Motorists traveling Memorial Day weekend did their share of complaining about gas prices. But a new study shows they’re certainly better off here in the US than in places such as Istanbul, Turkey.
Turkey and Eritrea are saddled with the world’s highest gas prices, with the latter hitting US$9.59 a gallon, according a March survey conducted by AIRINC.
The Cambridge, MA-based company’s “Daily Fuel Gauge Report” found gas places in some places are nearing $10 a gallon.
“Unrest and uncertainty in the Middle East are disrupting major supplies,” said Avery Ash, AAA’s manager of regulatory affairs. “As a result, that’s driven prices up on the commodities markets.”
In other countries, government policies and priorities also have a big impact on pricing.
European countries like the Netherlands have traditionally imposed high taxes on fuel to encourage conservation, maintain air quality, and fund public transportation that is vastly superior to that found in the US.
If you lived in Amsterdam, the world’s most bike-friendly city, gas has surpassed $8 a gallon.
Some governments try to keep the prices down. Gas in Oil-rich Venezuela only costs about six cents a gallon.
The silver lining is that as gas prices continue to rise, there’s a point when motorists ration their purchases.
Then, Ash says, prices might go down.
By David Wilkening
