True, petrol is cheap in the USA, per litre, but on a per kilometre basis, it's not cheap and more importantly, on a destination-achieved basis, it's even less cheap.
By that I mean a dirty great SUV lunging along a freeway for 100 km to a place of employment burns several dollars, whereas my 50cc Bug scooter zipping into town AND back, which is fun, burns about 30cents. Which is still expensive compared with Akihiko on the Yamanote Line, who burns zero, being noocular-powered, to get to Akihabara, where the best electronics on the planet are on sale, including hordes of CDMA devices which make 'getting there' even easier - virtual being there.
But we need to toss into the mix GDP too, which makes the USA trip a lot cheaper - with piles of cash, it's easy to afford a big SUV.
Adding up fuel price, trip distance, SUV fuel consumption and GDP, I'd say there are still a lot of dropped jaws as they watch the numbers on the fuel pump.
Jay's fuel-guzzling Lexus SUV only has to trundle to the supermarket, which wouldn't burn much, and maybe join parades up the main street as the denizens of the Hong Kong jungle demonstrate their wealth to their compatriots. "Oh, I see you have a new SUV! Very impressive. Omigod, you've got a Lexus!! AND it's the latest model. Is that gold you are wearing around your neck?" Others prefer to go and play in the snow for their fun.
Mqurice |
