Why is gas so much more expensive in Europe than the U.S?

ringmastery

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Sat May-29-04 07:10 PM
Original message

Why is gas so much more expensive in Europe than the U.S?

Could you imagine if gas in the U.S. was $5 a gallon. The nation would shut down practically. But people have been living like this in Europe without any problems...

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Systematic Chaos

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Sat May-29-04 07:12 PM
Response to Original message

1. They also tend to live much closer to their jobs, or

they use the public transportation systems which I understand are usually better than the ones we have here.

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Kellanved

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Sat May-29-04 07:18 PM
Response to Reply #1

6. not entirely true

Edited on Sat May-29-04 07:20 PM by Kellanved

There are quite a lot commuters in Europe, AFAIK the average commuting distance is pretty close to the American (about 75 KM single trip).

The public transportations systems in France, Germany, and Benelux are better than the American, that's true. Example: the train from Burgundy to Paris takes about one hour - for circa 300 km.

Anyway, in Germany Commuters get a tax refund for the distance spent commuting, in effect they get the gas tax back. People using public transportation or using their bike can save a lot of money with this.

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Commie Pinko Dirtbag

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Sat May-29-04 08:26 PM
Response to Reply #6

9. In my experience Madrid public transportation is just as good.

Trains, subway and buses. You can get anywhere easy.

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Deja Q

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Sat May-29-04 08:35 PM
Response to Reply #9

10. I was in Madrid once. The underground system is rather nice indeed.

The US has to change its ways though, and quick...

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Kellanved

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Sat May-29-04 07:14 PM
Response to Original message

2. Taxes

And nobody is using 87 Octane gas in Europe - more like 95 Octane.
An additional reason is that the European refineries prefer to sell their gas on the US market, as the US capacity is not even near sufficient.

An article you might find interesting: "Germany's new era
of higher fuel prices "

http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=52&story_id=7901

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Rationality

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Sat May-29-04 07:14 PM
Response to Original message

3. Actually...

European governments deliberately make the gas costs higher in order to encourage mass transit. It works over there because - I think - industrial and commericial development in France, the UK, Germany, et. al. are more compact than in the US, which for the most part is very spread out. That's just my theory though; I'm no economist.

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physioex

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Sat May-29-04 07:14 PM
Response to Original message

4. It think it's mostly the taxes...

This country doesn't have such a good mass transit system as Europe. The communities and cities are better planned. You don't have to get in your car to go to the Wal-Mart 10 miles down the road. There are more family run businesses. The closest thing I can think of in the US would be Boston. Also people don't drive the gas guzzlers they do here. Just my humble opinion, perhaps there are other points of view.

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NightTrain

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Sat May-29-04 07:15 PM
Response to Original message

5. It's the same in Canada, too.

When I was visited Montreal last September, I was delighted to see gas priced at 85 cents--until I realized that they sell gas by the liter in Canada. Boy, was that a sobering experience! :scared:

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Fovea

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Sat May-29-04 07:22 PM
Response to Original message

7. gas should be 5 a gallon

or closer to 9 a gallon. And all that money should be plowed into public goods. Transportation costs are subsidized, and I think it is time for the users to pay for what they use.

The real costs include the health effects of breathing polluted air, the costs of accidents, the costs in terms of Kyoto when we are forced into it. Add in the cost of contaminated ground water.

This paradigm must shift, or we are doomed.

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Sat May-29-04 08:24 PM
Response to Reply #7

8. Some of us live in the frozen North

and can't ride bikes year 'round.

"...closer to 9 a gallon."

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Fovea

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Sat May-29-04 10:19 PM
Response to Reply #8

14. I do understand

we desperately need good public transportation.
Certain uses should get tax breaks, but this one driver in a car, burning gas sitting virtually still on a highway designed for 75mph is really too much for the world to support.

We took a good thing, and carried it way too far.

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Deja Q

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Sat May-29-04 08:38 PM
Response to Reply #7

11. With everybody's slate cleaned...

Otherwise NOBODY could afford the shift.

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Servo300

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Sat May-29-04 08:43 PM
Response to Original message

12. taxes are higher

and totally dependant on foreign oil.

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myomy

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Sat May-29-04 09:09 PM
Response to Original message

13. There�s very efficient public transpotation and thus most don�t have to

depend on personal autos to get to work, go buy groceries and other daily activities we need our autos for.

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