Petrol prices

Mr. Scully wrote:

YourValentine hit the nail on head - the prices MUST cause a shock because otherwise Americans won't understand how they waste the world resources.

Overall, population density (and, thus, access to public transportation) is less in the US than in Europe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Czech_republic
Over 10 million people for nearly 80,000 square kilometers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohio
Over 11 million peoples for just over 116,000 square kilometers

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montana
Under 1 million people for over 380,000 square kilometers

The first two are roughly the same population size, yet the Czech Republic has only 3/4 the geography to cover that Ohio has. And then there is Montana, which has less than a 1/10 the population of the Czech Republic, yet has nearly 5 times the land.

Now, to complicate matters further, public transportation is a local or state thing. The federal government can only cover interstate transport (mainly airplanes, railroads, and long haul buses). These industries, however, are not the ones most Americans use on a day-to-day basis.

So, what's the point of all this info? There are many Americans that would love public transporation, but it's not a nationwide thing, nor is it that likely to occur. In smaller communities, local taxes have to pay for it, but there's no way the low population could afford it. So, we drive. Any change in this is a long way off.

Lisser wrote:

Mr. Scully wrote:

It's not about "special prices" - as Bob said, the prices are roughly the same almost everywhere with the exception that taxes in European countries are extremely high.

YourValentine hit the nail on head - the prices MUST cause a shock because otherwise Americans won't understand how they waste the world resources.

Shocking people is not the way to handle things. We do not have the same public transportation resources that other countries do. If I wanted to take a bus somewhere, I would have to walk at least 2 miles from my home to a bus stop. With two small children, one of whom is still in a car seat, that isn't feasible, or safe might I add. I'd be a walking target to someone who wanted to rob me or hurt me or my children.

If we had more access to public transportation, then I'd definitely use it. It would save me tons on car insurance, car payment, gas, taxes, tags, etc. People in America buy cars bc we don't have any other way to get to where we need to go unless you live in the inner city. I would love to be chauffered around by public transportation. I do not live in the inner city, as most Americans don't.

Even though I do think most of us Americans are gas hogs, I agree with you on that. I live in a nice neighborhood, but it is definately not that safe to go anywhere out of it, especially at night and especially alone especially if you are a young teen (my mum really doesn't like it when I go out on my own during the night, even though I often do). Sorry, I just wanted to see how many times I could use especially in a sentence..anyhow, back to where I was going with this.

I used to walk around a lot with my friends (well, usually it was just one of them..but sometimes there were three of us) along the road just outside my neighborhood to convienent stores and stuff. And, almost every five minutes people in cars would honk at us (yes, we were on the SIDE of the road, behind the white line), yell at us, and pretend to smooch their lips. One time, someone purposely threw their cigarette out their window at my friend, and it was centimeters away from hitting her. And, there were quite a few times when cars actually pulled over and stopped right next to us (with either old gross men, or teenage boys) asking where we were going, if we wanted a ride, saying "hey there," etc. I knew well enough to keep walking, but one of my friends is so guy crazy and stupid that she stops dead in her tracks and flirts with them while I'm telling her to move it. There were times when cars stopped went out of their way on the busy route and turned around just to pull over near us or try to talk to us. It is horrible, and so many kids could get abducted or worse. I offered to walk home from school (even though it would take me a long time), but my mum will not let me because the city is simply not safe. I do try to ride my bike on back roads that I know are safe, and get excerise when I want to reach a certain destination, but cars are really the only safe way out (even though of course, people still get in car accidents). Well, and trains and stuff are too, but not everyone has easy access to those. But I also care a lot about the environment, and it really disturbs me that our O-Zone layer is just ruined.

So, I guess I don't know where I stand on this gas situation, but I still do not like the dramatic rise in the prices, and I hope that it does not affect the prices of other things.

<b><font color = "crimson">ThomasQuinn wrote:

For a total of three people in one house we have 0 cars. So don't whine. I don't.

LMAO. That's ALL you do.

<font color="lime">KillerQueen840 wrote:

Lisser wrote:

Mr. Scully wrote:

It's not about "special prices" - as Bob said, the prices are roughly the same almost everywhere with the exception that taxes in European countries are extremely high.

YourValentine hit the nail on head - the prices MUST cause a shock because otherwise Americans won't understand how they waste the world resources.

Shocking people is not the way to handle things. We do not have the same public transportation resources that other countries do. If I wanted to take a bus somewhere, I would have to walk at least 2 miles from my home to a bus stop. With two small children, one of whom is still in a car seat, that isn't feasible, or safe might I add. I'd be a walking target to someone who wanted to rob me or hurt me or my children.

