> -----Original Message----- > From: Mark Tiller [mailto:mtiller at ntlworld.com] > Sent: Monday, March 21, 2005 11:24 AM > To: 'Crystal Fradette'; dragaera at dragaera.info > Subject: Petrol Prices > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: Crystal Fradette [mailto:sethra500 at gmail.com] > > Sent: 21 March 2005 17:51 > > To: dragaera at dragaera.info > > Subject: dragon > > > Oh yeah, and LoCB is finally in. Now I have to find the gas money > > (it's up between $1.97 and $2.05 here) to go get it. I think I will > > pick it up after work tomorrow. > > -C > > > I presume you mean $US per gallon? In the UK it's currently > about $US 5.95 for an US gallon (3.785 litres) :-((((. > Admittedly that's 95 Octane, but still. > > Cheers > > Mark > > We tend to drive more here in the US. I drive at least 350 miles every week, and many people drive more than that; we don't have a public transportation culture, although maybe we'll develop one if gas keeps going up. I remember 6 or 7 years ago when the cost of gasoline was about half of what it is now, so the culture hasn't had time to really shake off the 1-person-to-a-car mentality. I don't know if we ever will. I don't know my 20th Century British History as well as I should, but to speculate from ignorance, I would say that public transit was a necessity, as travel between small towns and London as a hub became more frequent; in the US, however, we've built our cities for cars, and cars themselves are what is necessary for navigating the country. It is the attitude of "pay for it yourself" that still informs American politics; subsidized mass public transportation is just never entertained very seriously. So, when gas prices are as high as they are, while we still haven't changed how important cars are for everyday travel, it doesn't matter how much more expensive gas is in other places. Cars themselves aren't as important there, so the impact of gas price increases will never be as significant. Cheers indeed, Shawn