Average gas price $6.20/gal by end of Summer

[NW-Bound]

I know Italy (and much of the Euro Continent) is well served by rail...

Yes, large cities in Europe are all linked by rail. And the train stations are often right in downtown. Some years ago, I visited these Swiss cities in one trip using only a Europass: Geneva, Lausanne, Bern, Basel, Zurich, Lucerne, Lugano, Gruyères.

However, my last few European trips and the upcoming one are to the countryside, where there's no rail. Just country buses.

I have not yet stood by the road, with luggage at my feet waiting for the day bus to drive by. I want to travel leisurely, but not yet that leisurely.

 

[Timeisprecious]

Simple, I bought yesterday.

Bummer, but - a funny response.

 

[Timeisprecious]

Driving a packed to the gills car westward into strong headwinds is not doing well on gas mileage. I got 40mpg in my Escape hybrid going through the slow traffic of central Maryland and then the rollercoaster of the Pennsylvania turnpike, then about 33mpg in Ohio/Indiana/Illinois, and am now under 32mpg in the flats of Minnesota.

Are you bragging about that good gas mileage? We get about 24 mpg hwy/19 city.

 

[Koolau]

Yes, large cities in Europe are all linked by rail. And the train stations are often right in downtown. Some years ago, I visited these Swiss cities in one trip using only a Europass: Geneva, Lausanne, Bern, Basel, Zurich, Lucerne, Lugano, Gruyères.

However, my last few European trips and the upcoming one are to the countryside, where there's no rail. Just country buses.

I have not yet stood by the road, with luggage at my feet waiting for the day bus to drive by. I want to travel leisurely, but not yet that leisurely.

Yeah, maybe when I was 20 I could have back-packed, taking rail, busses and thumb, but no more. Now, I want a time table and a comfortable place to wait out of the rain. Preferably, I'd want a car. Call me Americanized 'cause that's what I am. YMMV

 

[Midpack]

Gas prices in Italy: $8.00 for 2 liters. That's $16/gallon. Just saying if you plan to visit this summer.

Ouch! that will put a hurting on the wallet if you drive much.

italy has the highest Gas tax in the EU, and probably the world. $1.50/2 Liters, not even including 20% VAT tax on top of it.

For most people in Europe,
- everything is closer so they don't have to drive as far
- their fleet mpg is much better than here, and
- they use public transportation (better than ours because it’s used) more than we do.
So they spend more per/gal-liter but not (much) more in total. They never went in for Suburbans, Escalades, F350's or other land barges like Americans - except the very wealthy with their S-Class, 7-Series or the like.

 

[Pellice]

A Costco here in NJ has fallen to $4.57 - AND, you don't have to contribute your unpaid labor to the gas station by getting out in the rain (it's raining today) and handling that filthy pump handle (that has the germs of the last 1,000 people in front of you.) OK, I know ... you LOVE getting out of your car and handling that handle.

 

[Koolau]

For most people in Europe, everything is closer so they don't have to drive as far and their fleet mpg is much better than the USA. So they spend more per/gal-liter but not (much) more in total. They never went in for Suburbans, Escalades, F350's or other land barges like Americans - except the very wealthy with their S-Class, 7-Series or the like.

Those country-wide mile numbers must be averages (including lots of folks who don't even own cars.) A better number would be median for car owners. YMMV

 

[NW-Bound]

Yeah, maybe when I was 20 I could have back-packed, taking rail, busses and thumb, but no more. Now, I want a time table and a comfortable place to wait out of the rain. Preferably, I'd want a car. Call me Americanized 'cause that's what I am. YMMV

Nope, I never backpacked in my life. When I was young, worked my butt off during the weekends, and also the summer. Never knew about spring break, winter break. No break, nothing.

And later in life when I traveled Europe by train, it was not bad at all. Just hopped on city buses, metros, trains with my carry-on, and some occasional taxi rides to the hotels.

A car in Europe, even in the small towns, can give you a headache with finding a place to park. If people don't believe me, just pick any small town, and pretend you like to visit with a car. See where you can park it. Make sure you can walk from there to your hotel, or to places you want to visit.

