Locking gas caps now in short supply

The word from Pittsburgh is that auto parts suppliers are rapidly selling out of locking gas caps, which were originally invented in the 30s because of gas thefts during the Great Depression. Buyers are reporting their gas tanks have been siphoned, or that they want to head off potential siphoning due to ever-rising gas prices. Some stores are having difficulty getting more units in stock from manufacturers. If ever there were a time to kick yourself over having gone with that SUV, this looks like it.

[Thanks to Auri for the image]

[Anthony @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Wah wah wah, remember us in the UK already pay double what you pay, and that Katrina has knocked our prices up just as much.

We are fast approaching �1 per LITRE (currently the average is about 93.9p), apparently there's 3.79 litres in a gallon... which means we could very soon be paying about $6.99 a gallon.

I can't believe you don't already have locking gas caps...

oh and if you do buy one you might want to start checking the fuel lines...

sorry I couldn't resist the moan!

[Rowan Lewis @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Hell, 1 pound is around 1.8 USD and 2.4 AUD... thats darn mad!

In AU, we're getting up to 1.4 AUD per liter.

[teazo @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Locking gas cap $15

Hand Pump siphon (no sucking) $9 + "bonus gas"


hmmmmmmm

[yet another Matt @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

yeah, im amazed you dont have locking "gas" caps. Mine is a part of the key for the car, press twice to open the "trunk" and the "gas" cap.

[dutch @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

same to us here in the netherlands (or almost all over europe). highest price I saw this morning: 1,60Euro for ONE litre. that's about $7,50 for a gallon...

now it really starts to hurt!

[Jakob Peterh?el @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

In Denmark, you can't buy a car without locking gas cap...

It's strange that the prices has to blow up like this, just because a few oilrigs is OoO. Why does non-US customers have to pay for this? Don't we get the oil from the middle east anyway?

The funny thing is, they knew it all along, that at some point a strom would disable some rigs, and now they push it to the consumer, instead of 1)produce more on the other rigs and 2) spend a little of the gazillions they already earned on us in the normal run..

Let's get those alternative fueled cars running !!!!

[CB @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

I do believe locking caps are mandatory in the UK, you have to have one for the annual road worthiness test.
comparing Euro-US gas prices needs to be taken in context, we just don't have anywhere the same distances to drive, I can get everything within a 5 mile radius on this goddam overcrowded lump (that's why I'm emigrating)

[Griffon @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

My (german) car comes built-in with a locking gas cap (actually it locks itself when I lock the car)

[skype_fan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

In Europe prices go only up because in the US people are wasting gas like hell. Guess why Bush is so much after the oil. Start using it more efficient and get more efficient cars. Until then Europe should stop selling gas over the atlantic. The US should take care of its demand on its own. If the price goes sky high it's due to your way of wasting it. Maybe finally a step into the right direction.

[Hammo @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

America deserves what it gets when it comes to gas pricing. Irresponsible idiots ruining it for everyone else.

Go out and buy yourself fuel efficient vehicles and then you'll get our sympathy.

[dutch @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

CB - there are so many overcrowded places in europe as well as in the US. and there are people that need to drive huge distances everywhere too. i have to travel 500km home every weekend for example (one way). so that is not really an argument...

[nolan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Every time I hear an American complaining about OIL prices i want to throttle them. Australians and Europeans even more so pay a lot more for out oil. Lets put a 50% tax on all oil and see what the next range of SUV's from GM looks like...

[Gil @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Dutch: That's the price in the netherlands? That's not the price in the rest of europe. The highest I've seen is 1.30

[nolan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Perhaps the Dutch have more tax?

[CowTipper @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

its about 3 dollars a gallon where i live, i dont like it but i dont complain about it, my entire family does and im just like it could be worse, the only bad thing is that im still in high school and the ony car i have is a SUV (89 bronco II) and it was practally free and i cant just go out and buy a little car, plus, i have problems fitting and seeing out of small cars.

[dutch @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

that's what i saw this morning for super98 (what I need). in germany (hamburg) it was 1,57euro yesterday early morning when I left. actually I heard prices are lowering about 3 eurocent today. i read an article on taxes yesterday that said taxes are highest in germany (about 60 cents/litre) where taxes in the netherlands as in most other european countries are about only 10 cents. (then i really don' t get why the final price is so similar. oil companies must have a bad time in germany then...)

