now we just get raped! not even a thank you. :1orglaugh

Yeah. Country size has nothing to do with it.

If that was the case, then that should mean Russians are fucked aswell then, being even larger than America ??

Just because the country is big, doesn't mean you have to drive the length of it. Hell, i've never even drove up to the Scottish Highlands and it's only about 2hrs away :1orglaugh

more places/attractions to visit within driving distance means more people likely to drive to them means more mileage per person.

I don't know anyone who doesn't go on road trips of at least 3 hours or more a couple times a year, and I know a lot that go on road trips that are 6 hours or more a few times a year even. How many hours it take to get from one end to the next in Scotland?

North America is a huge driving culture compared to the rest of the world.

i love road tripping! lots to see in america!

I'm still trying to figure out how they drive on average 15k miles. Driving 15k miles isn't really casual driving around town even in North America, it will usually include a couple trips like you said.

I guess I assumed that Europeans used their public transportation better than we do. For the most part, our public transportation sucks.

Okay then the answer is you guys need to start more wars!

Sorry, forgot they put it up, like I said, I left! :1orglaugh

The problem, with very few exceptions, with Americas public transportation systems is limited access points. If you have to drive to a bus/subway stop you might as well just keep driving.

Europeans go on huge road trips, it is an open border. That has nothing to do with it.

I have driven from London, all the way through France to both Spain and Italy many times. I used to work with a bunch of Polish guys who used to drive 2 days straight from the UK to Poland rather than flying.

Wherever you go in europe during the summer months you will see a ton of different number plates in different areas. Germans, Dutch, UK, Belgians, French etc. All end up in all sorts of different countries.

I agree with the public transit differences though, much better in Europe for the most part, but not everyone uses it.

I try to avoid public transport here. It's usually all the drunks and scumbags who you end up next to, so i'd rather take the car everytime.

The cost of public transport isn't cheap anyway. Trains, buses etc have all seen big price increases. So to be honest, you'd be aswell taking the car because the cost you'd pay for tickets is probably dearer than gas anyway, even with our sky high prices!

america = car culture



http://www.hotrodhooch.com/photos/ho...deanbryant.jpg

I put $30 in and got 7 whole gallons :( My Jetta drinks the fuck out of gas.


:(

Yup i get your point, infact most people in this thread are correct with their points.

Thing is though, doing those road trips is still personal choice. So that's why i'm saying about the amount of miles people are doing, apart from work, it seems to be through choice because they want to go on these trips. And why not.

My point was though that it isn't just because America is a large country that means people are fucked, it's because people are choosing to use the car for trips to wherever, it's not simply because they live in a large country and they HAVE to do it...

except for trucking. the walmart business model will implode upon itself if gas prices get out of hand.

as Glen pointed out, suburbia is a very inefficient place to get supplies to.

Same here, public transport sucks imo. For example to our office takes me about 60 minutes on 2 trains and a bus while by car it takes me 20 minutes. Easy choice I would say.

A trip to Paris takes me about 2 hours by train and 5 hours or so by car. But still I prefer the car lol

Only thing I hate is the rush hours over here. Big fucking traffic jams all over the place specially in my area.

It probably helps that I have a company card for gas though lol

When I worked from home I did about 6000 miles per year. My girlfriend had a car too which we put about 6000 miles per year on, so that is 12,000 with me working from home and her doing 14 miles per day total to University and back 4 times per week.

It's very easy to put the mileage on your car. I'll be honest and say I don't know where the hell the 6000 miles per year came from but the car did it.

Probably all the trips to Greggs. :1orglaugh

Greggs and picking you up so I don't have to walk to the pub from my house myself :thumbsup

Looks like average number of miles driven in the US is 15,000 per year, while in the EU it is 4,500 miles per year. People in the US generally live much further away from work because, in having all this space, and since the invention of big highways in the late 40s and early 50s, people have wanted to have more space, more land, bigger homes, etc... all for lower cost, i.e. further from urban centers. The average living space for POOR. American households is 1,200 square feet. In Europe, the average space for all households, not just the poor, is 1,000 square feet. We basically trade space for increased travel distances from work.


