When does this end?

[IamOld]

I really don't want to get into personal politics here, because I really do believe that we are all in this together. BUT speaking of Europe - the difference between GASOLINE prices being higher in Europe - which it is - we tend to forget the following:

1) Most European cities have FAR FAR superior public transportation - the only cities in the US that come close (or equal) are NYC, Boston, Chicago - MAYBE Wash DC (but not "suburbs") - so you do have a choice there when you go to work, etc. Where most people live in the US, there is no alternative.

2) In Europe, most cars use clean diesel - diesel is about 25% more efficient than gasoline AND!!! the SAME cars that Ford, GM (Opel in Europe) sell here, THERE - in Europe - the same Ford Fiesta that gets around 40mpg here (max) gets around 65-70mpg there!!!! SO why in the world aren't they selling those cars...here?!?!?!

As usual, you blindly place blame that does not exist. There are hundreds of oil leases that has yet to be acted on. There will be no going back to $2-$3 gas, so get over it. If the the Europeans can get by on $8 gas and not moan about it, so can we. A nation that is 4% of the worlds population that consumes 25% of the world oil supplies is not sustainable when over a billion Chinese and indians graduate to the middle class will drive up the price of this commodity.

[banca rotta]

I really don't want to get into personal politics here, because I really do believe that we are all in this together. BUT speaking of Europe - the difference between GASOLINE prices being higher in Europe - which it is - we tend to forget the following:

1) Most European cities have FAR FAR superior public transportation - the only cities in the US that come close (or equal) are NYC, Boston, Chicago - MAYBE Wash DC (but not "suburbs") - so you do have a choice there when you go to work, etc. Where most people live in the US, there is no alternative.

2) In Europe, most cars use clean diesel - diesel is about 25% more efficient than gasoline AND!!! the SAME cars that Ford, GM (Opel in Europe) sell here, THERE - in Europe - the same Ford Fiesta that gets around 40mpg here (max) gets around 65-70mpg there!!!! SO why in the world aren't they selling those cars...here?!?!?!

I always believed the old saying that "necessity is the mother of invention".

We Americans had it so good for so long with cheap energy and now between a falling dollar and the possibility of peak oil we will now have to learn from the Europeans in order to survive.

Up until now this was never an issue with $1.50 to $2 gallon gas. Soon out of necessity we will have to change our ways and we will.

It's going from a huge inconvenience to a life and death situation. Some won't survive high energy prices.

One good start that Americans should think about is more localized farming. Food is getting expensive since it's shipped so far with expensive fuel.

I know most will laugh at this but all the college grads deep in debt with no hope of a job should look into farming. Food is truly a recession and depression proof business.

[IamOld]

I always believed the old saying that "necessity is the mother of invention".

We Americans had it so good for so long with cheap energy and now between a falling dollar and the possibility of peak oil we will now have to learn from the Europeans in order to survive.

Up until now this was never an issue with $1.50 to $2 gallon gas. Soon out of necessity we will have to change our ways and we will.

It's going from a huge inconvenience to a life and death situation. Some won't survive high energy prices.

One good start that Americans should think about is more localized farming. Food is getting expensive since it's shipped so far with expensive fuel.

I know most will laugh at this but all the college grads deep in debt with no hope of a job should look into farming. Food is truly a recession and depression proof business.

Right!!!, actually farming is not a bad idea...despite the fact that most farm subsidies go to the giant corporate farms....

But in Europe taxes are about half the price of gas/diesel, but people get significant "goods" for their money AND there are alternatives AND there are high mpg cars...

[jacko]

But who's fault is that. How did the Europeans kick the oil addiction and still have have a higher quality of life? What did us in, is the suburban sprawl that made no sense, which increased the cost of gov't along with unsustainable infrastructure upkeep. Where over a trillion behind. Cities like Denver have taken steps to increase the quality of life like such as developing new transit alternatives that reach to the suburbs. We moan, but don't do anything about it except blame the oil companies.

What you have to remember is that yes we consume more oil than other nations, but we also drive a lot more than other nations. Many Europeans do not have to drive 1 hour to work. Also they do not pay for health care like we do in the states. So yes we do have a reason to MOAN. We are paying twice as much to fill up our tanks, because we have to drive twice as much.

[IamOld]

But who's fault is that. How did the Europeans kick the oil addiction and still have have a higher quality of life? What did us in, is the suburban sprawl that made no sense, which increased the cost of gov't along with unsustainable infrastructure upkeep. Where over a trillion behind. Cities like Denver have taken steps to increase the quality of life like such as developing new transit alternatives that reach to the suburbs. We moan, but don't do anything about it except blame the oil companies.

Quite right - ALSO - aside from the UK, there is virtually NO personal debt in Europe (aside from mortgages).

[jacko]

and no unsustainable student loan debt to. Some Americans have become expats to escape this albatross.

Quite right - ALSO - aside from the UK, there is virtually NO personal debt in Europe (aside from mortgages).

[reddy2011]

Life is not so simple ! It has got full of problems in it ... The only thing you need is to fight and win

[AngelinaCatHub]

Spammer in Trainng

Life is not so simple ! It has got full of problems in it ... The only thing you need is to fight and win

Reddy2011, PLEASE don't drag up six month old irrelevant threads. They have been read ad nauseum. Please contribute if you wish to up your posting counts. Thanks. 'Hub