Gas Prices
(or as they say here... "Petrol" Prices)

Oil Prices Rise to $65 a Barrel

Pretty crazy how high the gas prices have gotten in the US. I guess I have sympathy even though the average in the UK for Unleaded (95 octane) is £0.88 PER LITRE*, which equates to about $5.97 per gallon.

One of the reasons the prices are this high over here is to affect people's driving habits and the car-buying decisions they make. Instead of Hummers, most people buy "those funny little cars" (though the ever-encroaching American culture of SUVs is steadily rising in the UK). But Europeans generally drive a lot less.

This is a way of life that we definitely support... despite the fact that we have a BMW (in our defense, it usually only gets driven about 3 miles one day per week). However, the US is not used to this way of life. The majority taste is for HUGE vehicles with pitiful gas mileage and people drive practically everywhere. Because the US is as spread out as it is, I can understand why people drive as much as they do... there is often no other option. BUT, there's not much excuse for the glut of HUGE vehicles. So, in one sense, I'm hoping that these soaring prices will have a stronger effect on America's car choices from now on because it is foolish to expect people to change their driving habits.

-RP-

*1 US gallon = 3.7854118 litres