Gas Running Out!

[geronimo_appleby]

This IS our perspective. Our budgets, our economy ... or transport of goods ... are all based upon lower gas prices. The change, regardless of what you pay, is a shock to the system ... just as any such delta would be to yours.

we're in the same boat here, believe me. our rises obviously have nothing to do with catastrophe though, but somethings going on in the wider picture too.
£1 per litre works out to ...er... I'm no good at the aritmetic, but it's a lot!
I hope things return to normal soon in this regard for you and of course, my thoughts are with those who have suffered as a result of Katrina.

 

[Belegon]

It's gonna hit my bottom line pretty hard...I have a 23 mile one way commute to work. a year ago at this time it cost me about $7.00 round trip to go to work. Now it will cost me about $11.50.

Ok, so it is only about $20.00 a week, or $80.00 a month above what I paid last year. Not that devastating...but it does hurt. Look at it this way...I could buy each of my kids about 6 books a month for that.

since most of us would love to be professional writers, maybe that strikes home?

 

[Kassiana]

$3.29 as of my drive home after a late-night snack in the Midwest.

 

[entitled]

All i know is that the cost jumped 11 cents a gallon here. The cheapest place to fill up is still well over $3 a gallon.

Something else that some people may not know about is the difference in gas mileage. A friend of mine once bought a pickup that got nearly 80 miles to the gallon. Every time he stopped to fill the tank we would both refigure the gas mileage, and every time it would be about the same. Maybe a mile or two difference, depending on if he had been hauling a trailer of animals or not. Eventually something broke on it and he had to have it serviced. He mentioned the gas mileage to the man at the dealership just as a point of conversation. The dealership told him the gas mileage was so incredibly good because the truck had been sent the wrong place.

It was supposed to go to Britian.

He explained that there was one certain part that they added/took away/replaced/whatever (can't remember now) that exponentially increased the gas mileage because the people in Britian had to pay so much more for gas that it would be unaffordable without it. That being said, they replaced the truck that got the good mileage with a 'normal' american pickup with all the bells and whistles to 'make up' for losing that feature. His gas mileage immediately dropped to about 25 miles per gallon.

That one pickup may have been an exception, but from what my friend was told, it was actually the norm. Please don't be bitter because gas prices come as a bit of a shock to those in the US that have problems affording to drive back and forth to work while struggling to pay the bills. We're all doing the best we can in a bad situation that just keeps getting worse.

 

[Couture]

He explained that there was one certain part that they added/took away/replaced/whatever (can't remember now) that exponentially increased the gas mileage because the people in Britian had to pay so much more for gas that it would be unaffordable without it. That being said, they replaced the truck that got the good mileage with a 'normal' american pickup with all the bells and whistles to 'make up' for losing that feature. His gas mileage immediately dropped to about 25 miles per gallon.

Was this the mysterious part?
http://hometown.aol.com/hairyhunk/images/lawrence%20pushing%20truck.jpg

Maybe his odometer was in kilometers. If there was such a part, it would be on the hybrid vehicles. They don't even get that kind of mileage.

 

[oggbashan]

The dealership told him the gas mileage was so incredibly good because the truck had been sent the wrong place.

It was supposed to go to Britian.

He explained that there was one certain part that they added/took away/replaced/whatever (can't remember now) that exponentially increased the gas mileage because the people in Britian had to pay so much more for gas that it would be unaffordable without it. That being said, they replaced the truck that got the good mileage with a 'normal' american pickup with all the bells and whistles to 'make up' for losing that feature. His gas mileage immediately dropped to about 25 miles per gallon.

That one pickup may have been an exception, but from what my friend was told, it was actually the norm. Please don't be bitter because gas prices come as a bit of a shock to those in the US that have problems affording to drive back and forth to work while struggling to pay the bills. We're all doing the best we can in a bad situation that just keeps getting worse.

All vehicles sold in the UK have to quote a range of gas mileages for certain specified conditions AND the emissions from the exhaust. Lower emissions = lower annual car tax. We didn't have such stringent rules about emissions so vehicles sold in the UK were slightly more efficient. Airconditioning and automatics are rarer here. Both increase gas consumption. A normal family car here would be a five-speed stick shift and be very small by US standards. Small diesels are popular and some of them easily reach 60 mpg on any sort of longer drive (over 20 miles).

SUVs, Jeeps, Pick-ups, vans, small trucks or whatever, are classed and taxed exactly the same as family cars. The resale price of large SUVs have dropped dramatically as our gas prices increase.