Here are some examples for you: Domodorossa, Italy (pop: 18,000), and Aix-les-Bains, France (pop: 30,000).

PS. Even that bitty town Domodorossa has a ZTL (Zona Traffico Limitato), where only cars with special tags can enter. Miss the signs, drive into the ZTL, get caught by a traffic camera, and see what happens. Even if you turn around immediately, it's too late. Fines of 100 euros or higher are common.

 

[Midpack]

Those country-wide mile numbers must be averages (including lots of folks who don't even own cars.) A better number would be median for car owners. YMMV

I’m sure they wouldn’t include “folks who don’t even own cars” for some countries and not the US. Americans drive more miles per year with lower mpg than most other countries in the world on average.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Mid pack, when I was in Rome I referred to cars as half a car they were so small. Many towns in Italy won’t let you drive in so you park and walk around the town. My Polish relatives don’t drive their cars much. They mostly walk except when they grocery shop.

 

[38Chevy454]

A Costco here in NJ has fallen to $4.57 - AND, you don't have to contribute your unpaid labor to the gas station by getting out in the rain (it's raining today) and handling that filthy pump handle (that has the germs of the last 1,000 people in front of you.) OK, I know ... you LOVE getting out of your car and handling that handle.

No, all the gas spilled on the handle kills the germs. So not a problem!

I would rather take care and not chip my paint putting the fuel nozzle in vs some half baked attendant recklessly shoving the fuel nozzle in. I'll accept my small unpaid labor.

 

[Midpack]

A Costco here in NJ has fallen to $4.57 - AND, you don't have to contribute your unpaid labor to the gas station by getting out in the rain (it's raining today) and handling that filthy pump handle (that has the germs of the last 1,000 people in front of you.) OK, I know ... you LOVE getting out of your car and handling that handle.

When I used to drive from the Midwest to New England several times a year, I always made sure I didn't need gas in NJ - after being ripped off once. Gas station attendants nowadays, what a crock/ripoff...IMO.

Garden State residents have been trying for years to rescind their self-serve ban.

In 2015, State Assemblyman Dean O’Scanlon introduced a bill to allow self-serve, saying he was “offended by people that argue that New Jerseyians are mentally incapable of pumping their own gas without setting themselves on fire.”

Cynics say that New Jersey’s self-service ban is to protect thousands of pump-jockey jobs and higher profit margins for station owners.

 

[Pellice]

No, all the gas spilled on the handle kills the germs. So not a problem!

I would rather take care and not chip my paint putting the fuel nozzle in vs some half baked attendant recklessly shoving the fuel nozzle in. I'll accept my small unpaid labor.

Haha, I knew someone was going to claim he was better at pumping gas than the attendent. [Just kidding, but that is what the very few who are desperate to hop out and control the hose in NJ tell me.]

 

[Koolau]

I’m sure they wouldn’t include “folks who don’t even own cars” for some countries and not the US. Americans drive more miles per year with lower mpg than most other countries in the world on average.

There were averages there of less than 1000 miles? How many folks buy a car to drive less than 1000 miles/year. Doesn't make sense. SO, my assumption: The cars in those countries DO drive more than 1000 miles, but a lot of folks don't have cars, so it comes out to an average of less than 1000 miles.

But your point about folks in the USA driving more miles and getting lower mileage is well taken. Hey, it's our way of life. Changing that will be more difficult than in countries where most folks don't even have cars. YMMV

 

[NW-Bound]

In the EV thread, when I shared the info on the Microlino, Chuckanut mentioned that it was a revival of the Isetta.

I will admit that I did not know about this tiny Isetta car, which had a single-cylinder engine of 250cc, later upgraded to 300cc. That's the engine size of a not-too-big motorcycle.

This is what we will need when the fuel gets expensive. Those who want an EV can get the Microlino. I have to say I would probably go with the Microlino, whose engine has more torque.

