Will You Pay $7.00 per Gallon for Gas???

Another factor driving fuel prices is the economic boom in China, not to be sniffed at. In some of the big cities Shanghai etc, you get to bid for number plates, the fatcats make sure they have one at least for odd and even, because of a system of permitting cars to drive on certain days....my understanding maybe flawed but it surely prevents the average
Ahm-hung from contesting for a vehicle.

 

Just curious.

Why would Americans complain about paying $7.00 a gallon for petrol, but will easily pay $2.00 for an 8 oz cup ($16 a gallon) of coffee when they can make coffee at home for about 12c an 8 ounce cup?

 

Argh, I messed up your post apologies
C4K

 

Odd comparison.

Obviously because coffee is an optional luxury purchase.

Most people need to buy gas in order to get to work, school, the store, etc and therefore is a neccessity and not an option.

Also most people only buy a single coffee a day - if that.

When we buy gas for the car it normally is ten gallons or more.

BTW - I have never had a cup of coffee in my life. I don't know why but I have never cared to even try it.

 

Water is necessary and can be obtained free or almost free and yet many people pay big bucks for bottled water. Bottled water has been shown by Consumer Reports to not be as pure as the water from most municipalities. And yet people pay through the nose for what should be very inexpensive. Bottled water is a luxury.

Bottled water is not regulated closely.

 

Very odd...

 

People don't buy bottled water to flush the toilet, wash clothes, fill the bath tub, wash dishes, etc.

People choose to buy bottled water to drink.

Yes, it is a luxury - that they choose.

But the same arguement applies as with coffee.

People don't choose to buy anywhere near as much bottled water as they are fiorced to buy gas out of neccessity.

One could pick any liquid that costs more per gallon than gas to try to make the same comparison as you are with bottled water and it would be just as pointless.

 

There is a point - it is a matter of choice. Will people give up three cups of coffee to buy a gallon of petrol? Will the give up three bottles of their precious water for the same?

It's also a matter of usage. Will people cut back extra driving, walk and get on their bikes for short trips.

Seems to me like it is more a matter of inconvenience that problematic, at least as far as families are concerned.

Shops can cut costs by shopping local when possible instead of paying the transport costs.

Nations grow and thrive on $7 a gallon petrol. Great numbers of the American populace are simply spoiled.

 

It all depends upon one's perspective.

In comparison to most people in Africa the rest of the world is spoiled.

BTW - I can't help but wonder if your observation on the American populace is partly based on envy of our standard of living.

 

The differences in the price of gas between countries is largely TAXES.

 

:grin: I spent the first forty years of my life there. Exactly what might I envy? Of course, it is time to make the discussion personal.

There is no doubt that vast numbers of the American population are spoiled. That's not a matter of envy, that is a fact. Economies can and do thrive on 'expensive' petrol. People just don't drive to the corner shop for their bottled water .

 

There is no good reason for it to be expensive.

 

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Here in Michigan taxes make up 20% of the pump price.

In addition to taxes gas prices are driven higher by all the goverment requirements for special blends for different areas.

 

Really, Americans can't afford the 'basic essentials for living?'

Last time I was there I saw plenty of expensive cars, iPhones, and obese people eating at MacDonalds. Has it changed that much in the last 18 months?

I thought we conservatives liked big business?

 

The nature of poverty has changed. Poor people have most every sort of consumer good that rich people have but at a lower quality. Big difference is that rich people don't stand in lines.