From: Adam Flinton 

Gene McAloon wrote:

> On Thu, 08 Jul 2004 10:46:07 -0500, Dave  wrote:
>
>
>>On Wed, 07 Jul 2004 10:13:49 -0500, Gene McAloon
>> wrote in message
>>:
>>
>>| Worse yet for that approach, it doesn't work. Europe has had very high gas
>>| prices since the '70, equivalent to your $5.00 a gallon price, yet that
hasn't
>>| cut into gas use in the slightest.
>>
>>It has certainly affected the European motoring public, who value fuel
>>economy far more than American motorists do.  High fuel prices are
>>responsible for the popularity of small cars and diesels over there.
>
>
> Small cars have been popular in Europe for the last fifty years and even
before
> WWII. There are many reasons for it, but gas prices were not the cause since
gas
> prices rose dramatically only in the '70s.

Bollox. It has b*gger all to do with the price per se & everything to
do with the tax on the fuel imposed precisely to lower fuel use via
"economic incentives".

http://www.see-search.com/business/fuelandpetrolpriceseurope.htm

http://www.exxonmobil.co.uk/files/PA/UK/uk_pump_prices.pdf

Figures for 2000

http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm199900/cmhansrd/vo000706
/text/00706w04.htm

& what makes it especially humorous is that not merely is the majority
of the price tax but then we're taxed again because VAT is levied on the
total price (i.e. fuel + Tax) thus meaning that circa 75% of the pump price
is tax.

Adam

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