Price of petrol in England today

Maryann, at least you're still under $4.

I'm here in So Cal and I'm at $4.57. I am sure my Northern Cal counterparts are paying $0.75 more than me.

But compared to Europe, I'm not going to complain about my $4+

Not to start a firestorm of protest here, but perhaps if we had European level gas taxes we would have a train system here in the US that was in some way comprable to Europe!

Always funny to me that many American shudder at the thought of subsidizing a passenger train system, but think nothing of the billions of tax dollars that go into our freeways for our gas guzzling cars.

That said.......I do recall those days of 99 cents per gallon. sigh......

Just wanted to update on the petrol shortages in England. The BBC reports this morning that authorities have stepped in and the stations charging this outrageous amt. are NOT doing it anymore. This all had to do with suppllies being held up due to truck strikes, et al.

But it is food for thought. If you old enough to remember the shortages in this country and the long long lines and the wait to fill up, you can appreciate the fact that it COULD happen again!

Yeah..I remember .99/gal gas too...and not that long ago!!! But remember in the Uk/Europe, prices are much higher due to very high taxes. Good point to remember the next time you complain.

I for one would really love to have the mass transit systems that they have in London! :sigh: If I could have something even remotely approaching that, I'd use our systems, but here in Kentucky, the mass transit isn't all that hot. :sigh:

As I've watched the prices run up I have thought of how may times we paid $4-$5 a gallon in UK and just considered it part of the trip. There is a big difference between paying that to experience your vacation (think of the prices at Disney-outrageous, but we pay) and paying this price daily. It clearly explains the vehicle types and mass transit of Europe.

OK, now I know I am old! I remember 25 cent gas!!!!

We just got back from Scotland / England. We rented a car. We were shocked by the gas prices there. The real gas prices there are around $10-12/gallon. But keep in mind that a diesel car gets around 40-50 mpg. So I guess it kind of evens itself out. ALSO, IF you can get onto a US military installation, I'd recommend buying gas there. It's only $4/gallon.

The higher miles per gallon of the cars there doesn't really even things out, it mitigates it a bit but if you do the math you arrive at the inescapable answer that: gas and diesel are very costly in Europe and especially in the UK. So people who are trying to develop budget estimates for their trip and are renting cars need to be aware of this. It doesn't even itself out.

Can someone explain to me why the cost of gas in the last year in Ireland has increased about 15% but in the USA at least 30%? Ireland produces no oil.

In many countries (including Canada), government taxes make up much of the price of gasoline and diesel. When that's the case, an increase in the price of crude has, proportionally, a smaller impact on the price at the pumps. In the U-S, where taxes are relatively low, any increase in the world price has a bigger impact on what you pay at the pumps. Here's an example. If the price of a gallon is $4.00, but taxes are $3.00, then any world increase only affects one-quarter of the price of gas. If gas is $4.00 a gallon, and taxes are only $1.00, then an increase will affect three-quarters of what you pay at the pump/

Even with the great public transport system, there is still a HUGE amount of cars on the road in Britain. Trains are not the answer to everything. Also, please remember that the entire country of England is only as big as one of our states. Also please remember that if you live in a big city in the US (like NY, DC, Chicago) there are trains and buses similar to the ones in London. In small town Britain, public transport isn't a traveler's delight. Try getting a train to Chipping Campden and let us know what you think.

I am in Switzerland right now. Gas is ChFr 2.00 per liter, which is close to $7.60 per gallon, diesel is ChFr 2.30 or about $8.70.

Last week I was in Germany, and gas was €1.60 per litre, or about $9.50 per gallon.

Two weeks ago in Scotland, I paid £1.16 per litre, or about $8.75 per gallon.

This makes my Sacramento prices of £$4.75 per gallon seem cheap, but I am using 87 octane, and their prices are for 95 octane, which allows them to run the small displacement hig compression engines that give them good power with fuel efficiency.

I never felt as though our cars were underpowered despite the 1.6 litre, 100 cubic inch engine, on a midsize car, i.e. Vectra, Mondeo, Passat.

Kevin

Let’s be honest. In England with the current price at the pumps, renting a car should be a your last choice to get around. The most economic cars are the small stick shift cars. A lot of you really don’t like them. On the other hand many of you take to them and driving on the correct side of the road and our roundabouts like ducks to water.

So if you are going to rent a car here’s a blunt fact. The worse the condition of the engine in a car, the more petrol it uses.

In the UK and Ireland all the major rental companies rent cars that are under six months old. So if a rental company has an office in the US you know that in England you will get a car with a good engine ( this does not always apply in other areas of Europe ).

After six months of hard rental the engine and transmission is usually starting to show signs of serious wear so the big companies trade them on. The cars go to lesser known companies. These companies make a living by renting to businessmen and businesswomen who’s company cars are off the road and similar situations where ordinary people have a car off the road and their insurance companies have to provide back-up. In this situation these cars are not treated with consideration and care. Put bluntly we thrash free rentals. The cars still look good but it’s all going south under the hood.

After that they get sold on to small, local rental companies. After a coat of wax and a good polish the cars are advertised in the bargain basement section of car rental. By now they’re consuming petrol faster than my Aunt Nellie can shift gin on a Saturday night.

Two thirds of what you pay at the pumps in the UK is pure tax. It’s got nothing to do with oil shortages it’s all to do with government greed ( irrespective of which party is in power ). Paying a little more for you hire car and getting one with an engine that doesn’t need the last rites and a humane death in a junk yard crusher can save you a lot of cash.