I’d happily pay European-level taxes on my gas if my taxes didn’t purely fund war and keeping the rich in power
I’d happily pay European-level taxes on my gas if I had literally any alternative to driving in my area.
I’d happily pay european-level taxes on my gas if we had the same amount of affordable electric alternatives.
I’d pay those taxes if the dumb wars ended, we did not have a scammy healthcare system, and a public safety net that actually functioned well plus not having to use fucking middle men to pay my goddamn taxes every year…
Which country doesn’t do that?
I see your point, but it smacks of whataboutism. The US is clearly an outlier at the moment, both in terms of attention and currency paid.
The meme captures the absolute frustration in Europe and the rest of the world for our spiralling costs. Costs arising directly from the elected President illegally attacking Iran, without discussing with anyone but Israel.
We’re not arguing who has the greater car / truck dependency. But for those still wanting to pursue the point, don’t forget that Europeans pay considerably more taxes for our public services and so more tax now too.
This is true, but the risks of the oil economy have been known for a very long time. Everybody knows that the oil/auto fuel supply chain is in areas with fragile geopolitical relations and it’s not like this hasn’t happened before.
What we should be doing is channeling our frustration toward transitioning from ICE automobiles to EVs[1], but look at how slowly European carmakers are adapting. The rate of change in Germany has been embarrassingly slow and China is galaxies ahead of anyone else. We need to invest and compete, rather than throwing up our hands and blaming others for fucking up things we shouldn’t be depending on anymore.
[1]: and improving public transit too of course
Yes yes and thrice, yes. 🙏
How do you do, fellow non-Americans!? Colour me gobsmacked at the euros I’m paying when I procure my petrol (by the liter! this is non-negotiable) to fill my tiny aluminium moped.
Have at it bro, you guys elected a diaper-wearing moron for the SECOND TIME because of the price of eggs 😅
Shaming someone for wearing diapers, which is in and of itself completely harmless, and not for the fact that their government is sending minorities into concentration camps and burning the planet down hurts people who wear diapers that survive like you and me much more than it hurts the addressee.
You have to say quart instead of liter or they don’t get it. It’s close enough.
I say, good looking out, ol’ chap! Yeer a good laddie!
Europeans don’t have to drive to survive the way most Americans do.
Depends. In cities no. In rural areas or small villages, often yes.
But then that goes for America too.
I guess? Most American cities have extremely poor public transport. NY and Chicago are okay but in most of Europe any place with more than 50-100k people will at least have a tram system and regional trains, maybe even a metro. It’s just when you get down to places with only a few thousand or a few hundred people, then the bus to town might only come once in the morning and once at night or something like that.
no, in Statesia most cities don’t have functional public transit
Ah yes goods and supplies don’t have to come by truck. They can just public transport themselves to the supermarket.
don’t forget the postal delivery pony
Try living in the alps, for just one instance.
A crass misunderstanding, but sure, if its what you think.
There are more European countries than the Netherlands.
Well it’s about time we fix that, isn’t it?
Gekoloniseerd
The distances the average american has drive is greater than that of the average european
Sure. Doesn’t mean that there aren’t millions upon millions of Europeans who spend more than 1-2 hours per day in their cars.
Oh no, if it isn’t the consequences of everyone’s collective actions
Yeah, fuck that guy for not being born in a different place or having the socioeconomic standing to pack up their entire life and move to a better place. He deserves to be miserable for other people’s collective actions!
Lack of empathy for people who inherited their forebearers mistakes is not a desirable character trait.
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That’s such a nonsense argument. 80% of the US lives in an urban area. That has plenty of options for walkable neighborhoods with public transportation. The reason that those don’t exist are active policy choices that people have voted for and keep voting for.
Have you even been to the US? Even most of the urban areas have horrible public transit and even worse infrastructure for biking.
Maybe get off your high horse and engage in reality.
I think that’s exactly what that person is saying though. There is plenty of opportunity for good public infrastructure, but bad policy and auto lobbies have prevented them from happening. A good example is how most neighborhoods are not allowed to be located with businesses/shops/restaurants, and vice versa. This simple change would make so much more of the country more walkable
The shitty thing is before WW2, America had some of the best public and most profitable transportation infrastructure in the world. American railroad tycoons were some of the most wealthy individuals in the nation for a time even and before that it was steamboat tycoons. As you say auto lobbyist ruined it all unfortunately and AmTrak is a sad excuse of what’s left.
To this day, the boomers in my life tell me that “freight trains in the US are the envy of the world.” Ok, great, but it would be nice if it was usable in daily life
Maybe vote for somebody who will give you better public transport and cycling infrastructure.
Naive take at best. Love the tone deaf armchair “advice” all the non-Americans have for us, like you’ve been through this before and led a political movement yourself to earn the social safety nets/benefits your country provides for you. I’m sure you fought for everything you enjoy, lol.
No doubt, getting everyone convinced to vote is a good thing, but the majority of this comes down to money in politics, which will take a fucking revolution to change, not a ballot.
Living in a country under laws written by oil corporations, in cities whose public transportation was privatized and destroyed by car manufacturers.
Yes… I’m occasionally sorry I was born too. Thanks for that.
I just answered the question. IDK why you’d take that as a personal attack.
Yes but no. What you say came later.
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Commuting from the suburbs to the city center is a perfect use case for advanced high-capacity public transportation. It’s something that most cities on earth manage, the US could too.
Also this isn’t theoretical. The deliberate prevention of new and in some cases destruction of existing public transportation in the US to increase car dependency is well-documented.
What about rail? What about EVs?
What about trading in those giant penis extensions you drive for something more fuel efficient?
Fyi, Europe is bigger
Of course, excuse me while I take the monorail into town to do the weekly shop.
Scandinavians drive a lot
Oh really?
Yes we do.
I have to drive 32 miles (~51 km) one way to my job and there is no public transit anywhere around here.
No idea about this. I drive a Honda Civic in the US, and hardly notice gas prices. I’m much more concerned about food prices, rent prices, and unemployment rate.
At least you have a car you can sleep in if rent gets too high. I hope its paid off.
Should try to convince people that it’s less expensive to drive in Yarp because they buy liters of petrol instead of gallons of gas.
I’ve suggested this for ages to sell people on metric. Gas sounds cheaper per liter (smaller number), you weigh less in kg, etc. I don’t know why gas stations aren’t all over this with their shady marketing and 9/10 of a cent pricing.
Actual weekly gas spending as a household budget item is probably higher in the US on average.
Ill complain about whatever I want, fuck you
This is about americain people. I don’t think this adress to us, french people.
At least the Europeans have public transportation
Indeed, fuel in Japan is higher than in Europe. In the USA, fuel should take a backseat and the cost of healthcare should be the main topic for change.
Good thing my quality of life went down to protect checks notes baby eating pedofiles? OK…
I don’t generally complain to Europeans about anything at all.
To paraphrase Bill Nye, eye protection on; if you raise the cost of fossil fuels, fewer people will use them; eye protection off.
I want fossil fuels extinct, for the second time.
My bike doesn’t take gas, and (for now) my bus pass costs the same as it did before my government’s latest bout of war crimes in Iran started.
your bike does take gas. has your grocery bill seemed to have gotten bigger?
Fair enough, but I have some bike fuel reserves under my epidermis that I was hoping to unload anyway.
In all seriousness, this is a bad situation for everyone. But I still consider myself lucky to have a car free life right now.
Spin it any way you want, stores are supplied by gas guzzlers
