some filling stations are dearer. Most of Europe is expensive for gas, but Britain is taking the biscuit just now.
We had Truckers blockading refineries and massive Fuel protests, but they just fizzled out. Our 'liberal' government has legislated to stop any future protests taking place, and the costs have soared. Our vehicles have become marginally more economical, but the trend towards smaller cars has stopped, and even 'tiny' cars are getting bigger. As a result the quantity of fuel we use has remained stable or even risen.
Our governments answer is to tax tax tax. We are charged to own a car (road tax) run a car (fuel duty) insure a car (insurance premium tax) and if we speed, god forbid, one of the many, many automated speed cameras will dish us out a hefty fine. (revenue cameras?)
The situation for us seems to be that we have given up, and just pay it all. We have no reasonable public transport system. Trains and buses are unreliable and expensive. Flights are impractical.
If this was to happen in the States would you accept it as just a fact of life. Would you size down (anyone want a powder blue Prius? Beep Beep!) Would you use public transport? Would you be able to cope? I'd love to see how your answers compare to last time. And how much is Gas in your own States at the moment?
Thanks. :-)2. Says: If gas and taxes and regulations become as outrageous, stringent, and overzealously enforced here in the states as they are in the UK, it would take a while for it all to sink in to the minds of the people of the usa. Thing is, it seems to me that lots of US citizens don't even try to fight back when the government begins to overstep the line of the rights of our constitution... with the exception of the SOPA/PIPA objections and the Occupy protests. But for the small stuff, such as designated smoking areas becoming more and more scarce (not that I'm condoning smoking), people just seem to accept change if they are small and have little to no impact on their lives.
And, in Indiana, where I live, gas is currently $3.29- $3.49 per gallon depending on which county you are in.3. Says: I would buy or convert one of my vehicles to all electric, for my short commutes.
I would use my motorcycle in the rain. lol
And I am in the process of gathering everything i need to convert my Jeep into a diesel. That would be run off of American grown bio diesel via VW TDI engine or an older Mercedes 5cy diesel.4. Says: The cost of the fuel is no dearer in the UK it's just that $9 of the price is tax.5. Says: Get mad as ****6. Says: If we are paying $12.41 can you imagine what you would be paying?7. Says: Actually current UK unleaded price is around £1.35 / litre
this is around $8.10 / US gallon
There are other places to live, but they don't have the 'benefits' of the UK/EU
Try Saudi $0.49 /US gallon
or Venezuela £ 0.09 /US gallon8. Says: I remember paying 28.9 cents for a gallon of gas, so I hope to live long enough to see gas at $12.41. It's just a matter of time.
We have some taxes on petrol here but our overlords have not seen fit to put such poorly thought out taxes as health care on motor fuel. It isn't that they are smarter; they just have not figured out how to get away with it. The US government is the greediest fat cat in the world and frankly nobody has figured out how to change that... although there are growing movements.9. Says: The "rule of thumb" for Americans has historically been $5 per gallon at which time they would significantly change their driving habits. The US has a culture of driving that goes way back and we do not have the public transport options common across Europe. It is also a common fact that Americans drive further to work than anywhere else in the world on an average basis. This being said, I would expect no real changes in the number of Americans driving to work but I would expect to see every SUV and pickup truck rusting in driveways, (where they belong), and a huge move toward cars getting over 40MPG. I already drive a Fiesta, (42MPG), so I'm ready. BTW, If these Prius drivers would review the total environmental impact of a hybrid versus a standard combustion engine they'd not be so prone to bragging.10. Says: Americans would pay for it.
People in the US must be different. We (overall, not including myself in this) will pay anything for what we deem 'necessary.' SUV when I only have 1 kid - necessary. 55 inch TV when it hurts my eyes to look at it - necessary. Boat that I take out 5 times during the summer - necessary. 5 bedroom house when I still only have 1 kid - necessary.
In America, it's not about what you have, it's about what you appear to have.
P.S. did you hear about that day people planned where nobody would buy gas? How did that turn out? Did people do it? No, they didn't. I've gone weeks without buying gas, mainly because when I'm at college I don't have to drive anywhere. Did this have an effect on gas prices? No. Also, I'm one of a few hundred that do the same thing. And this is at my school alone. Nothing we do will change the prices. At the same time, the rising gas prices won't stop people from paying for it, or even trading in their SUVs for hybrids.11. Says: Getting a Prius is not sizing-down. The Prius is a mid-size car that's fun to drive and very reliable. Low maintenance costs too. My 2004 Prius has cost 12 cents per mile for dealer maintenance, tires, and fuel combined over the 130,000 trouble-free miles I've driven it so far.
2004 Prius MPG from the logbook. (Complete years only):
2003-2004 -- 50.8 mpg 17,628 miles
2005 -- 52.6 mpg 14,688 miles
2006 -- 56.3 mpg 16,174 miles
2007 -- 57.3 mpg 18,384 miles
2008 -- 59.9 mpg 21,755 miles
2009 -- 61.4 mpg 16,177 miles
2010 -- 65.2 mpg 12,134 miles
2011 -- 66.9 mpg 11,272 miles12. Says: have spent a lot of time driving in the states ..been to 36 of them ..few years back bought fuel in texas at 50cents a gallon ..to jerry answer no1 ...get out of that thing !!the prius ..are you a man or what? its a womans car ...i would sooner be in a hearse than in one of those ..call youself american ..and for the lady with the fiesta ..take it to a garage ..something wrong with it ..only 42 mpg ..its drinking fuel ..our fiesta in uk get 55 ..our diesel mini cooper allso does more mpg that the prius ..jerry ..you tell porkies ..no one but no one gets 66 out of the prius ...unless you AREusing it as a hearse ....you guys better learn to love diesels ..we have diesels in europe that can leave you for dead .and still get 50mpg ..now did i tell you about the time i drove from seattle to key west?mm13. Says: You all pay a ridiculous amount of tax on everything. We don't pay tax on insurance because it would be considered against public policy. You want to encourage people to have adequate insurance and not just the bare minimum required. We pay tax when we purchase the car, over a certain price there is a luxury tax, but other than the minimal fee each year to register the car with the State, the government doesn't get us. We don't have great public transportation in the States.
Right now I pay about $3.20/gallon in New Jersey (and we don't have to pump our own gas -- so nice in bad weather). Tag: Citizens of the USA. What would you do if Gas reached $12.41 a gallon.?