[bert @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Americans Should pay more for "gas" its their country which is the biggest Polluter on the planet!!!

U should all get taxed for ure big stupid trucks!!!
All the taxes should go to developing clean renewable FUELS!!

Dont understand why americans by them stupid trucks the ford f50 is one of the worst handling cars in the world, Think yous have been watching to much HOME improvment!!!!!

[CB @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Talk of US being biggest poulluter is very simplistic, look at the big picture, reports today how Indonesian peat burning is 1/7th world c02 output, also 1 Canadian forest fire can wipe out all their c02 reduction efforts, Chinese mine fires, they also produce most of the worlds wealth.

[bert @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Fair Point!!, it not really the pollution that bothers me its the
I can Do what i want Attitude
i.e. i got freedom to carry a gun, well just see the trouble that brought to new orleans,

WISE UP the world doent revolve around u and ure country!!

[joe @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Wow, I had no idea that engadget was such an international community!

Back to topic...I don't think the world revolves around the U.S. and not everyone over here drives a gas guzzling SUV that get 8 MPG. We are over due for a "price adjustment" and many of us are aware that we pay significantly less than the rest of the world for fuel.

We have 2 cars in my family. A civic hybrid and a protege 5 which get outstanding gas mileage. I purchased both these vehicles on the assumption that fuel prices would be rising in the coming years. The funniest thing is, even though fuel prices are going up, I don't hear many people complaining. We do discuss the topic because it is of national interest, but the actual bitching is at a minimum.

I know some of the posters here get &#*^^#(!'d at the pump. It looks like it's our turn....hopefully our government will begin preaching conservation and rewarding it's citizens for saving fuel. Until our citizen begin to see the benefit of conservation, the impact on our economy and the upside for our environment by driving fuel efficient cars, fuel costs are going to impact all of us dramatically.

[Roblyman @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

It's amazing how most discussions are turning political these days. America does use a lot of gas. We,collectively, like our SUVs. Personally, I traded in my SUV last week (just before the storm hit NO). It got rotten mileage but I needed it to tow my sailboat. Since I no longer need to trailer the boat anywhere, I got rid of the SUV. It was a 6 cyclinder Nissan Xterra and I now have a Honda Accord Hybrid.

As someone mentioned, things are spread out a lot more in the US than in Europe so we have to drive more to get where we need to go. The average one way commute to work in the US is 24.3 minutes each way. They average more tha 100 hours each year commuting to and from work. Hence the more gas usage and more pollution.---

We have the right to bear arms in the USA. This is something that has its upside and downside. But, I venture a guess that those looting in the street in N.O. did not acquire their guns legally. Sure,there is a good point that if guns were not readily available it would be more difficlut to steal them. Surely this event has proven that when people are deprived they will resort to less civilized action. Sadly it also looks as though a lot of that action was not out of need, but out of opportunity.

'WISE UP the world doent revolve around u and ure country!!'

We don't have the union like vacation benefits that most have in Europe. We don't get a month off every year to travel. Working Americans average a little over two weeks of vacation each year. (Remember, the average commuting time each year is 100 hours or 5 weeks). Trips outside our own country are not within the reach of the average US citizen for either financial or logistical reasons. For these reasons (and maybe due some to lack of desire) most Americans are not familiar with Europe. Again, sad but true. So YES, for most Americans all the world they know is the USA or what they read, see, or hear in the media.

Why do some Americans buy those stupid trucks? The answer is as varied as the Americans you refer to. Remember, America is a melting pot. We have rednecks, we have business people, we have bikers, we have doctors, lawyers, etc..and they ALL have their ancestoral roots somewhere outside of the US. For most that means Europe. People left Europe and other places in the world for better opportunities in America.

Now what is interesting to me is that we, in America, with all of the guns and crime (and other things non-Americans are beginning to hate about us), don't have a mandatory locking gas cap law, but those in the more "civilized" countries have felt this necessary for years now. Go figure?

[James @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Now, I wouldn't go and say that all SUV's are bad to purchase becuase of gas mileage. I know of a few cars that have just as bad of a MPG rating as some of the SUV's and some of the SUV that come very close to what is the standard mpg rating for cars.

