re: gas prices

[Vilejidiot@domain.elided]

>I realize that giving the state a bigger piece of the action
>would satisfy some listers' feelings of vengeance toward
>Americans who cannot prove they need a truck, or who they feel
>have too much money, or whatever.  Many have written messages
>saying so.  But please realize that it's other people's income
>you're volunteering to fulfill this agenda.

>Most Americans, myself included, have no interest engaging in a
>race to the bottom to see which nation can exact the highest gas
>taxes.  Go on ahead without us.

No one has said we have to meet the rest of the world's prices...

The positives I see out of high gas prices?=20
=95 Fewer people on the roads (making alfa time safer and more fun)
=95 money for TRUE mass transit (a lot of the gas tax money in europe goes t=
o=20
create, maintain, subsidize this infrastructure...someone will correct me if=
=20
I'm wrong on this)...awesome trains, subways, trams, buses (taking the TGV=20
across France or the Shinkansen across Japan IS a rush!)
=95 American manufacturers really paying attention to car design as it perta=
ins=20
to efficiency and safety instead of horse and buggy technology
=95 More intelligent design of new communities instead of strip malls and bi=
g=20
box stores in the middle of prime agricultural land!
=95 People getting off their asses and walking or riding bikes to work or to=
=20
the store. Americans are the most obese people on earth (travel anywhere=20
outside of the US if you want proof of this!)
=95 With the strict emmissions controls already in effect lower fuel=20
consumption would improve the environment too.

Nothing wrong with any of this stuff is there?

Sadly none of the above stuff would happen in North America UNTIL gas prices=
=20
went through the roof. No doubt there would be a horrible impact on the=20
economy until the US got off its duff and made the above changes. It would=20
really hurt. Eventually we'll have to make these changes anyway why not now?

SUV's in accidents with cars kill people (in the cars) at three times the=20
rate as car-to-car accidents. Death rate for car and SUV is about equal. It=20
is a myth that they are truly safer. SUV rollovers are a big part of screwin=
g=20
up the numbers for SUVs... (just a nice article in the NY Times about this).

Everytime I go to Asia or Europe I marvel at how well these first-world=20
people do very well (some times better!) with so much "less"!

Michael Williams
Sacto, CA USA

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