The gasoline/petrol price thread.

[John_fi_Skye]

The places I drive in, it's often about £1.50 a litre (of diesel). On a long drive, trying not to run the risk of adding to the points on my licence, I can get 49-50 mpg in my Passat. Getting about in Glasgow, I use the "Subway", which is what they call the underground railway.

[Gallstones2]

Pennsylvania , Pittsburgh $3.59 per gallon

[Woodbutcher]

9 litres/100 km for my Subaru Forester. I pay $1.125/litre for gas from a native reservation. I commute 20km to work and 20 km back each day, and drive anywhere from 0 to 100 km each day during work. We get a mileage allowance of 65 cents /km for work related travel, ie. not commute to work and back.

[Coito ergo sum]

Obama to address gasoline prices: http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washi ... gy_policy/

[Feck]

The places I drive in, it's often about £1.50 a litre (of diesel). On a long drive, trying not to run the risk of adding to the points on my licence, I can get 49-50 mpg in my Passat. Getting about in Glasgow, I use the "Subway", which is what they call the underground railway.

You mean the clockwork orange

[Coito ergo sum]

The headlines of major newspapers and TV networks this week have been dominated by rising gas prices.
Drivers across the country have shared their stories on the cost - with many already paying more than $4 a gallon at the pump. There have even been reports of gas prices rising at a rate of 10 to 15 cents in a matter of hours.
Read: How high will gas prices go?
The swiftness at which those gas prices continue to climb was crystal clear Wednesday night during the broadcast of ABC News’ “World News with Diane Sawyer.”
As ABC News’ Cecilia Vega introduced her piece on high gas prices, the sign at the downtown Los Angeles gas station behind her showed the price of regular gas at $4.99 a gallon. However when the piece concluded nearly two minutes later the price of regular gas had jumped 10 cents to $5.09 a gallon

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/business/20 ... broadcast/

[MrJonno]

Arent fuel prices in the US market forces or something, didnt think there was much of a petrol tax over there so why are politicans getting involved?

[Coito ergo sum]

Arent fuel prices in the US market forces or something, didnt think there was much of a petrol tax over there so why are politicans getting involved?

Nope, there is a high fuel tax, too.

We have regulated markets here.

[MrJonno]

I suspect what you mean by high isnt going to be what I mean by high (its around 85-90% in the UK)

Through beer per gallon costs more!

[Mallardz]

London Underground!!
More costly than fuel nowadays....

[Coito ergo sum]

I suspect what you mean by high isnt going to be what I mean by high (its around 85-90% in the UK)

Through beer per gallon costs more!

Average Gasoline tax per gallon: 48.1 cents

[MrJonno]

I suspect what you mean by high isnt going to be what I mean by high (its around 85-90% in the UK)

Through beer per gallon costs more!

Average Gasoline tax per gallon: 48.1 cents

12%-16% its hardly a big part of the price is it, through it does make you understand why Americans are so concerned about the price of a barrel of oil.
Double the price of the barrel and near double the price of petrol at the pump while it might only be 10-20% increase here

[eXcommunicate]

Isn't the recent run up in oil prices caused by Iran's sabre rattling?

And a big part of why a European version of a vehicle gets better mileage than the American version is usually the type of fuel, i.e. diesel vs. gasoline. Diesel is used more often in Europe than in the States for small passenger vehicles.

And 48 cents per gallon is too little. We have 55.6 million miles of roads and highways to maintain, and we're doing a shitty job of it.

[Coito ergo sum]

Doesn't matter why. If it runs up to $5, it will hurt a lot of people, and the economy in general.

The mileages we were comparing were gasoline.

The roads in my city are fine. Where are you that the roads suck so bad?

Moreover - the mere fact of the amount of tax per gallon being "low" is not a reason to raise it. I'd put the onus on someone propounding a tax increase to state how the tax money would be used, and what results would be expected. A business plan.

But, anyway - you can't have low gas prices and high taxes on gasoline at the same time. It's obvious that those leaning to the left really do want higher gas prices, for some larger political reason. That, to me, makes little sense, though, since gasoline taxes are the most regressive kind of tax you can have. I find it amazing that left-leaning folks would want to support such tax increases, since the people paying the lion's share of it would be the working poor and middle class. The rich can pay $5 or $7 a gallon no problem. The guy making $25,000 to $40,000 loses his raise when the price goes up 50 cents a gallon or a dollar a gallon.

[eXcommunicate]

Doesn't matter why. If it runs up to $5, it will hurt a lot of people, and the economy in general.

Of course it would. My point is that oil prices could crash again the moment Iran stops waving its dick.

The mileages we were comparing were gasoline.

There seemed to be confusion (on your end) as to why a European version of a vehicle got significantly better gas mileage, so I proposed a possible explanation.

The roads in my city are fine. Where are you that the roads suck so bad?

Get out of your city.

Moreover - the mere fact of the amount of tax per gallon being "low" is not a reason to raise it. I'd put the onus on someone propounding a tax increase to state how the tax money would be used, and what results would be expected. A business plan.

In most places (AFAIK), the gas tax is tied to roadway spending. But yeah, of course any tax increase (or decrease) should come with a valid justification and fiscal plan.

But, anyway - you can't have low gas prices and high taxes on gasoline at the same time. It's obvious that those leaning to the left really do want higher gas prices, for some larger political reason. That, to me, makes little sense, though, since gasoline taxes are the most regressive kind of tax you can have.

One can stomach regressive taxes in some areas as long as the overall tax scheme is progressive.

I find it amazing that left-leaning folks would want to support such tax increases, since the people paying the lion's share of it would be the working poor and middle class. The rich can pay $5 or $7 a gallon no problem. The guy making $25,000 to $40,000 loses his raise when the price goes up 50 cents a gallon or a dollar a gallon.

Perpetuating our dependence on oil isn't helping this guy either.