[jayarr_the_motherfcuking_superstar @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

europe pays more and uses less, america pays less and uses more. its as simple as that and something needs to be done about the whole situation, including the pollution.

[Rusty Shackleford @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

It always amazes me how people will complain and gripe about $3.50 per gallon for gas, yet those same clowns will cheerfully spend $15 per gallon on a starbucks latte or $10 per gallon for a bottle of water. Put it in perspective. Me? I don't have a locking gas cap. I stuff an oily rag into the filler hole. Works great, much cheaper than a locking cap, and never hard to find a replacement if you lose it. Keep only a gallon in the tank at any one time and you don't have to worry about gas theft. It also lightens the load on the vehicle (69 dodge pickup, floor rusted through), so you get better gas mileage.

Oh and remember... Price gouging doesn't kill people: The Government Does.

[Motorhomes America @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

I have a locking gas cap. I think allmost everycar in germany has a locking one. Besides that has a lock ever stopped anyone ? And even further i think atacking fuel transporters will soon be a common thing. About 300 000 $ worth of unregisterable goods !

[Lars @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Have a look here:

http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/global_gasprices/

We pay $6.48 a gallon here in The Netherlands, so I don't exactly 'get' the claim that gas prices are outrageous. Okay, so they are, but remember to keep perspective. You're still better off than most in the US. When it comes to gas.

[nojetlag @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

@Roblyman

The average Asian has less budget and less time to travel, still they know more about the world than the average American. However instead of sending troops in basically every corner of the world to bully others, they gather as tourist groups, go to places use 5 days from their vacation and discover other cultures. And they share part of their culture with their cuisine, instead of poluting the planet with places like McDonalds, Burger King and Starbucks on every corner ;-)

Regarding the guns, just keep them. Look at your crime stats in the US, I think more Americans kill Americans with guns than the so called "foreign terrorists" each year.

Anyway lets hope the gas prices stay up :D The efficient ones will benefit, the others will suffer. Bye Bye GM :D :D

[kc @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

#21 we also have soccer moms that drive their damn hummers to go pick up little jimmy. the reason there are so many SUVs in america is that suvs in a crash would destroy a smaller car, noone wants to be on a business end of a crash so they all try to one up each other, im really suprised that i haven seen peopel in my town driving semis.

as for the price differential one reason that gas is more expensive in europe is the octane level. #16 you mentioned you need super98. that isnt even a possibility in the states. 99% of gas stations carry 87, 89 and 93, and sometimes diesel. ive seen two gas staions carrying 95 and it was outrageously more expensive.

But most of you are right, America is a very wasteful country. We dont really understand conservation. Bush has been at the forefront of this with his energy policy that is basically do whatever you want, in the future there will be a solution, and hey if there isnt i dont care ill probably be dead.

[CB @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

The problem isn't gas mileage, it's people who drive everyfreakin where for no other reason than they can, in the UK the roads are jammed 24/7, people live further and further from their jobs, shopping is done at retail parks so ALL the roads are jammed all day Sat/Sun, the streets aren't safe to walk cos only the scumbags use them, so people use the car for safety as well.
It just amazes me that I decide to drive to the mountains at 3pm on an obscure Tuesday afternoon and I'm in a traffic jam on the Motorway, that's a trip I do a few times a year, it would seem everyone else does it everyday.
There's no rush hour anymore, it's that busy all day and this has happened in my lifetime, when I was 17 the roads were busy at 8-9am then again at 4-6pm and the roads going the opposite way were empty, now they are jammed both ways all day.

[Anthony @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

#21 Yeah the UK is smaller, but that doesn't mean we don't have to drive far to get to work. We're not a small one horse town where everbody walks to the factory at the bottom of the street ;o)

In fact it probably means we have to drive further in a lot of instances.

It's very expensive to actually live in major cities. There are thousands of people who will do 3 hour+ round trips to get into London, just so they can afford to buy a house for their family.

I myself have a 40 minute each way commute to work. In our office that's about average.

As for holidays I think the average is probly around 22-27 days in a year. Yeah you could take the whole month in one go, but you'd be screwed come Christmas... Though I think mainland Europe does better than us.