If we had more access to public transportation, then I'd definitely use it. It would save me tons on car insurance, car payment, gas, taxes, tags, etc. People in America buy cars bc we don't have any other way to get to where we need to go unless you live in the inner city. I would love to be chauffered around by public transportation. I do not live in the inner city, as most Americans don't.

Even though I do think most of us Americans are gas hogs, I agree with you on that. I live in a nice neighborhood, but it is definately not that safe to go anywhere out of it, especially at night and especially alone especially if you are a young teen (my mum really doesn't like it when I go out on my own during the night, even though I often do). Sorry, I just wanted to see how many times I could use especially in a sentence..anyhow, back to where I was going with this.

I used to walk around a lot with my friends (well, usually it was just one of them..but sometimes there were three of us) along the road just outside my neighborhood to convienent stores and stuff. And, almost every five minutes people in cars would honk at us (yes, we were on the SIDE of the road, behind the white line), yell at us, and pretend to smooch their lips. One time, someone purposely threw their cigarette out their window at my friend, and it was centimeters away from hitting her. And, there were quite a few times when cars actually pulled over and stopped right next to us (with either old gross men, or teenage boys) asking where we were going, if we wanted a ride, saying "hey there," etc. I knew well enough to keep walking, but one of my friends is so guy crazy and stupid that she stops dead in her tracks and flirts with them while I'm telling her to move it. There were times when cars stopped went out of their way on the busy route and turned around just to pull over near us or try to talk to us. It is horrible, and so many kids could get abducted or worse. I offered to walk home from school (even though it would take me a long time), but my mum will not let me because the city is simply not safe. I do try to ride my bike on back roads that I know are safe, and get excerise when I want to reach a certain destination, but cars are really the only safe way out (even though of course, people still get in car accidents). Well, and trains and stuff are too, but not everyone has easy access to those. But I also care a lot about the environment, and it really disturbs me that our O-Zone layer is just ruined.

So, I guess I don't know where I stand on this gas situation, but I still do not like the dramatic rise in the prices, and I hope that it does not affect the prices of other things.

Massachusetts? you must be from the lowell area!! LOL! I'm from Conneticuit and my cousin lived there and visited and she said they got theifs and people who steal cars all over the place and lots of drugs. Horrible town in my opinion.

About 4 years ago some of the transport companies went on strike due to the high price of petrol, and that was abot 80p a litre (I remember paying a garage 84p/l and thinking I had been ripped off - I have never gone back there for petrol since) !

I'm not hitting the quote button cos it'll be mega long, lol but this is the reply to Leah:

Well, my neighborhood is really nice, and there are some backroads to it that are nice, but other than that it does have several parts that are bad, and it is surrounded by a few other bad cities. There are drugs (but then again, everyone has that, right?) and crime. I remember someone getting stabbed in the parking lot of a nearby mall (it was in a newspaper), and there is usually several reported gun shootings in a neighboring city, and so on. But if you know where you are and where you're going, you are pretty much fine. I actually love Massachusetts, and I don't plan on moving to anywhere else. And, I feel very fortunate to live where I do. :-)

Lisser/Zeni - that is 100% correct, the public transport is quite scarce in the USA (lower density of population) so you're right. But the main point isn't to avoid using cars. The point is to make people drive relatively new and small cars. I think Americans drive the biggest and strongest cars in the world :-) Reasons are obvious - strong economy, cheap cars, CHEAP PETROL etc...

Mr. Scully wrote:

Lisser/Zeni - that is 100% correct, the public transport is quite scarce in the USA (lower density of population) so you're right. But the main point isn't to avoid using cars. The point is to make people drive relatively new and small cars. I think Americans drive the biggest and strongest cars in the world :-) Reasons are obvious - strong economy, cheap cars, CHEAP PETROL etc...

I totally agree with you Scully. I drive a smaller four door car with a 4 cylinder engine. It is very gas efficient. I don't drive anywhere except to work and necessary places. I prefer to sit behind this computer screen and talk to you all.

I do NOT want to pay for all that gas. I think a lot of American men like to drive the big SUV cars and trucks. It must be a penis size thing. I wouldn't know since mine is huge...anyway. I know a lot of our professional sports players like football, baseball, and basketball players as well as actresses and actors, drive HUGE Hummers with V12s in them. They have 5 and 6 cars. It's all an ego thing. They are rich beyond belief and I doubt they care about our environment much. They'll never stop using gas hogs like that bc they'll never run out of money to fuel them.