02-23-2012, 10:04 AM

Indeed. Diseasels cost more to buy (new) in the UK.

The Government tries to offset this by offering the incentive of lower road tax for diesels - A small diesel will cost you £35 a year to tax, whereas the gas guzzlers cost upwards of £400+!

02-23-2012, 11:03 AM

Originally Posted by Razormac

Least I ever paid was $0.18 per gallon. Of course you could buy a brand new car for under $2000 and go out to lunch with a dollar in your pocket and have plenty of change for a tip.

When was this? I want to live in this era. ^-^" I remember seeing gas prices at like 99 cents when I was growing up. Now gas prices in SoCal is like 4.23 for regular. >_<" I just got a new job too and there is a lot of commuting. I wonder if I can get them to pay for my gas? >_>"

02-23-2012, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by CrimsonRequiem

When was this? I want to live in this era. ^-^" I remember seeing gas prices at like 99 cents when I was growing up. Now gas prices in SoCal is like 4.23 for regular. >_<" I just got a new job too and there is a lot of commuting. I wonder if I can get them to pay for my gas? >_>"

I will have to try and nail it down, but probably around 1970 + or - a year or so. It was right about the time I started college.

02-23-2012, 02:57 PM

You are correct in assuming that most european cars are more economical than their US counterparts. My 1.9 diesel Vectra does a combined 47mpg which isn't bad going (I think).
As has lready been stated, fuel tax in the UK accounts for over 70% of the cost!!!
I average about 13,000 miles a year.
As for public transport it's very expensive here especially if you travel at peak times. A return trip to London by train (60 miles from me) will cost nearly £50!

02-23-2012, 03:35 PM

Originally Posted by OneSmallStep

As has lready been stated, fuel tax in the UK accounts for over 70% of the cost!!!

I thought the gas taxes were bad here (it averages out to about 32% depending on the province)!

02-23-2012, 04:23 PM

Originally Posted by OneSmallStep

As has lready been stated, fuel tax in the UK accounts for over 70% of the cost!!!
I average about 13,000 miles a year.

It's amazing to me that the European nations at large allow this sort of thing to happen.

There would be (politician's) blood in the streets if something like this ever came to pass in the U.S.

02-24-2012, 01:06 AM

Originally Posted by cwa107

It's amazing to me that the European nations at large allow this sort of thing to happen.

There would be (politician's) blood in the streets if something like this ever came to pass in the U.S.

We have tried that
It is utterly ridiculous, but if they did reduce it, they would just increase income tax to compensate, or find some other way. Sadly, it is British nature to moan our heads of about it, but also to accept it at the same time.

02-24-2012, 02:51 AM

I remember a few years ago, people got their knickers in a twist because petrol was set to rise above 80p a litre. The fuel tanker drivers blockaded the exits to the depots to stop the fuel leaving the depot, in order to force the Government to stop the increase.

The result was there was a national fuel shortage, people were queuing at petrol stations for miles, and since then, it's illegal for fuel tanker drivers to conduct such protests. And the price of fuel continues to rise. Really puts the "Great" in Great Britain.

02-24-2012, 07:46 AM

Most of these electric cars are a waste of money as well. Even with their rebates it takes years to make up the gas price difference.

02-24-2012, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by Chuckoir

I remember a few years ago, people got their knickers in a twist because petrol was set to rise above 80p a litre. The fuel tanker drivers blockaded the exits to the depots to stop the fuel leaving the depot, in order to force the Government to stop the increase.

The result was there was a national fuel shortage, people were queuing at petrol stations for miles, and since then, it's illegal for fuel tanker drivers to conduct such protests. And the price of fuel continues to rise. Really puts the "Great" in Great Britain.

I remember that happening when it went to £1 a GALLON. Imagine, £1 a gallon. Those were the days.

02-24-2012, 11:45 AM

The average income of a Chevy Volt owner is $170,000. That's about the same income as the average BMW owner and $40,000 more than the average Lexus owner. The rebate is $10,000. Read rebate as "money the government took from you, under threat of violence, to give to someone else." I'm not sure the electric car, nor the rebate, is doing much to help the specific people truly struggling due to gas prices. Personally, I hate taxes and tax rebates, but if we're taking taxpayer money to do some good, then giving $10,000 to someone who makes $30,000 so they can buy a car and perhaps work somewhere nicer, further from home, would probably help everyone a lot more. I'm sure a lot of construction guys could use $10,000 towards a new truck about now.

02-24-2012, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by XJ-linux

The average income of a Chevy Volt owner is $170,000. That's about the same income as the average BMW owner and $40,000 more than the average Lexus owner. The rebate is $10,000. Read rebate as "money the government took from you, under threat of violence, to give to someone else." I'm not sure the electric car, nor the rebate, is doing much to help the specific people truly struggling due to gas prices. Personally, I hate taxes and tax rebates, but if we're taking taxpayer money to do some good, then giving $10,000 to someone who makes $30,000 so they can buy a car and perhaps work somewhere nicer, further from home, would probably help everyone a lot more. I'm sure a lot of construction guys could use $10,000 towards a new truck about now.

$170,000! O.O WOWZAAAA!!!! Doesn't really make sense though, unless they evaluate the Volt as a car people buy just for fun. My dad has owned cars that cost more than than a Volt even before any subsidies, and his income isn't 170,000. Actually, if I had 170,000, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't spend it on a Volt.

02-24-2012, 06:25 PM

High gas prices will mean higher grocery prices, higher pretty-much-anything. Those of us with low-middle incomes will be hit hard if prices go up very far very fast.

OTOH, we will never get serious about exploring alternates to petroleum based transportation until the prices really start to hurt. I am excited about recent research into algae based fuels. By the looks of the early results, we will need very little in the way of change to the transportation infrastructure to make use of algae derived fuel. That's something that can not be said about almost every other renewable fuel source, including ethanol. And changing infrastructure is a MAJOR block in converting away from petroleum.

02-24-2012, 08:50 PM

Originally Posted by zewazir

High gas prices will mean higher grocery prices, higher pretty-much-anything. Those of us with low-middle incomes will be hit hard if prices go up very far very fast.

OTOH, we will never get serious about exploring alternates to petroleum based transportation until the prices really start to hurt. I am excited about recent research into algae based fuels. By the looks of the early results, we will need very little in the way of change to the transportation infrastructure to make use of algae derived fuel. That's something that can not be said about almost every other renewable fuel source, including ethanol. And changing infrastructure is a MAJOR block in converting away from petroleum.

"Under my administration gas prices would necessarily go up and as a result the use of fuel would go down. This is how I would fight climate change and reduce the use of fossil fuels" - Barack Hussein Obama

I guess the plan to "fundamentally change society" is scooting along nicely. Bringing everyone to the same level is good I guess, though I'd prefer to be part of bringing people up instead of down. "Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe" was what Energy Secretary Chu said, so at least we have an idea of what that stated target and goal is.

02-24-2012, 09:04 PM

Gas priced just went up here in the last hour!. $4.05 here for a low.