We do not have the public transport systems we used to have. Since the 1960s rail networks have been cut, the bus lines that replaced the railways have been reduced as well and in rural areas a car is essential. Most of our High Street = Town Centre shops have been replaced by out of town shopping malls and the only reasonable way to get to the malls is by car OR pay very much higher prices in the neighbourhood shop where they still exist. We may not have the distances that are necessary in the US. We do have the same need to rely on a car to get to school, to work and to go shopping. Our government, and most European governments, has been taxing gas at a very high rate for years to encourage us to use less. It hasn't really worked except as another way of getting more money for the government.

The real immediate problem in the US, and the world as a consequence, is not lack of oil but lack of gas (petrol to us Brits) because of the refineries out of action. Shipping refined gas straight to the US from European refineries will help after a couple of weeks especially if all of us reduce our use of gas in the next month or so until more refining capacity is back in action. That is why prices are rising - the oil industry has to pay to get those refineries back in action, has to pay workers around the world to work their refineries longer and more productively (loads of overtime!), and has to get the distribution network going again in the Katrina affected areas.

Og

 

[Salvor-Hardon]

Wow! Just north of the city (Evanston) I paid #3.09 for regular.

On TV they showed some stations in Atlanta charging $5.00 and up.

I'm in Atlanta and drive past a few of those places. They are jacking up extra high so that people will drive by and go somewhere else. And yet there are lines at those places too.

The average I've seen is closer to $3.00 to 3.25, but still thinking of friends in England that are paying twice that or so without a disaster, I'm not that upset.

 

[oggbashan]

Tony Blair has promised Britain will help with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina "in any way that we can".

From Yahoo UK News: The Prime Minister said the whole of the country felt for those caught up in the "terrible, terrible" tragedy.

He said he had spoken to President George Bush on Thursday to offer help.

Mr Blair said: "The whole of this country feels for the people of the Gulf Coast of America who have been afflicted by what is a terrible, terrible natural tragedy.

"We want to express our sympathy and our solidarity and give our prayers and thoughts to the people who were affected by what has happened out there on the Gulf Coast. And as I said to the President, this country will stand ready to help in any way that we can."

The EU is reported as being in disagreement about whether to release some of Europe's strategic oil reserves. What appears to be happening is that no one is quite sure what would, or would not help. Shortage of OIL is not the problem because of releases of US strategic reserves. What is the problem is shortage of GAS (petrol), lack of refining capacity and damage to the distribution network. The EU would help if it could but what is required is uncertain. Foreign aid and insurance will help to pay for reconstruction but what is needed now, this minute, in New Orleans and areas affected by Katrina cannot be provided from across the Atlantic. Later - that's different.

Og

 

[lucky-E-leven]

Couture, don't be a wanker. I'm simply pointing out that, while you guys are moaning about $3 a gallon, we've had to deal with at least £0.80 a litre for several years now.

Count yourselves lucky. It's not a case of you getting unfairly screwed over; you've been luckier than most people for a long time.

The Earl

I guess I'd have more sympathy for your fuel prices if your country, as a whole, did even a tenth of the driving most Americans do. Right now, Vella carts our oldest daughter to Uni everyday, and logs a total of 120 miles a day. That's about half a tank of gas, which comes to about $16/day with gas prices steadily rising. It's no laughing matter for sure. This is on top of the fact that I drive 40 miles a day, at least, if I don't come home between classes on some days. All told, this family alone is spending more on gasoline than we're spending on the mortgage of our home.

Additionally, public transportation is non-existent here. There's no tube, no trolley, no nuthin'. It's drive to survive and at over $3/gallon, that survival is diminishing in a hurry. Perspective works both ways.

~lucky

 

[TheEarl]

I guess I'd have more sympathy for your fuel prices if your country, as a whole, did even a tenth of the driving most Americans do. Right now, Vella carts our oldest daughter to Uni everyday, and logs a total of 120 miles a day. That's about half a tank of gas, which comes to about $16/day with gas prices steadily rising. It's no laughing matter for sure. This is on top of the fact that I drive 40 miles a day, at least, if I don't come home between classes on some days. All told, this family alone is spending more on gasoline than we're spending on the mortgage of our home.

Additionally, public transportation is non-existent here. There's no tube, no trolley, no nuthin'. It's drive to survive and at over $3/gallon, that survival is diminishing in a hurry. Perspective works both ways.

~lucky

Lucky: Every American seems convinced that public transport in our country works. Let me tell you, it only works if you're in London and can use the Tube.

