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US$5/US Gallon == US$1.32/l We (Australia) are currently paying only slightly less than that at the moment, but have in the past paid much more. I'm pretty sur

US$5/US Gallon == US$1.32/l We (Australia) are currently paying only slightly less than that at the moment, but have in the past paid much more. I'm pretty sure in the UK they pay way more, and in Europe slightly less than the UK, but still over US%/gallon I guess my point is why is everyone in the US so worried about fuel prices when you've had it so cheap for so long. The rest of us manage ok, why do you think you won't as well?

Mz 16y ago
The rest of us manage ok, why do you think you won't as well? I lived in Germany where gas is lots more expensive. The cars are smaller and more fuel efficient (we brought a truck to Germany and had enormous difficulty finding parking for it). There is better public transit. And communities are more walkable. In most of the US, it is extremely to get around without a car and commutes to work are typically pretty long. I currently live without a car and kind of informally hitch-hike to work because it is 2.25 miles away and there is no bus service from here to there. So I accept offers of rides when people stop and offer (which is more often than not). A lot of the things that would make a neighborhood more walkable have been made essentially illegal to do. Most urban planning rules and conventions are car-oriented and actively encourage the creation of sprawl, which is not conducive to creating new walkable neighborhoods. Older neighborhoods that are more walkable are often extremely expensive because it is a highly prized quality and no longer something we can create. "New Urbanist" architects and builders who have tried to build more walkable neighborhoods have found that have to jump through a lot of hoops to get such plans approved. I've seen some photos of people on the street in an Australian city and most American cities just aren't that pedestrian-friendly. So, yeah, Americans have good reason to be freaking out.

Mz 16y ago

The rest of us manage ok, why do you think you won't as well? I lived in Germany where gas is lots more expensive. The cars are smaller and more fuel efficient (we brought a truck to Germany and had enormous difficulty finding parking for it). There is better public transit. And communities are more walkable. In most of the US, it is extremely to get around without a car and commutes to work are typically pretty long. I currently live without a car and kind of informally hitch-hike to work because it is 2.25 miles away and there is no bus service from here to there. So I accept offers of rides when people stop and offer (which is more often than not). A lot of the things that would make a neighborhood more walkable have been made essentially illegal to do. Most urban planning rules and conventions are car-oriented and actively encourage the creation of sprawl, which is not conducive to creating new walkable neighborhoods. Older neighborhoods that are more walkable are often extremely expensive because it is a highly prized quality and no longer something we can create. "New Urbanist" architects and builders who have tried to build more walkable neighborhoods have found that have to jump through a lot of hoops to get such plans approved. I've seen some photos of people on the street in an Australian city and most American cities just aren't that pedestrian-friendly. So, yeah, Americans have good reason to be freaking out.