 

[Koolau]

In the EV thread, when I shared the info on the Microlino, Chuckanut mentioned that it was a revival of the Isetta.

I will admit that I did not know about this tiny Isetta car, which had a single-cylinder engine of 250cc, later upgraded to 300cc. That's the engine size of a not-too-big motorcycle.

This is what we will need when the fuel gets expensive. Those who want an EV can get the Microlino. I have to say I would probably go with the Microlino, whose engine has more torque.

IIRC the Isetta only got about 50 mpg and had a top speed of about 40 mph or so.

I'm thinking a Prius beats the Isetta all to heck, but YMMV.

 

[Chuckanut]

There were averages there of less than 1000 miles? How many folks buy a car to drive less than 1000 miles/year. Doesn't make sense. SO, my assumption: The cars in those countries DO drive more than 1000 miles, but a lot of folks don't have cars, so it comes out to an average of less than 1000 miles.

But your point about folks in the USA driving more miles and getting lower mileage is well taken. Hey, it's our way of life. Changing that will be more difficult than in countries where most folks don't even have cars. YMMV

We aren't Germany, where for a few months nine euros will buy you a pass that will take you anywhere in the country or just around town for a month. 9€ is about $10. The only thing you can't rid with that card are the high-speed trains. They have the smaller size and the transportation infrastructure to pull it off. I suppose if we had to import most of our energy from the likes of Mr. Putin while paying $10+ a gallon, we might have cities and towns designed for public transport.

 

[Chuckanut]

I
IIRC the Isetta only got about 50 mpg and had a top speed of about 40 mph or so.

I'm thinking a Prius beats the Isetta all to heck, but YMMV.

True. But, it's also about parking. You can probably park three of those little guys in the space taken by two Prius (or Prii?) and still have room for a small scooter.

 

[Koolau]

True. But, it's also about parking. You can probably park three of those little guys in the space taken by two Prius (or Prii?) and still have room for a small scooter.

Heh, heh, I'd prefer the Prius and pay for parking.

 

[googily]

Are you bragging about that good gas mileage? We get about 24 mpg hwy/19 city. [emoji23]

[emoji1787]

I've been spoiled with a pretty uniform 35-37 mpg in this car on previous road trips.

Today facing the huge headwind (and slow increase in altitude)* in South Dakota I only got about 28 mpg, the lowest on any tank of gas in this car. And it was still better than my ICE Escape on its best days.

*Oh, and I guess that 80 mph speed limit might have contributed too.

 

[travelover]

True. But, it's also about parking. You can probably park three of those little guys in the space taken by two Prius (or Prii?) and still have room for a small scooter.

The cool thing about the Isetta was that you exited through the front, so it allowed for some creative parking. When I was a kid, the local U-Pick junk yard had a bunch of these stacked on top of an old bus.

 

[Scuba]

Saw gas for $6.75 today in Palm Desert.

 

[Closet_Gamer]

With companies returning employees to work since Covid has become less concerning, I am wondering if companies will soon reinstate work from home policies due to gas prices. I pity those who have to commute 30-40 miles to work.

I absolutely believe this will happen. It will start by employees just pushing the edge of how many work at home days they can take under the new "hybrid" models. It will then be back in the company's court to push or not.

As an aside, we just visit Greece. My quick math said gas was $12.50/gallon there. That's even higher than the UK which has been more like $11.50/gallon.

 

[NW-Bound]

The cool thing about the Isetta was that you exited through the front, so it allowed for some creative parking. When I was a kid, the local U-Pick junk yard had a bunch of these stacked on top of an old bus.

The guy in the video that I shared said the Isetta that he was loaned was worth more than $50K as a collector item.

 

[NW-Bound]

OK, the Isetta is a bit small and too weak for me to drive the mountainous roads of Piedmont.

Perhaps its bigger brother BMW 600 with an engine twice a big at 600cc would work better. The 4-seater also has a bit more room, though I don't need that much with just carry-on luggage.

With new technology, surely it is possible to make a hybrid vehicle of this size to give you mucho power and the range too.