I paid $3.69 per gallon for gas this morning, and got this strange feeling....

[SacredCow]

... that it was a bargain. "$3.69?!?!?!? Hey, that's not too bad," I distinctly thought before I caught myself.

Yep. I've been successfully programmed to think that the median point of gasoline is somewhere between $3.50 and $4.00 per gallon. Any suggestions as to where I can be de-programmed?

[TZ]

1. Europe

Where they pay 7 or 8 dollars or more a gallon. That really puts it into perspective.
I try not to complain about our fuel prices knowing that.

[zanne]

4. That's true, but...

That can be true of anything. If a worker in India is only paid the equivalent of a dollar an hour, should we be happy with a poverty level minimum wage?

[TZ]

5. There's a difference

Talk to Europeans sometime...they really do find it irritating to hear us whine about gas prices--and they have a more expensive standard of living than we do...So..its actually alot more difficult for them.
With the Indian standard of living..as bad as those wages sound to us..they actually have a much less expensive standard of living.
Face it, Americans are really spoiled with somethings..and while I agree gas prices are hurting us here..lets not forget that we are FAR from the worst off with this. Of course we drive more than the Europeans...

[SacredCow]

6. If I could possibly live without a car (as many Europeans do)...

I would do it in a second. I am definitely not too proud to take public transportation!

However, I work in an industrial setting, which is probably 10 miles from ANY residential area (and that one is too expensive for my budget). My house is about 25 miles from where I work. I don't have the spare time to even consider biking that far (though I probably could).

Now, if they installed a rail system that would drop me (and a bike) off maybe 5 to 10 miles from my job, I'd be on that like flies to poop!

[zanne]

7. I've heard Republicans use that argument before...

I don't think it's at all valid as far as American voters are concerned. Europe has its problems and this country has its own problems, but we are definitely tanking and talking about "whining" Americans won't get you very far with me and most Democrats.

[raccoon]

10. Many of them have a national health plan, which Americans don't. nt

[Westegg]

11. Okay, BUT: Europe is smaller, thus transport distances...

...are shorter, so fuel costs don't impact the cost of products being shipped in Europe as much as they do here. They're lucky in that regard. We can learn to conserve, bite the bullet, stop whining, etc., but the trucks and planes still need to go coast to coast 3000 miles. The silver lining to the dark cloud of rising fuel costs is that Americans are finally getting wise-- buying smaller cars, carpooling, using alternative forms of transportation. I hope it's a trend that can become a tradition. Air-pollution levels and traffic fatalities will decrease (and already have, slightly). And I have NO problem buying local food, for instance, and will not complain if the cost of produce flown in from South America in the winter means I can't have certain exotic fruits in February I might want. I'll just adapt. Maybe we have had it too easy for too long. Our general sense of entitlement might take a hit. That wouldn't be a tragedy, as I see it.

Mind you, I say this as a resident of NYC. Don't even own a car anymore. If I still lived in L.A., I'd be whining to beat the band.

[SacredCow]

9. If I was paying more to fund public use issues...

... be it roads, police patrols, etc... I wouldn't feel quite as bad. But to make dubya's buddies rich? Yeah, I've got a problem with that, and I don't really care if the Europeans think I'm whining. Both Europe and the US have their pros and cons....

[Mr. Blonde]

2. The only way that would happen is if

gas prices suddenly made a tremendous drop. It is something you buy so often that you quickly adjust to the price. Think if it stabilizes in that range, how long before you don't even bother looking at the price?

[SacredCow]

8. I only look at the price as a matter of course....

I don't typically drive around to find a cheaper station (since the price difference is seldom more than 5 cents per gallon in my area).

[zanne]

3. When will we learn?

Gas prices start going up in the winter, explode in the spring and start going down again in mid-summer. It's a pattern. We're being predictably screwed every year.

[KitchenWitch]

12. I paid 4.299 per gallon yesterday.

Everywhere else but California, and perhaps Hawaii has gas at a bargain.

[SacredCow]

13. your state/local taxes must be higher...

You'd think Louisiana would be among the cheapest places, what with it being refined here in the state (little transportation cost).

[KitchenWitch]

14. I don't know, Minnesota has among the highest gas taxes in the country

and my parents were paying 3.799 when we were paying 4.799. I think it is because the cost of EVERYTHING is more expensive here in CA.

[SacredCow]

15. yeah...

one of my advisors in grad school moved here from Palm Springs... He was shocked that he could buy 1700 sq. ft. home (at the time) for $125K. He said the house he bought would have easily cost him $500K back home.