Just about everywhere I've lived in the country, you drive to survive here as well. The trains are more expensive than the petrol and are annoyingly inconsistent, bus services are laughable and trams are a luxury only owned by a couple of cities. If I'm going home from university, it's 4 hour drive that costs £45 of petrol, or a 4 hour train journey that costs £52.

Maybe we don't drive quite the same distance, but a lot of people I know log about 50 miles to and from work and when our petrol prices are twice yours (even in a near state of emergency!), that's no small change.

I have some sympathy and it's bloody rotten that petrol prices are so high. However, what I don't understand is why this is being viewed as a personal unbearable assualt, when it's clear that many people in other countries have bourn this assault for a while.

The Earl

 

[The_Darkness]

Lucky: Every American seems convinced that public transport in our country works. Let me tell you, it only works if you're in London and can use the Tube.

Just about everywhere I've lived in the country, you drive to survive here as well. The trains are more expensive than the petrol and are annoyingly inconsistent, bus services are laughable and trams are a luxury only owned by a couple of cities. If I'm going home from university, it's 4 hour drive that costs £45 of petrol, or a 4 hour train journey that costs £52.

Maybe we don't drive quite the same distance, but a lot of people I know log about 50 miles to and from work and when our petrol prices are twice yours (even in a near state of emergency!), that's no small change.

I have some sympathy and it's bloody rotten that petrol prices are so high. However, what I don't understand is why this is being viewed as a personal unbearable assualt, when it's clear that many people in other countries have bourn this assault for a while.

The Earl

I'll give you points on this one, Earl, but then, it's what I've been saying for years. My parents and I took a trip to Germany and we rented a car (obviously) and just for kicks, we multiplied the price by 3.75 (liters to gallons) and then factored in the conversion factor for the Mark to the Dollar and we were shocked. I can't directly remember what it was, but I know it was over $5.00 a gallon.

You Europeans (and Canadians, for that matter) pay dearly for your fuel. However, it has also been stated that there is a distinct difference in your cars' fuel economy over ours. I have a 1999 Monte Carlo that gets (depending on where I'm driving) between 25 and 40 miles per gallon. It's a nice car (I dig me a chevy), the fuel economy is way better than average for our cars, but when I drive 50 miles a day to commute to work, plus running to the store for food or anything else, it really starts to hit.

But, to put it in perspective for everyone, including us Americans...here's the breakdown.

I don't know what all ya'll make for wages at work, but I make 12.25 an hour sitting there and making sure that a robotic welder doesn't do anything retarded and lose its place in its program and then clean the parts after they've been welded. A tank of gas (12 gallons, I usually fill it at 3/4 of a tank, so approximately 10 gallons--just for nice math) at current prices costs 30 bucks for this part of the world. 30 bucks is 2.5 hours of work...3 after taxes.

Yup, it's inconvienent, yup, it sucks, and yup, even at that pay, I'm still wary of what I do and when I do it. I really hate living from paycheck to paycheck and having to dish out an extra 25 or 30 bucks a week because gas prices are trying like hell to double isn't helping me or anyone out.

*sigh*

I think we all need better public transportation systems. If I wasn't moving from Iowa in about 10 weeks, I'd start a freakin' bus line that just ran back and forth from my town to the Lakes 15 miles north. At a buck each way, I'd make a killing and save people a little money on gas.

Earl and Og....what the hell happened to the public transport over there? I was always told it was awesome.....

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Buy stock in bicycle companies. If you have any money left, that is.

 

[The_Darkness]

Buy stock in bicycle companies. If you have any money left, that is.

Way ahead of you man.

Selling body parts on Ebay was quite a racket for a little bit...until they shut down the autions.

35K for a kidney? We only NEED one of those, right?

 

[oggbashan]

*sigh*

I think we all need better public transportation systems. If I wasn't moving from Iowa in about 10 weeks, I'd start a freakin' bus line that just ran back and forth from my town to the Lakes 15 miles north. At a buck each way, I'd make a killing and save people a little money on gas.

Earl and Og....what the hell happened to the public transport over there? I was always told it was awesome.....

The government privatised it and sold it off. The provision of 'public' transport was left to market forces and guess what? The market decided that most of it was uneconomic so they cut chunks out of it and they charged such high fares for what was left that it was cheaper to go by car. Those who could went by car. That meant fewer passengers so fares went up and more people went by car. So more 'public' transport was axed to make money for the shareholders.

The rail network was split up in such a stupid way that one company owned the track and stations and others ran some of the trains. The track had been neglected for so long that the company owning the network was forced into liquidation - by the government and the shareholders lost all their investment. Now no one with any sense will buy shares in railways so they are starved of money and things get worse.

