Sir Isaac the Storm is teaming up with Labor Day to provide a predictable one-two punch to “explain” why gas prices are going up. Actually, prices have been high here since spring, when another ol’ reliable — refinery fire — was blamed for pushing prices up. Now the rest of the nation is catching up.
The gas games are part of the ritual before all long holidays when Americans drive. People complaining about the prices is another part.
Rather than offering a reason for the ups, and occasional downs, in gas prices, it might be for the best if the Gasoline Powerbrokers just said, “Because we can,” and leave it at that.
As much as it hurts to admit it, even with current prices, Americans get a good deal on gas. Better than most countries in the world, except some poor ones and those that produce oil.
Filling up your RV in Norway, at $9.69 a gallon, (May prices) would really add up. (Shipping your SUV to Venezuela for a fill-up? Enjoy the 9 cents a gallon — the lowest in the world. Saudi Arabia is next lowest — 61 cents. Bonus?: Don’t even think of pumping your own gas, especially you women. Avert your eyes.)
The price of gas in 55 countries, as compiled by Bloomberg News, includes a “pain at the pump” ranking, measured by the percentage of average daily income needed to buy a gallon of fuel. By this standard, India is No. 1 when it comes to “pain at the pump.” India’s $6.06 for a gallon of gas is more than 100 percent of per-capita daily income (based on annual per-capita GDP of $1,400). If gas was that expensive in the U.S., it would cost about $200 per gallon (based on annual per-capita GDP of $48,387), according to DailyMarkets.com.
Americans’ “pain at the pump” ranking is 50 out of 55. So not that painful. (What’s our complaining ranking?) No one in the world can sympathize with our plight. So do your grumbling, but do it good-naturedly. Do your grumbling, but don’t gun the accelerator at green lights. Don’t speed. Don’t sit idling. Don’t think we somehow “deserve” the luxury of relatively cheap gasoline.
To decrease your pain at the pump, do try: Riding your bike, (pretend your are in the Netherlands, where everyone rides a bike and gas costs $9.35 a gallon), combining trips, carpooling and not using the leaf blower,
To decrease your pain in the rump: Be sure you have a good seat on that bike.
Let’s enjoy our classic American long weekend by ranking Reasons We’ve Got it Pretty Darn Good.
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