2002-07-07 Americans are very dependant on their cars. Public transportation is very limited, and is used mostly by the poor. As for myself, I can not imagine using it. By any method other than my car, to go to places like, work, the gym and shopping, would take me hours.
I have two cars. It is needed because if one breaks down and is in need of service, I have the other to use. I use both on a rotating basis so they are both "exercised" regularly. They both consume about 15 $ (15 �) per week. If we paid world prices, it would cost me 3 times more. But, I would have to pay it and could not restrict my movements. I guess the government feels it would be an unnecessary burden on consumers to make them pay so much for fuel. It would weaken the economy tremendously. Many could not afford it. For the government or others to expand the public transportation system would be considered a joke. No one would accept such a solution. People feel there is a freedom in having one's own vehicle with cheap fuel. The US may not need to charge world prices for fuel, but they should charge enough to build good roads and maintain the ones they have without having the DOTs (Departments of transportation) in the red, meaning in debt. John ----- Original Message ----- From: "Wizard of OS" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "kilopascal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, 2002-07-07 07:43 Subject: Re: [USMA:20863] RE: President Carter > this price is just too low! > > it just invites the people to waste energy! > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "kilopascal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Sunday, July 07, 2002 4:27 AM > Subject: Re: [USMA:20863] RE: President Carter > > > > 2002-07-06 > > > > In Ohio, the amount varies with the gas station, but the average cost of > low > > grade is about 0.35 �, about 0.37 � for mid-grade and 0.40 � for high > grade. > > I know that in Europe the cost is over 1 �/L > > > > > > I don't know what Diesel costs, as it isn't available at every station. > > > > John > > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Wizard of OS" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Saturday, 2002-07-06 21:05 > > Subject: [USMA:20863] RE: President Carter > > > > > > > how much is a liter benzin? > > > > > > the US is the biggest energy waster! > > > > > > they have to increase taxes on bezin in order to make the people realize > > how > > > to save energy! > > > > > > those money could be used for metrication! > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "kilopascal" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > Sent: Saturday, July 06, 2002 7:06 PM > > > Subject: [USMA:20853] RE: President Carter > > > > > > > > > > 2002-07-06 > > > > > > > > This is a strange American attitude, that goes beyond metrication. No > > one > > > > ever looks at the long term savings, just the initial start-up costs. > > > > > > > > As an example: road construction and repair. Instead of charging more > > for > > > > gasoline with a higher tax, the gas price is kept low. The revenue > > > > collected for road work is insufficient to pay for constructing a > decent > > > > road. The government thinks they are getting off cheap with low bids, > > but > > > > those low bids translate into roads that don't last through the > winters. > > > > So, the following summer, the same road built or repaired the summer > > > before > > > > now is in need of repair because it is full of pot holes. > > > > > > > > If you add the cost of the yearly maintenance to the original cost, it > > > > actually costs more, not only in money but in aggravation to the user > of > > > the > > > > road. The state road authorities usually don't have the money to pay > > for > > > > all of this repair and in some cases they must constantly borrow in > > other > > > > cases the road is not repaired. Borrowed money must be paid back > with > > > > interest, the result being even less money for road repair, which in > > turn > > > > requires more borrowing. The cycle never ending. > > > > > > > > The post office is in the same mess. They are virtually bankrupt > > because > > > > they don't want to raise the price of postage to the same levels of > > other > > > > countries. For years they bragged that the American Postal system was > > the > > > > best in the world because you could mail a letter across the country > at > > > half > > > > the cost other countries charge to mail letters. > > > > > > > > It's almost as if the only reason not to raise the prices of gas and > > > postage > > > > is so the US can brag to the world that we can do it cheaper, thus we > > are > > > > better. But, we do get what we pay for. > > > > > > > > John > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > > From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > To: "U.S. Metric Association" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > Sent: Saturday, 2002-07-06 07:02 > > > > Subject: [USMA:20847] RE: President Carter > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Of Pat Naughtin > > > > > > > > > > Whether it is true or false, it is a variation of common arguments > put > > > > > up against change. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >'1) cost plus on government contracts is going > > > > > >to be a much bigger PLUS > > > > > > > > > > "Change costs money" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >'2) it'll hurt US manufacturing by making it easier for those > > > > > >foreigners to sell their products here (without conversion > > > > > >to US measurements)' > > > > > > > > > > "Those who have already changed will have an advantage" > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > > Terry Simpson > > > > > Human Factors Consultant > > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > www.connected-systems.com > > > > > Phone: +44 7850 511794 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