The rail companies do not cooperate with their competitors so if you are on a long journey you might have to buy tickets from different companies and it is almost impossible to find out the cheapest way to travel. So it is easier to fly with a budget airline and rail services suffer.

Too many people want to travel into cities to work in the mornings and out in the evenings so the trains run empty across the middle of the day. Commuters are charged higher and higher fares each year. If I was still travelling to work in London my rail fare would be over 5,000 pounds a year which I would have to find from taxed income so I would have to earn 8,000 pounds to pay for it. That is for 65 miles each way.

Public transport is being priced out of existence.

Og

 

[The_Darkness]

The government privatised it and sold it off. The provision of 'public' transport was left to market forces and guess what? The market decided that most of it was uneconomic so they cut chunks out of it and they charged such high fares for what was left that it was cheaper to go by car. Those who could went by car. That meant fewer passengers so fares went up and more people went by car. So more 'public' transport was axed to make money for the shareholders.

The rail network was split up in such a stupid way that one company owned the track and stations and others ran some of the trains. The track had been neglected for so long that the company owning the network was forced into liquidation - by the government and the shareholders lost all their investment. Now no one with any sense will buy shares in railways so they are starved of money and things get worse.

The rail companies do not cooperate with their competitors so if you are on a long journey you might have to buy tickets from different companies and it is almost impossible to find out the cheapest way to travel. So it is easier to fly with a budget airline and rail services suffer.

Too many people want to travel into cities to work in the mornings and out in the evenings so the trains run empty across the middle of the day. Commuters are charged higher and higher fares each year. If I was still travelling to work in London my rail fare would be over 5,000 pounds a year which I would have to find from taxed income so I would have to earn 8,000 pounds to pay for it. That is for 65 miles each way.

Public transport is being priced out of existence.

Og

That is awful. For once I'm glad that the Gov't owns our major passenger train route across the US. Now, if only AMtrack would stop hiring engineers who are all hopped up on coke, we'd be better off.

This energy crunch thing might just be the event that prompts for more mass transit in the States. I know the cities have bus lines, but not livng in a city, I don't know how well they work. Elevated Railways, subways, taxis.....none of these things exist around here....nothing but a grid of roads surronded by miles upon miles of corn and soybeans, usually leaving people with a hefty commute to work.

What's really going to compound the issue is this harvest, and especially next fall. Every step of the agricultural process uses petrolium now. It's in the fertilizers, it's in the pesticides, it's used heavily by equipment for planting, maintaining, and harvesting crops. Even if all the farmers switched away from chemical fertilizer to organic and cut down on pesticides, they'd still take it in the ass for harvest and planting. I know of a lot of farmers around these parts that are debating whether or not to even try it for next spring....

 

[oggbashan]

Energy sources

From my house I can see a windfarm at sea. It isn't technically operational for a few weeks yet but has 29 wind generators producing enough power for 100,000 people. Plans are just being considered for another windfarm further out to sea, out of sight of land, with nearly 300 wind generators. (29 = 100,000 people's needs; 300 = more than 1 million and improving technology means that when it comes on line will probably supply 1.5 million)

A couple of local farms are experimenting with 'fuel' crops that can be processed to run tractors, harvesters etc.

The Channel Tunnel and the high speed rail link to London were financed by the market. The Channel Tunnel operators are in the shit financially because the tunnel cost far more than it should. The high speed rail link might make a profit. IF it does it might cut journey times to London from parts of Kent by 15 minutes on a journey currently 1.5 hours. Going the other way, to Paris, is faster than by air if you include check-in and baggage collection times. If you add on the journey time to the airport, the fast train takes half the time.

However the French Government subsidise their high speed trains despite EU rules preventing it. The UK government won't break EU rules!

The cost of public transport means that even the poorest people try to run a car and the rising cost of fuel cripples their budgets.

If I need an Emergency Room at a hospital it is half an hour by car, or two hours by the fastest public transport. If I want to visit a relation in hospital they could be at the nearest, or at the other one. The other one is one hour by car if traffic is kind and three to four hours by public transport.

Our distances may be shorter but our roads are far more congested. The average speed of traffic in London is little faster at 7mph than it was in the age of the horse and cart.

Og

 

[The_Darkness]

From my house I can see a windfarm at sea. It isn't technically operational for a few weeks yet but has 29 wind generators producing enough power for 100,000 people. Plans are just being considered for another windfarm further out to sea, out of sight of land, with nearly 300 wind generators. (29 = 100,000 people's needs; 300 = more than 1 million and improving technology means that when it comes on line will probably supply 1.5 million)

A couple of local farms are experimenting with 'fuel' crops that can be processed to run tractors, harvesters etc.