[WF @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

I am about to get in my car, a Ford Explorer which averages about 10 mpg (4.2 km per liter) in the city, and drive 1/2 mile (0.8 km) to school (or "Uni"). I will drive instead of walking because I am lazy -- because I am an American.

[dd @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Some people forget, many places in the US do not have a good alternative to driving. In Los Angeles, the public transportation is horrible. The bus system, train, subway (haha) are useless. You can't walk anywhere either. Hence the a reason why we use so much gas.

[julius @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Me and my friends in New York haven't been paying attention to the gas price changes because, like 80% of New Yorkers, we don't drive.

So often Europeans get it in their head that all 300 million Americans are just like 1 very famous gun toting, SUV driving, texas dolt. For some perspective: for every Hummer I see, I see at least two dozen Hondas. I've never seen a single gun on the street that wasn't a cops. I live in a neighborhood that has more Indians, Mexicans, and Greek immigrants than american white people. American cities, while often car-centric, have some of the lowest pollution rates in the world.

Oil? How about europe comes and talks to us when they stop using oil to heat their homes. (In the US the most common way of heating one's home is now electric.)

As for gas: Americans believe in free markets. Yes, this may bite us in the butt if we don't get alternative energies ready before oil runs out. As for now, oil is the most efficient way of getting goods and people from point A to point B. The environment suffers, but not for long since the oil age will soon be gone. I don't like oil-dependancy either, but you have to be realistic about things.

[akadruid @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Roblyman,

The average commute thing is a bit funny. Although average distances are much larger in the US, your 24 min average commute time is pretty short actually. In the UK, the average commute is actully no less than 45 minutes!

Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3085647.stm

If you're interested, here are the times for the rest of Europe:

Italy: 23 minutes
Spain: 33 minutes
France: 36 minutes
EU average: 38 minutes
Netherlands: 43 minutes
Germany: 44 minutes

The commute times are longer where there is more population pressure actually, since people must live further from city centres to afford housing. Where I live, the average house price is more than �240,000 - more than half a million US dollars. That's the average. Where I work, however, average house prices are more than �350,000 - that's more than two thirds of a million US dollars.

Part of the reason for high fuel prices is that the market will bear it. There are no acceptable alternatives in the UK at least. Rail travel is prohibitively expensive and awkward for most areas, and even for London commuters, its at best a poor substitute. I pay more than �2700 per year (Thats $5000, yes five thousand, US dollars) on train travel to get into London, and that's pretty average.

Many people outside the US are unaware that US does not have mandatory holidays. In the whole EU, for examples, employers must offer at minimum 4 weeks paid holiday a year. The US has very few national holidays too, just 10 a year, which is less than many (although not as few as the UK, with just 8).

UK Bank Holidays:
http://www.dti.gov.uk/er/bankhol.htm
US Federal Holidays:
http://www.opm.gov/fedhol/2004.asp

[julius @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

akadruid,

I'd add that those 10 national holidays are not required: your boss can make you work.

Also, the housing issue is true in America right now also. Most desireable cities (San Fran, New York, Chicago, Seattle) are unreasonably expensive right now. Just recently the average New York City *apartment* (NOT house) broke $1,000,000. We're seeing this in all the cities where people want to live (in otherwords, not in Detroit).

This is driving a lot of people out to the suburbs and the exurbs in search for a house to raise a family. This, in turn, is increasing commutes and increasing reliance on gas and autos to shuttle people around.

In the end, this isn't a solution, it's a nightmare. People need to realize that the idea that every family should have a house in a quiet suburb and a killer job in the city is unworkable. Some people are realizing this and moving into the city, even though they have to live in a glorified utility closet for $1500 a month.

Back to the topic: There's only one solution that I can see. Electric cars. Nuclear power. Of course in the US the environmentalists oppose nuclear.

[Nick @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

I am an American, but I don't fit the mold of a gun-toting, SUV driving, beer drinking, sports watching, American either.

Basically, I am a citizen of the USA, but I was raised in Europe and other places around the world. I remember the fuel prices in Hungary and Belgium...and the fuel companies in these places actually give a severely discounted price to Americans on diplomatic assignment...and even THEN the price is still more than what we usually pay in the US.

