Huh, I guess American gas prices aren't that high
Let's get the obvious out of the way: gas prices fluctuate. So if you're in Chicago, say, and are looking askew at the $2.69 price, relax. The image is a bit old, from a Wired magazine a few months ago (according to someone at reddit). The point here is that, for all the ranting and raving that Americans (and the media here) do when gas prices rise, we're actually sitting somewhere in the middle of the global price range. This is no secret, but now we've got this nifty graphic to show off.
So, does seeing the prices splayed out this way make you feel better, because you know that people in other areas have it worse? Does it make you feel worse, because at 33 cents a gallon in Tehran, all the gallons you save by driving a hybrid won't make much of an impact? Does this just illustrate the global nature of the oil issue, something you've already been thinking about?
[Source: WIRED (?) via Gadling]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mulad 4:58PM (7/06/2007)
$2.69? Gas hasn't been that low in Chicago for three or four months.
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Jeff Gilleran 6:24PM (7/06/2007)
Ah yes,the, " its cheaper or more expensive in other countries" arguement.
There are factors to consider here:
1.Population (sheer use)
2.Availabilty, adds cost to transport to various easy or difficult to deliver areas.
3.Taxes based on the local system.
In the US we are one of the biggest consumers of fuel due to sheer driving distances alone, Not including the various consumption level of our vehicles in general which varies greatly.
Reasoning?:
Small countries might be paying more for fuel at their lower populace and considerably lower driving distances and consumption levels: more fuel efficient cars and trucks.
They may think fuel into the $6+ dollar a gallon level is high.
But really its balanced to the area and its general demand and govt rules to taxes.
While Im happy to report that $3.00+ a gallon is somewhat "liveable" in the US.. $6.00 a gallon would almost shut down the country.
We drive way too much and too far which would totally waste the lower class drivers into a bunch of pissed off bicyclists.
All the more reason to start moving to alternatives, so we dont have to see the prices fluctuate whenever there is a fart in Saudia Arabia.
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1985 Gripen 7:02PM (7/06/2007)
Seeing these direct comparisons really irritates me for one reason (which Jeff above points out): they don't take into effect taxes. The price per U.S. gallon (I'm assuming) they show is the price after gov't tacks-on taxes. In these other countries where gasoline is MUCH more expensive, if you strip-out the taxes the price is much closer to what Americans pay per-gallon.
Those taxes go on to fund many social programs we don't have available to us in the U.S. (such as universal health care).
I would've been much more impressed with this if they had broken down the taxes as well. Even comparing across the U.S. state and local taxes account for a lot of the difference in price between states and localities.
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BroodP 7:50PM (7/06/2007)
Huh, I guess my graphic is way out of date.
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Manu Sharma 8:12PM (7/06/2007)
Excellent graphic! Cheap gas is the root of all problems in US.
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AJ B 3:13AM (7/07/2007)
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Reply
Tomas S 11:09AM (7/07/2007)
The Oil Drum has an excellent comparison of gas prices around the world, taking into account the GDP of countries thus pointing in the real direction where gas is expensive and where it isn't.
http://www.theoildrum.com/node/2653
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AJ B 1:43PM (7/08/2007)
Check all local gas prices!
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Here!
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Alistair 2:26PM (7/09/2007)
Actually the taxes cover the costs of the roads.
There is also the chicken and the egg: Jeff says we drive so much so we need cheap gas. Hmmm, if the gas wasn't cheap we'd find better ways to drive, communicate, do business.
I say the US system is inefficient because it masks much of the costs of driving.
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Alex 9:11AM (7/12/2007)
Of course taxes make up the difference. What difference does it make? The point is, people hear Americans bitching about paying $3, when they are paying double.
And as for public transit, here in Canada we are in a similar situation to the USA. We are paying can$119.9/L which comes to US$4.31/G. No half decent public transit in my area.
I wish we had some. I think the big cities need to look at Vancouver to see how over the last 20 years they have developed a higher density, yet very livable city where you don't need a car (one thing no freeway bringing cars downtown).
Alex
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