One other thing, SO MUCH of our argicultural products are distributed by trucks, an increase gas goes directly towards an increase in food prices


.:2 cents:

Where are you now anyway? Curious...

Canada, east coast

Same! Windsor Ontario. However I'm noticing that it's not all that much better than the UK right now. I pay $3000 a year car insurance because they don't take my UK driving history into account. Gas has gone up 40 cents a litre since I moved here last August. Food isn't that much cheap than back in Scotland, same with nights out and activities like cinema etc, it's the same price if not slightly more expensive.

Overall I would say I spend more money on my lifestyle here. I have a house 2.5 times the size of the one I have back in Scotland and its only about 30% more expensive (not counting property taxes tho - which is a fucking bitch!) which is awesome, however I drive a much much less quality car than I did back home and I pay thru the ass for car insurance to be able to drive it. In Scotland my girlfriend and I paid $1200 a year combined for both our cars, one of which was my BMW Z4... compared to my Dodge Journey I drive here lol.

We had the car insurance problem, but quickly got it sorted out. I can't remember how excactly, think we got a proof of no claims from the UK insurance co. but the bill this year was only $800 for an 04 Dodge Carravan and A 96 Ford F-150.

Not sure who you are with, but we went with a broker and it is done with Wawanesa (think I spelt it right)

Petrol was almost at $1.40 when we moved over here 3 years ago, it went back down to $0.80/90c and stayed there for almost 2 years with some fluctuations. They tend to put the price up in the spring/summer months.

I think food is much cheaper, but that seems to be going up. Eating out and drinking out is about the same. But buying beer from the LC is a rip-off compared to UK prices.

At least the weather here is better... oh wait, you brought that UK weather here with you :321GFY

Yah, well thats what you get for having a pool! Suck it up!

:1orglaugh

It has been shit this year so far! Last 2 years have been pretty nice though.

Funny you say that though, I never experienced much snow when I lived in England, I left and now they seem to keep getting hit :1orglaugh

That is actually kind of high too. In the US we pay $20 to $30 a case (24 bottles) (for example $28.99 for 2 dozen Coronas is the most you'll spend on a case)

Imported beer from anywhere in the world is about $12-15 a 12 pack at the highest. Which for the average Joe is way too much money for a 12 pack. So they buy a 12 of Budweiser ($10) or maybe Miller ($8).

Also gas in Aus is better than Europe but since

1 US liguid gallon = 3.78 liters

you are paying about $5.50 per gallon and the Philippines is about the same as someone mentioned.

Which on the whole of the world is pretty good. But for the US that is still high. Currently around $4/gallon or around $1.06/liter.

Guess we in the the US better wake up and realize how well we got it :) Of course there are other factors.

Gas station fluke results in $1.10 pump price

Actually I better also say you can get a case (24 bottles) of Grain Belt Premium or Pabst and a few others for $15 a case. Bud is $20 a case. Those are the best prices in a major American city.

For the record I am drinking Grain Belt Nordeast which is Grain Belt's best at $9.99 a 12 before 8 1/2 % sales tax :) Was at the liquor store yesterday. :)

Kind of a very light dark. They would laugh at me in Europe and Britain. :) You guys have good beer.

When I can afford it I'd drink Grolsch from Holland. Best I've found.

Best for the money? St Pauli Girl (Germany) $12.49 a 12 pack

Anybody in the US beat my prices? :)

Grolsch is $15.99 a 12 pack. Pilsner Urquell from Czech is $13.99 a 12. Very good beer. :) Corona reg price: 13.99 a 12.

Just passing some gas on this thread ...

Then there is Molson Golden from my friends to the north (Canada) for only $10.99 a 12 pack. But for $1.50 more I can go with Pauli Girl.

If you guys would just go down to $9.99 a 12 ya got me on Molson Golden which is a very good beer. Way better than Bud but not quite as good as Pauli Girl. Those pesky Germans got your market. :)

Moosehead is $12.99 a 12 at best. :) Good beer but then you are competing with Corona and Urquell. :) Newcastle is about $13.99 a 12 (decent deal) and a high $8.99 a 6 pack. From the UK I do believe. Great beer. One of the best.