On the subject of commuting distances though, it IS true that the majority of Americans DO have to commute farther than most Europeans do. When I worked in Hungary, I could commute to my job across the river and on the other side of Pest completely by tram and metro in about an hour for only $30 a month. That was wonderful, but try to find that in any American city and you just won't find it. Metrorail in the DC metro area is more than $80 a month, and that doesn't even go to the suburb that I live in. There simply is NO public transportation between my suburb and Annapolis (the capitol city of Maryland), and the only way to get to my office is a half hour commute by car.

That's nothing though. My boss has a 1 hour and 45 minute commute to work everymorning, and that's when he isn't stuck in traffic. After having lived in Europe and in the USA, I can definately say from being on both sides that the USA IS more spread out than most of Europe (that isn't to say that there aren't exceptions, but for the larger part this is true).

Not just this country but the world in general really should be doing more with solar-electric commuting vehicles than we are. I know my next vehicle will be a solar-electric, not only for the fuel efficiency benefit (and less cost overall), but also for the convenience and environmental benefit.

[Alex @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

As much as I hate to say it, I think paying in excess of $4 a gallon will finally hammer the point home to my fellow Americans driving back and forth to the suburbs in their 10MPG Armada. It will force us to start thinking more responsibly: what cars we buy, how often we drive them, whether we rideshare, where we choose to live.

If you look hard, you can begin to start seeing a positive trend: across the US people are moving back into the cities, and filing out of the 'burbs. High rise and inner-city development is reaching a pace that has been unseen for many years in cities such as Los Angeles that had for the most part deserted downtown after work hours. This trend will take a long while, but at least it's taking a foothold and growing roots.

In there city where I live, people are fuming because of a plan to fund highway expansions in the outlying areas with a road toll. Who are those that are raising the most fuss? You guessed it: the people living out in the sticks.
I think this is completely fair. Why should people living a near-sustainable lifestyle who work and live in the city center have to fund highways to nowhere with our disproportionately higher taxes?

[nojetlag @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

How about the US invest in public transportation ?
How many billions do you spend on your invasions ?
I guess for that money even a place like LA could get a decent public transportation.

[Mike @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

I'm coming into this from a slightly different angle. I live in Slidell, LA... Well, not right now, but I do. (Check Google News - we're very involved in the storm.)

I have a VW Jetta, and evacuated to my sister's the day before the storm. In a way, I was somewhat lucky. I used backroads, and saw less than ten minutes in the highway gridlock that recieved so much local press. Considering my normal route would be through the middle of New Orleans, I'm pretty happy.

This past Sunday, I returned to Slidell to survey the damage. While it is extensive, I'm well insured and the house should be fine with a little new carpet and a new roof.

The tricky part is that we left my sister's house with no room for gas cans (I had two 5 gallon cans, full and at the ready) because we planned to stay if it were possible, and so needed to return with the basic supplies we'd brought with us. As a stopgap, I knew that my mother's car was locked in the garage with a half tank of gas. The thinking was that I could save space if I could just take advantage of the gas I had at my house. I stopped at a Wal-Mart in the wee hours and bought a gas siphon for $20 US. All of the regular ones were gone, an employee telling me that they had quite a run. This super siphon looks remarkably like a filling station handle, and has about six feet of heavy black tubing.

Once in Slidell, we were kept rather busy stabilizing the situation to prevent further damage, and documenting the damage that had occured. Realizing we were about to hit the curfew, we quickly gathered all our belongings and loaded the car. I pulled out this king among siphons and inserted the long black pickup tube into my mother's tank. I began pumping... nothing. I tried inserting it further... nothing. When I removed the six feet of hose, I discovered that it was completely dry! Now, the car indicates half a tank, and we even allowed it to run to operating temp as it had been sitting for a while. I was later told that a number of cars have anti siphon apperatus installed. I packed the dry siphon back into its container, and drove out with the gas I had.

Of course, we planned to leave earlier and avoided gas lines in the morning with the expectation that our gas needs were already provided for. With dusk and curfew approaching, gas stations no longer had lines for fuel, as their own tanks were now empty. Signs directing patrons to form a line were replaced with signs inviting patrons to skip the pumps and come in for some soda. "No Gas" was the order of the hour. I eventually found myself paying $3.15 for regular some fifty miles into my return trip to a Piggly Wiggly with a ten minute wait and a pair of young employees in the Piggly Wiggly regailia running from pump to pump collecting money and stopping traffic to control customer flow with the force of an MP. I never thought I'd be able to fit $40 US into my little Volkswagen!

