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Aug-23-2005 08:40

Everywhere I go on the net, any American I talk to is complaining about gasoline prices. This makes me smirk.

The life of the dutchies:

Gas price: 6,60 USD per gallon.

It costs 3000 USD approx to get your drivers license. This assumes that you pass in one go, which few people do. Most take 2-3 times. Which is about 1000 USD a pop extra.

A new volkswagen jetta, 4 door, stick (which is cheaper then automatic), no extra's not even automatic rolling windows, the simplest version costs new: 30.000 USD.
To insurance: 1000 USD per year
Road tax: 340 USD per year.

This next to having the highest taxes in the world.

We do not get much more benefits then you do, except if you are unemployed, sick or underpriviliged....in that case you are taken care off from cradle to grave. No one is denied income, health care, schooling what so ever.
What we do have extra is that university is almost free compared to the US. But getting in is not a money matter, but an intellingence matter and only meant for 10% of the country. For the others there are other types courses and community college etc.

As a middle income person, you are pretty much screwed here. Unless you enjoy legal pot, gay marriage, and legal prostitution.

Still......I don't want to live anywhere else. It's great here.

Aug-23-2005 09:06

Owww now you really made this dutchie feel sorry for herself!

Aug-23-2005 09:08

Guess i should thank my parents again for paying for my driving license ;)

Aug-23-2005 11:15

jstkdn, It's all in what people are accustomed to. If your gas prices dropped below $4 USD you'd be thrilled, however if it went up to $8 USD you'd start to fill a pinch because your budget would be adjusted. As long as I have been driving (I'm 27) gas has been under $2 USD. For me, and many others it's not the price as much as the REASON. The United States has oil reserves and contacts all over the world which should keep our gas prices low, however our verbally challanged president and his fake war have caused our economy to take quite a hit and gas prices are a tangible consequence that have an effect on every American. We can complain about that because it would be unpatriotic to bemoan the lost lives on both sides and make a public declaration that the war is pointless and based on lies. The rebel flag flying all American Bush supporter has to suffer the same as the rest of us, who don't care what party is in office as long as life is bearable and we can still feel proud to be Americans, but they will never say it's because our president may have been wrong and the people we are killing aren't the ones that gave us a big black eye on 9-11.

Aug-23-2005 11:18

Please don't think that I mean that anyone who voted for Bush is a big redneck, I was all for him too at election time when I thought the war on terrism would be just that.

Aug-23-2005 11:26

*walking widely around the political aspect*

Here is what gets me. People complain about paying $2.50 for a gallon of gas, but pay almost $4.00 for a gallon of milk without blinking an eye....

Aug-23-2005 11:42

Yes, but one gets more than 20 miles on one gallon of milk. . .

Aug-23-2005 12:30

Ouch!

Aug-23-2005 12:44

yes, our European friends do pay quite a bit more than we pay for gas. But as Gena said, it becomes a hardship when you are on a tight budget, as many of us are. I just paid $30 dollars to fill up my tank and my car is the midget of cars. Not like i have a tahoe or a Humnmer. I agree, we need to give the big heave ho to Opec and start getting our oil somewhere that is else

Aug-23-2005 13:21

Not at my house Gena, a gallon of milk may last two days, maybe. Anyway, the point is that it is all realitive, and we aren't the first generation to see a spike in gas prices. What I wouldn't give for the 25 cent prices before I was born! And you do realize that, in most states, you are paying nearly a full dollar just in taxes alone....

Aug-23-2005 13:56

*heads rapidly across the Channel for some of Jstkdn's cheap gas*
Don't try and fill up a car in Britain, anyone.