$7-a-gallon gas?

reply to post by minkey53

Unemployment here is similar; that figure is because I did pay quite a bit in when I was driving a truck. Most people who made less receive less. It's based on how much you made (and thus paid in) during the last time period (year and a half? I think?).

The limit here is one year, subject to your monetary allotment running out. The government has made possible up to 4 extensions one can apply for, primarily due to the recession. So in many ways it is similar. There is also a provision I have found that allows one to go back to school for re-training, receiving an AAS degree at the government's expense... and yes, I plan to take full advantage of it!

The $300 per week on Gas out of the $700 per week earnings is nearly, what, 45% of you salary, just on Gas. That's a big percentage and from what is said, we pay the highest Gas prices in the World (and other taxes).

Two things here: first, if you look at it as a percentage it is indeed high. But if you look at the monetary remains, it's still better than most here have it. I would LOVE to make $1 million a year, so much that I would happily pay out 90% of that if it was required. That's still $100K per year in my pocket!

Secondly, you mention you also pay other taxes... there is the reason for your high prices. You have subsidized health care and a ton of other services that we in the USA have chosen to do without. These services are not free, despite what others would have people believe, and must be paid for. Now, if you are happy paying for those services in the form of higher fuel taxes, great! Just understand why those prices are so high.

I still want to be in the US rather than the UK!

If I won the lottery, I definately would be on the first plane there, but would the US government simply let me buy a house, new car etc. and stay there for good?

You might have to become a citizen (not sure, to be honest), but that really should be no problem. We allow millions of immigrants from all over the world into this country happily every year, each of them obtaining with that citizenship all of the rights and privileges of anyone else (with the one exception of becoming President ).

I will say this: be ready for a culture shock! You'd be amazed at how many things you thought were different are not, and how many things you thought were the same, are not.

TheRedneck

reply to post by minkey53

That only works for diesel engines, and it must be thoroughly (and I do mean thoroughly!) strained to remove contaminants. Please do not put cooking oil through a gasoline engine... it will clog the fuel systems and turn it into a big paperweight.

TheRedneck

Very useful information Mr Redneck, thanks for that!

I spent a long time in Canada a few years ago and got to sample their way of life with Walmart, Kraft Dinner, Koolaid, Miracle Whip, Grape Soda, Tim Hortons, Wendy's, Red Lobster etc.

We don't get any of that here but their gas was cheap although they didn't earn as much as we did in the UK!

Still wanna come over to the US for a visit though, maybe a holiday first touring the Canyons in an RV??

reply to post by minkey53

That's an excellent point; I cannot imagine an existence without a Walmart somewhere close by.

Take it from an ex-trucker... if you really want to see the country, start off in someplace like Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PA and just head south on I-81. Keep going through Harrisburg, Winchester, Roanoke, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Birmingham, Meridian, Hattieburg, and New Orleans... then turn west on I-10 and follow that until you either make the Grand Canyon (have to jog north for that) or you get bored. That route takes you through everything... mountains, plains, swamps, forests, bayous, canyons, and deserts. It shows everything the USA has to offer.

Just allow plenty of time... that's a L O N G drive and you'll find plenty of places to stop along the way. When you get a few miles from Texas on I-10, stop by the Longhorn Truck Stop and sample the best T-bone steak in the nation (potato comes with honest-to-God butter what come out of a cow! ). Tell 'em the Redneck sent you!

TheRedneck

I guess the silver lining in this if it goes through is that Canadian border towns will be doing a helluva lot more selling. That's not good for the States though. More money out of the economy.

Before gas prices can be raised to $7 a gallon, affordable electric cars need to be available on the market.

Here in Sacramento, everything is spread far apart where we live - The Winco is about 8 miles away. How are we supposed to get groceries and get them home by walking or riding a bicycle? The public transportation system here is terrible as well - besides, who really wants to bring 20 bags of groceries on a bus?

The way things currently are, we need our personal vehicles in the town I live in. We do have a 2002 Hyundai Accent and it gets around 30 miles to the gallon.

Until electric cars are on the market or some other type of vehicle that does not rely on oil for power, raising gas prices will not do any good. Besides, they can make some really cool electric hot rods - internal combustion engines take time to spool up for power, and electric cars have instant power.

Google Video Link

ETA - First video did not post.
[edit on 20-6-2010 by breakonthrough9]

[edit on 20-6-2010 by breakonthrough9]

The golf cart idea made me think of electric cars. I looked around and found: Smart USA

These small electric cars will not be available till 2012 (hmm). They will be distributed to only a few big cities. They can go around 80 miles on one charge and can be completely recharged in about 8 hours.

I would love to have one. I have a small solar backup system with a small windmill generator at my house that I could use to recharge the batteries. 80 miles is more than enough for me to run around town.

Why are they not available now?

I remember a few years ago when GM had an electric car that they tried and then recalled every one of them. Was it too big a strain on our electric infrastructure? I think this might have been the case, especially in the summer with the cooling demands are very high.

Either way I can totally see driving one of these and get away from $4 to $7 gallon of gas.

I don't hear too much about this in the media, main stream or other, but coal to oil technology has been around for about 100 years.

The Germans used it in both world wars and it seemed to work just fine.

As I type this, I do remember hearing that the Air Force was going to use this technology for aviation fuel.

Whether global warming is a scam (I believe it is). I want cheap fuel and enjoy driving my 8 cylinder 4x4 in the back woods.

I think I speak for many people in saying I also want cheap energy for heating and cooling my home, let's not forget how many people died in France a couple of years ago for not having air conditioning during a heat wave.

Remember also that plastic is a product of hydrocarbons. Also, most medical ointments are petroloeum based, and without oil, we have no industry as it takes lubrication to run factories.

You think the riots in Greece are bad? See what happens when the oil supply is messed with.

They can kiss my arse, this idiot.....

God I really really not in tune with the bull# that flies from the whitehouse.

$7 a gallon for gas?

Highly amusing. The people of Britain are paying more than that right now!

now look how much an regular american wage is and compare it to polish average then look at our gas prices lol

we pay 1.5$ per liter (1 gallon is around 5 liters)

im not sayn its wrong or its right ... im just sayn get used to it