Gas prices

[Wilber]

One thing I've wondered about is why they don't produce more cars with manual transmissions, its rare to find automatics in Europe.

North Americans like their automatics and there is no difference between autos and manuals when it comes to licensing, at least in BC. When I got my license, if you took the test in an auto, that's all you were allowed to drive. Not any more. On the plus side, many of the new 5 and 6 speed automatics are so good there is little if any difference in mileage.

[geoffrey]

One thing I've wondered about is why they don't produce more cars with manual transmissions, its rare to find automatics in Europe.

North Americans like their automatics and there is no difference between autos and manuals when it comes to licensing, at least in BC. When I got my license, if you took the test in an auto, that's all you were allowed to drive. Not any more. On the plus side, many of the new 5 and 6 speed automatics are so good there is little if any difference in mileage.

I love my manual on the highway, or for most useage outside of one area.... rush hour. Sitting in stop and go traffic in a manual car is as near to torture as it could get. Up to two hours of repeated clutch work pretty much scraps a lower body workout for the week.

Manual transmissions are just not practical for most people.

And Wilber is right, the fuel savings these days (in the city anyways) are negligable. On the highway, you've got a point, but not for the average person.

[jbg]

Agreed...there is a large refinery about 5 miles from our house....and city of over 25,000. Many other surrounding cities as well. Great jobs and neighbor.

I don't say they're bad neighbors. My point is that few would volunteer to have one constructed nearby. The lobbying against them, denominated "environmental" is really "NIMBY".

[Higgly]

However, for your information, here are the prices aroung the globe for Gas in USD.

Venezuala is where you get the cheap stuff. Norway is right at the top.

Have to do your own litre to gallons calculations.

Netherlands Amsterdam $6.48

Norway Oslo $6.27

Italy Milan $5.96

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Hmmm. Seems like there's an opportunity to make some good money in the arbitrage market. Might be a good way to mitigate the cost of filling up the old Hummer...

[Higgly]

Manual transmissions are just not practical for most people.

I once saw a film clip of a chimp driving a manual VW Beetle. Maybe there's an opportunity for chimps to move up the chain here...

[bush_cheney2004]

I don't say they're bad neighbors. My point is that few would volunteer to have one constructed nearby. The lobbying against them, denominated "environmental" is really "NIMBY".

Oh, there have been problems over the years with the refinery, including groundwater pollution and downwind odors. The refinery cleaned up its act and adopted the "green" cloaking device so popular these days. But it's still a refinery, and I agree that it would be damn near impossible to build it anew today for the reasons you cite.