bill to allow feds to cap gas prices at 2.49!!!!!!

[dsirkle]

Well, I didn't call, nor think any of you are naive! I also hope you don't think we're naive.

I honestly don't believe our country has ever been in the mess it's in now when not so long back things seemed to be booming and on the up. Sure, economies crash or go into recession, but it's not just that. I've spoke to a lot of people in recent times and not one of them believes England is still a country you can be proud of. Most people I know are considering emmigrating for many reasons, not just economical. I'm not sure about over in America, but over here, we aren't allowed to call Christmas, Christmas anymore, because some do-gooder behind a desk thinks it might offend someone. We can't display a Christmas tree in Birmingham airport for fear of offending someone. A British Airways worker was told to remove her Crucifix from her neck recently!

Anyways, I digress, the original post was about petrol prices. Apologies for diverting the topic slightly!

I meant naive to the extent of not realizing that you guys have plenty of problems of your own. Many Americans seem to think that the world exists only in North America. Our Government offices are for the most part forbidden to mention Christmas but can offer a vague "Happy Holidays". In some locations you can mention Christmas if you include a mention of all known religions also. Our retail stores started on that path but it backfired on them and angered people so they went back to Christmas. Private places can display what they wish. England is definitely not the same proud nation that it was at the end of WW2. The world is getting smaller.

[EvilDes]

I meant naive to the extent of not realizing that you guys have plenty of problems of your own. Many Americans seem to think that the world exists only in North America.

Gotcha!

In regards to our National Health Service, yes, it's funded by taxes, but not by the fuel duty that we currently pay. It comes from our National Insurance which we pay out of our wages each payday. We also have income tax, which I'm sure you guys do aswell?

My typical wage slip has my monthly salary, with deductions for PAYE tax (Pay As You Earn) and National insurance. An old wage slip I have with me now, shows monthly earnings of £1541.67. PAYE tax - £217.60, and National Insurance is - £119.57, leaving me with £1204.50 going into my bank account. So I basically work a week out of every month to pay for whatever the government decides to do with our money. We also have to pay council tax which is about £120 per month (this depends on your house and where it is, so rises and falls according to the size of your house, and it's location).

Currently, our government is taking approximately 90-95p in fuel duty for the £1.20 we're paying at the pumps, which is what's angering many motorists, when other European countries are paying a hell of a lot less. A report came out yesterday saying that our government gained £1.7billion in revenue from the fuel duty they put on, only a week after Gordon Brown said he can do nothing about our fuel prices.

Either way, we all seem to be in the same boat with the petrol prices at the minute. I can understand your prices being lower however, as your octane is a lot less than ours, as technically, we have a slightly better quality of fuel. Do you guys have super unleaded over there? If so, what's it's octane?

This really fascinates me at the minute, seeing how your economy is working with first hand views from the people themselves. So sorry if I'm waffling on a bit!

[dsirkle]

Either way, we all seem to be in the same boat with the petrol prices at the minute. I can understand your prices being lower however, as your octane is a lot less than ours, as technically, we have a slightly better quality of fuel. Do you guys have super unleaded over there? If so, what's it's octane?

Regular grade petrol = 87. midgrade = 89. premium = 91 or 92 octane.

[EvilDes]

Ahh right. That's quite a difference to us then, as I said our lowest is 95 (normal), 97 (super) and 99 (premium). Thanks for the little insight into American petrol anyway

[Gloryhound]

Regular grade petrol = 87. midgrade = 89. premium = 91 or 92 octane.

Ahh right. That's quite a difference to us then, as I said our lowest is 95 (normal), 97 (super) and 99 (premium). Thanks for the little insight into American petrol anyway

But we can go to the race track and get octanes up to 110 at some tracks! Even though that was like $7.00 last time I had a chance to go to the track. You add a little alcohol injection system with it and we are talking clean burning! I should add that most cars that run on this stuff in no way shape or form come close to meeting the national average for fuel consumption.

[EvilDes]

Yeah, we have race fuel aswell at some of our racetracks, and some of the petrol stations near the racetracks have started selling 105 octane to try and cash in on people coming out of a day at the track and wanting to "improve" their cars performance.

I use 99 all the time as mine's a Jap import and mapped to run on 100ron, and averaging 19mpg, doing 40 miles a day for work, it soon drinks whatever I put in it But still, 0-60 in 4.8 seconds will do me

Sorry, off on a totally different tangent again.

I'll let you guys carry on and discuss your fuel crisis without butting in now.

[dsirkle]

You aren't butting in at all. You are as entitled and welcome to participate in this thread as any of us colonials are.