I'm a little less worried about my own gas now, but it still may be time to buy a locking cap for myself.

[Sloopydrew @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

(If ever there were a time to kick yourself over having gone with that SUV, this looks like it.)

People stupid enough to buy an SUV, no matter what the gas prices are, deserve to be kicked. If they won't do it themselves, I'm sure they could find plenty of volunteers.

[Henry Tavarez @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Wow.... I didnt know there was so much HATE for America here on Engadget. Well I'm American and if you dont like it, screw off. I'll gladly sit here with my rifle, F250 and "cheaper than yours" gasoline :P

Because didn't you know, all of us Americans drive F250's and chew tobacco, with our guns racks on the back of our pickups, and laugh at all you funny little europeans and asians with your funny little cars. YEE HAW!!

The fact of the matter is that not all of Americans are the same. The same way that Americans are led to believe "the world revolves around us", all you non-americans are led to believe that we are all big bullies that drive "big stupid trucks" and we are so self-centered. This is not the case. Please dont jump to assumptions about any particular group of people because assumptions and general stereotypes cause problems and never tell the whole picture. If we played that game, I could easily "assume" that all you europeans own a goat, wear funny little hats while you have your "tea and crumpets", and none of your women shave their armpits.

The point being, please dont join the masses and attach these mind-numbing stereostypes to a class of people. They are thoughtless, ignorant attacks. Stop believong everything the media tells you and go experience thse cultures for yourself. That means you too, Europeans.

DISCLAIMER: For our small group of readers here on Engadget that are missing that part of the brain that computes sarcastic expression, I was being sarcastic in my first couple of paragraphs. I can't belive I have to explain that....(sigh)

[Henry Tavarez @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

And just as a little "did you know?", here are a couple of articles about some stereotypes being reversed.

First, the stereotype that we Americans are fat pigs:
European Obesity Rates Surpassing American Levels
http://www.guardian.co.uk/medicine/story/0,11381,1438700,00.html

Second, the stereotype that Mexicans are lazy and take too many "siestas":
Caught napping - Germany's surprising siestas
http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0726/p07s01-woeu.html

Guess none of us are perfect :)

[Nick @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

So much finger pointing going on (and it seems a lot of it is with the middle finger)...ALL the modern nations should be doing more with alternative methods of transportation, whether it be electric, solar-electric, hydrogen, steam (I've seen it on the road, no kidding), or just good old pedal power. The developing nations still have a dependancy on fossil fuels that they simply don't have the infrastructure to do without yet, and as more 3rd world nations move into the modern world, so does the their dependancy on fossil fuels increase.

The modern nations of the world should be working to modernize our transportation instead of blaming each other for fuel expenditure.

[Max @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Man its funny how ignorant some American's can be.

For a start can someone please tell me the advantages of having a gun can really have as someone said earlier. No guns and fewer criminals have guns so you have much less to worry about then some 50 Cent look-a-like coming up to you and unloading 12 in your chest.

Secondly the guy that said that most American's heat their homes by electric. Does he have any idea of how most electricity is made? By burning fossil fuels Sherlock. It makes no real difference, and anyway I don't know very few people using oil where I live (UK).

Finally I don't think its how far people drive thats important as everyone has to travel but WHAT you drive. Huge SUVs that do 5mpg. My Audi can do almost 40mpg and would beat any of your trucks in a race whilst still having comfort. SUVs aren't even that safe, they roll really easy and aren't as safe as they look. Just check this: http://www.suv.org/safety.html

I could carry on for a long time but fact is I don't want to. Most Americans are pretty nice people it just seems that they don't seem to care about anyone outside of their own little world.

[matt @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

It would be nice if the car manufacturers would create a hybrid in a car that would REALLY benefit.

People bang on and on about how great the prius is, but lets face it - 50-60mpg isn't really that good considering that (in Europe at least) there are normal non-hybrid cars getting similar consumptions figures! Would be nice to get a hybrid version of one of those...

