Renze
Elite Member
i know i've seen you comment on the difference in fuel prices between our countries before, and i would like to pose one question: why are your fuel prices higher than ours? i know that in some countries everything can cost more, but i'd be willing to bet that a lot of the difference in cost is based on taxes levied on the fuel. those taxes may or may not go toward something useful, but you have to figure that in. i don't know if your country has some sort of nationalized medical care, but i know that some countries do, and their fuels are generally higher priced. i'd gladly pay double what we pay for fuel if i didn't have to pay for health insurance. as i said i don't know if you get any benefit like that, but i'd be willing to bet there might be something that is subsidized by the increased fuel cost.
to put it in perspective, i could drive about 750 miles per week in my 3/4 ton crew cab 4x4 truck for what my health insurance costs for that same week when compared to a good policy through an employer. the health insurance premiums also are climbing way faster than the price of fuel.
True, i pay 1.40 euro per liter for Diesel, others pay 1.70 for gas. Diesel cars pay 2.5 times more road tax in return. 50% of this fuel price goes to the government: we pay 19% VAT and the rest is excise duty. We have more "benefits" in the form of health insurance and other social security items. They have to be payd from something... Which is excise on gas, tobacco and alcohol.
Your government has different expenses: Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran. To stop the budget deficits, they will undoubtedly invent something in the form of a tax... most likely a fuel excise... Dont you think ?