WI: Gasoline prices in the U.S. matched those in UK/Europe?

Maybe prices would be more stable and fuel efficient vehicles more common on US roads, instead of gas guzzling monstrosities. But any attempt to make this happen would probably end in massive protests on the streets. (emphasis mine)

Why? If it were to happen now, you might be right -- or maybe not. But if higher prices is all we'd ever known since, say, World War II, without the advent of the car-obsessed culture that followed the war, why would there be protest at all?
 
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You'd probably see more incentive to develop technology to further exploit untapped American oil resources, but you'd also probably see a few coal to oil plants pop up as well.

But there wouldn't be any oil shortages to spark such developments. I'm not suggesting that oil itself is somehow physically scarce, but that gasoline is higher priced because of taxes. Indeed, if higher prices result in lower fuel consumption in the U.S. through the development of higher-mpg vehicles -- the sort of small cars and trucks that are common sights in Asia and France, for example -- wouldn't we would be less dependent on foreign oil sources and more energy independent here in the U.S.?
 

FDW

Banned

Actually, the distance between Urban areas East of Mississippi is close enough to the extent that you could see a pretty continuous HSR network there with enough time. You'd also see HSR up and down the West Coast stretching inland in certain areas and also the Texas Triangle with a branch north from Dallas going to Kansas City and Omaha.


Trolleybuses yes. But keep in mind, if the POD is before 1970, you might see something more like conventional Heavy Rail (DC Metro rather than Florida's Tri Rail) rather than Light Rail. Light Rail only started to become a thing in the mid 70's when the budgets started get really tight.
 
Why? If it were to happen now, you might be right -- or maybe not. But if higher prices is all we'd ever known since, say, World War II, without the advent of the car-obsessed culture that followed the war, why would there be protest at all?

I thought Americans considered cars their God given right since early 20's. I was always under impression that any calculated attempt to limit this right (in the eyes of Joe Public) would be met with rage.

Did people see the oil shock of the 70's as something temporary or a permanent paradigm change? If latter, there might be an opportunity to make it possible.
 

FDW

Banned
I thought Americans considered cars their God given right since early 20's. I was always under impression that any calculated attempt to limit this right (in the eyes of Joe Public) would be met with rage.

Did people see the oil shock of the 70's as something temporary or a permanent paradigm change? If latter, there might be an opportunity to make it possible.

I'd say the later. It was really the events of the 70's that pushed US cities to start putting some real effort in maintaining their transport networks, even if it was stalled by the Reagan Presidency.
 
I thought Americans considered cars their God given right since early 20's.

We do like our mobility. Besides, the United States is slightly larger than most European countires. Sometimes it's just nice to drive for its own sake (even if my last vacation cost me several hundred dollars in fuel. What? I drove 3000 miles.).
 

FDW

Banned
We do like our mobility. Besides, the United States is slightly larger than most European countires. Sometimes it's just nice to drive for its own sake (even if my last vacation cost me several hundred dollars in fuel. What? I drove 3000 miles.).

It would be more fair in this case to compare the US vis a vis the EU as a whole as opposed to individual countries. And while agree that Americans do like Mobility, there's nothing really attracting them to the car other than a lack of alternatives in most areas. In areas where there are alternatives to the car, people gleefully take advantage of them.
 
The 60's is kinda late to affect anything, you already have the massive growth of suburbs going on. If this gas tax happened earlier, you could probably cut the growth of suburbs and see an increase in public transportation, see the passenger railroads survive, etc.
2060:ies. Aliens from a planet called Vulcan makes first contact with a small community in Montanta.

Montanta? :)
 
The 60's is kinda late to affect anything, you already have the massive growth of suburbs going on. If this gas tax happened earlier, you could probably cut the growth of suburbs and see an increase in public transportation, see the passenger railroads survive, etc.

I agree the 1960s would be too late for this to start. I think it would have to happen as a natural extension of WWII gasoline rationing, perhaps a gradual increase to higher levels throughout the late 1940s. I'm modeling most of my thinking on this on the European experience, which saw hefty fuel tax increases to underwrite expanded social services throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Even closer to home, Canada today finances its health care system with fuel taxes, for example.
 
The suburbs --at least the ones with decent political pull-- become infested with street-cars.

Harley-Davidson prospers with a line of sub-500cc two-wheel products.

Cushman scooter sales revive nicely.

King Midget automobile sales surge impressively.

Detroit companies make a heroic effort to build "bubble cars," but of course bigger, better and with more power and chrome.

If we're very good, Czechoslovakia might export their Velorex three-wheel car to our shores!

For a few years, stubborn adherence to large cars by those who can (or who think they can) afford the gas and the influx of itty bitty cars results in some rather startling accidents.
 

FDW

Banned
The suburbs --at least the ones with decent political pull-- become infested with street-cars.

Already happening as is, though with Light Rail right now. Streetcars will come eventually too, along with better bus networks, Commuter Rail, bikesharing, TOD, and Street Diets to make them less hospitable to cars.
 
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