Anyway, where is the electric Smart? Surely these thingsa re ideal for a little electric runabout seeing as they have been on the roads for so long and people have stopped pointing and laughing? I guess there isn't much space for batteries, but I'd get one if it had a range of 50+ miles.

Incidentally, my 17.4 mile commute on the M25 (motorway/"highway" around London UK) reguarly took 1.5-2 hours. 24 minutes? Pah! Dont make me laugh!

[TheUndertow @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

A lot of hate in this forum...over fuel?

Last I checked, the US doesn't exactly dictate oil prices for the World...

Worth mentioning too that while US does consume plenty of fossil fuels, China and other rapidly developing countries use a significant amount as well.

Spew your hate elsewhere -

[Steve @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

First of All I'm an American... and I have no beef with Europeans (cept the damn french (kid))

I just feel an obligation to stand up for myself and defend my way of life.

First off a little info.
I live in the D.C. area and travel about 30 min to my job. I drive a VW Jetta TDI which is about a 45mpg highway rating. I dont own a gun or do drugs or tobacco and I only get drunk when everyone else is. I have lived in city, suburb, apartment, house, and dorm room.
I dont oppose the war in Iraq. Although it might have been for the wrong reasons Iraq will def be better off when we finally get to leave. I DO care about other cultures and countries and dont feel that the world revolves around America.

First off some falacies.
America is not the biggest polluter in the world per citizen... You simply cannot compare total pollution from the a huge country like USA to a small european country and consider yourself less of a polluter.

I havnt ever been in a house that was heated/powered by oil.. ever. Its either electric or natural gas.

Most of the power plants in the US are not coal or oil burning plants. Most are nuclear, turbine and even wind powered.

Most cars in the US are SUVs or trucks and MOST of the people that own them and dont use them for towing or hauling know they are jerks.

The gas prices are first based off the price of oil per barrell which is the same price everywhere... there is no "oh your american so I'll sell you your oil for less" discount. After the initial price taxes and transportation inflate the price of gas as well as the businessmen which control the prices (not to mention the supply and demand structure of every market).

Most americans are environmentally aware (or at least they say they are) and america has the strictest environmental laws in the world

Mass transit in America does suck and is geared not to aide the car owners in transportation but rather the lower classes that cannot afford cars. Even if we wanted to hike 10 miles to get milk its simply not safe to do so (muggings, getting run over by a mac truck etc) It is also simply not practical

Please do not blame Americans for the spread of our companies like McDonalds cause the fact is... they simply wouldnt be there if they werent welcome.

Also just to point out... personally I dont belive the gas prices rose because of the hurricane.. I believe that they rose simply because they could especially if you guys are claiming that they rose in Europe as well.

Most newer cars do have locking gas caps. My does.. even tho its a german brand. We simply never had the problem of gas being stolen.. and still dont have it yet.

Thats all for now... excuse my ranting and my spelling. All this info comes from sources I've read previously... it would take too much effort for me to re-look them all up now... and I'm a lazy american

[Steve @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

This is why your gas is so expensive in europe


http://money.cnn.com/pf/features/lists/global_gasprices/

[Ed @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

We pay about $7 a gallon for 100 octane in S. California :)

Not that many cars need 100 octane...but it is available for those that think they do...kinda in line with what 98 cost elsewhere?

[Mike @ Dec 19th 2005 1:25AM]

Steve (currently #47):
Lots of great points, but I suspect you're wrong about the price of gas increasing independent of the influence of the hurricane.

1) Supply of gasoline was interrupted by reduction in refinery capacity:
http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/business/12508223.htm

2) Incoming tankers had to change their route to avoid being in Katrina's path, resulting in short-term thinning of oil supply.

3) The Port of New Orleans is very large. Huge, really. Most of the oil destined for the area oil refineries comes through New Orleans.

4) Flood waters blocked or damaged railways into and out of the city, preventing oil traffic, and increasing consumption as trains reroute.

5) Increases in consumption from evacuations to generators. Rescue craft. We even have Canadian Mounted Police helping out here, and it takes oil products to get these resources in. I've been in the affected area, and everyone is driving trucks.

6) Nearly every oil drilling platform in the gulf had to shut down for the storm, and not all of the platforms reopened, resulting in reduced capacity.

I'm sure there are other factors, but I'm convinced.