I was just reading CNN now, an article talking about how people were regularly paying over $100 for a tank of gasoline. Apparently, it's hit over $4 a gallon for the first time since the 70s.
I just did some quick calculations. Current UK petrol prices have it at $8.17 a gallon. They're paying a price that we would consider extremely cheap.
I'm not sure what I was hoping to prove with this, except it angers me: 1) That the UK is such an expensive place to live, and 2) That Americans really don't know how good they've got it a lot of the time...
well
a) its good,no, to not be fucking the enviroment up as much as the americans and b)yes it is annoying, but its all relative, as they are paying more than they were, and they should realise that they get it good, but if we complain about stuff here, we have it better than say, certain people in africa. so who has the right to complain about anything?
And america is a bigger markert, so economies of scale kick in etc. etc.
My anger, though
tends to stem from the fact that we have it so good here often because it's at the detriment of places such as developing countries in Africa.
This rising fuel cost, and eventual switch away from oil in the next 10-20 years, should see some pretty hefty economic imbalances start to even out.
Can't see it happening
Already massive companies have started raping developing countries to grow ridiculous biofuel crops.
The change will only come when we cull the benefit whingers who believe the world owes them a living and give a chance to the truely poor people out there.
err, a couple of cents cheaper
which is an even less considerable portion of a pound. and it's not good just because it's the lesser of two evils.
Leaping to the defence of our friends in the colonies..........
the distances are so much greater.
The UK would fit into Texas alone 3 times over. The primary reason for the relatively cheap fuel in the US is that fact that were they to pay the same rate as us the country would come to a standstill with people unable to afford the prohibitive costs involved in travelling from one state to another or indeed even intra-state when you consider how vast that country is.
And the US has had shit loads of oil
so pertrol is going to be cheaper.
Nah.
They import more than they export now, like GB. Use pioneers of OIL are now realising our folly on building a world based on it. Once we run out of stuff to sell, we now need to buy it. Kinda backwards.
I did say "had"
No idea what the tax is in america, but the duty here is around 65% I think and we have to pay VAT as well.
Certainly the majority of the cost is tax regardless of how much the oil costs.
Fuck me, I apologise!
I only saw the "has". Take my warmest apologies.
apart from delivery costs, why would it be cheaper?
surely oil is sold at international market prices wherever you are? (unless the government chooses to subsidise it or has a domestic quota system)
Yes it is sold at international market prices
but If you already have shit loads you do not need to pay inernational market prices.
I guess the reason why it is still cheaper but getting more expensive is becuase more is being imported at a greater cost.
The cost is mainly tax
this then covers things like hospitals that aren't state funded in the US.
petrol prices are just nuts
gone up 5% overnight according to the hourly news bulletins on signal radio. £1.12p a litre in morrisons on sunday! it wasn't long ago that i can remember my old man saying "no way am i payin 69p for a litre of petrol!"
we'll have to go back to the horse and cart
I saw Diesel for 1.20 the other day!
And they wonder why people go red
Ahhhh....more of a problem in yout
part of the world I think!
Are the provos still sneaking agricultural diesel up though Armagh?
Probably!
Nah a lot of people were caught with red in our village alone last year. Can't blame them though!
Not at all, it makes sound financial sense!
What are the penalties like if you get caught?
A fine of about £800
And from what a farmer told me they look into your business as well...
Stupid question
but what's red?
It's diesel intended for agricultural use....
'red' comes from the dye that is used to differentiate it from regular commercialy available diesel. Other than that, it's identical so some people in rural areas illegally use it to fuel their vehicles.
Agricultural diesel
Which was low-taxes for farmers to use. It's red dye in it that stains the fuel tank so people can't cheat and use it in their cars. But some still try and use it, doesn't look good for the MOT though.
*is
oh and *there's
my spellings gone to pot. It's too late.
Here in Qatar
a tank of fuel is about a fiver.
A pity I can't drive, then.
Aren't US and UK gallons different?
Anyway, still uber-cheap in the US.