Nuggets of Wisdom for Loop Touring

[Rainer Straschill <moinsound@googlemail.com>]

Rick said:
> Also, for Americans, the price of petrol in Europe and the UK is 
>staggering compared to what we are used to in terms of subsidized 
>gasoline prices in the US all of our lives.

Really, Rick, is there (and has there been all the time) a subsidy on
(car) gasoline prices in the U.S. for all your respective lives?
Meaning that the vendor actually gets a guaranteed price on gas which
will be achieved by using taxpayer's money if the market doesn't
reflect that guarantee?

I'm asking because here in Germany (which is part of Europe, and hence
part of your counterexample), the tax portion on gas (including all
those crazy taxes the invented from time to time) is above 60%, which
may appear odd, destructive and all in all rather true to Stalinistic
ideals which, in fact, it is.