Wednesday 23 July 2008

petrol prices a laugh

found an amusing headline today in the Oregon newspaper about petrol prices dropping by a nickel to $4.22 a US gallon.

after all the conversions i discovered that we're paying this per US gallon -

petrol: $9.04
diesel: $10.01

6 comments:

J-me said...

The cost of diesel looks even worse when you put it like that!

J

Angie said...

Okay, so it's like this.... I know you like to make fun of us whiny Americans who complain about our expensive "petrol." But you have to think of it like this: In Mexico, the price of corn is sky rocketing (thanks to ethanol... but that's another rant). Do we say to the Mexicans, "Quit complaining about your expensive food! Your corn costs half what it costs here!" No, we do not. Why? Because for them corn is suddenly really really expensive. If one is used to paying a certain price for a necessity (and gas IS a necessity for most Americans in order for them to keep their jobs) and that necessity rises in price by, oh, say, 400 percent, it hurts. For example, we are now spending an extra week of grocery money simply on getting to work every month.
So, yes, our gas is cheaper than your gas, but you have to look not only at the actual price tag but at the perentage increase in fuel prices that both our countries (and other countries around the world) are experiencing.
***end of rant***

love you! :)

EF said...

A - it's not often i can get you ranting so this must be touching a chord here. i wasn't trying to minimalise the extra tension and weight this puts on people in America. i know that it is causing people to rethink how/where/when they drive. we too have had our fuel costs rise by silly percentages - as well as 30% rises in electricity in a year, 20% rises in coal/oil costs, and general high food prices.

overall, america is cheaper to live in. but that doesn't mean you 'have' more money. it just means cost of living is less.

(love you too.)

Angie said...

Oh, don't worry... I'm a ranter at heart. I just don't find the time to sit down and type it up most of the time... Instead, it all goes in the husband's ear. (Luckily he's good for a rant now and then too, so it all evens out.)
I was just feeling the need to stand up for my fellow countrypeople :) (oh, and that included myself) ...You know, to say, "Hey world, bash some other country for a change!!!"
Plus I know you can take it ;)
Now back to the regularly scheduled priorities...

Aaron and Suellen said...

Ah, the math of this is complex-did you know the US gallon is smaller than the UK gallon? The US gallon is 3.785 litres, the Imperial gallon is 4.546 litres, so the comparisons can be tricky. I'm entirely too old and sleep deprived to do that kind of math anymore! I'm not sure if we had more options for mass transit if we would actually use it or not, but folks would have a cheaper option during the current gas crunch. Although how much taxes would have to go up to pay for mass transit might negate the whole gas savings! Interestingly, I've read that as economies have improved in EU countries, more and more cars are being purchased and driven and mass transit is being used less and less (despite the price) so I think there must be something to the thrill of driving oneself that has people paying high prices on both side of the Atlantic for the experience! If air travel were as inexpensive in the US I wonder if we would fly more often? If only we got 6 weeks of holidays from work! :) I think the biggest issue for many people wherever they live, is learning how to budget and manage their personal finances well...

zico said...

Let's move to Venezuela, it's 0.7p/litre there.