The Channel Tunnel and the high speed rail link to London were financed by the market. The Channel Tunnel operators are in the shit financially because the tunnel cost far more than it should. The high speed rail link might make a profit. IF it does it might cut journey times to London from parts of Kent by 15 minutes on a journey currently 1.5 hours. Going the other way, to Paris, is faster than by air if you include check-in and baggage collection times. If you add on the journey time to the airport, the fast train takes half the time.

However the French Government subsidise their high speed trains despite EU rules preventing it. The UK government won't break EU rules!

The cost of public transport means that even the poorest people try to run a car and the rising cost of fuel cripples their budgets.

If I need an Emergency Room at a hospital it is half an hour by car, or two hours by the fastest public transport. If I want to visit a relation in hospital they could be at the nearest, or at the other one. The other one is one hour by car if traffic is kind and three to four hours by public transport.

Our distances may be shorter but our roads are far more congested. The average speed of traffic in London is little faster at 7mph than it was in the age of the horse and cart.

Og

We've got quite a few of those wind generators in our neck of the woods, too. I'm sure ours are smaller as they generate far less electricity than that, but damn do we have a lot of them. My part of the country has the unique geography neccessary to make it windy ALL THE TIME. There's a breeze constantly blowing, and when it stops, it usually means something bad's going to happen....like last summer when we had 13 tornados in 2 hours. Man did that ever suck.

The congestion is terrible though. I can't imagine doing that...I'd just get my bike out and pedal my Irish ass to where ever I needed to be....or drive a car to a storage place for the bike which is conveniently near where the traffic starts to bog down. hell, I've strongly considered riding my bike to work from home, reguardless of the 25 mile one-way trip.

 

[lucky-E-leven]

Lucky: Every American seems convinced that public transport in our country works. Let me tell you, it only works if you're in London and can use the Tube.

Just about everywhere I've lived in the country, you drive to survive here as well. The trains are more expensive than the petrol and are annoyingly inconsistent, bus services are laughable and trams are a luxury only owned by a couple of cities. If I'm going home from university, it's 4 hour drive that costs £45 of petrol, or a 4 hour train journey that costs £52.

Maybe we don't drive quite the same distance, but a lot of people I know log about 50 miles to and from work and when our petrol prices are twice yours (even in a near state of emergency!), that's no small change.

I have some sympathy and it's bloody rotten that petrol prices are so high. However, what I don't understand is why this is being viewed as a personal unbearable assualt, when it's clear that many people in other countries have bourn this assault for a while.

The Earl

It has always been my understanding that your public transportation system was the way to go. I realize now I was mistaken. I don't even have that option, so with my car payment, insurance and gasoline costs, I'd love to have the option of public transportation. It'd also be great for our daughter who needs to get to school but is without her license for a few more months and relies on our time and money to get to Uni.

As for why it seems such an assault, all I can say is that it's been very rapid and without much explanation. I have heard of a little thing called inflation, but I don't ever recall seeing it move so rapidly in only one area...that area being something this country (as well as others) is entirely dependant upon. Yes, your prices are extremely high, but I'm curious how quickly the price doubled. I thought back to when I began driving about 12 years ago and there has been almost a 300% increase in that time. I never expect to pay the same price at the pump from one year to the next. What I do expect, however, is not to see a .30 cent jump every day for three days straight. That's a little hard to stomach.

I never intended to get into an argument over who was worse off because it's obvious you're paying more for fuel than we are. I still contend, though, that on average the people in this country do much more driving than those in other places. My car is less than four years old and has 80,000 miles on it, for example.

Either way, vella and I have already begun researching something more economical, i.e. hybrids, electrics, hydrogens, etc. when we look to trade her current car in for something newer next year or so. Alternatives to fossil fuels seem to be gaining popularity and while I know there won't be any push from the gvmt until every last penny has been squeezed from the very last drop of oil on this planet, I can still dream.

~lucky

 

[glynndah]

There was a short blurb on the news this morning that the legislators are scrambling to find ways to spend all the extra revenue they expect to roll in because of the increased amount of gasoline sales tax money.

Although everyone is ignoring the 80 mpg truck story, I feel compelled to point out that a very similar story was featured on Urban Legends.

 

[The_Darkness]

There was a short blurb on the news this morning that the legislators are scrambling to find ways to spend all the extra revenue they expect to roll in because of the increased amount of gasoline sales tax money.

Although everyone is ignoring the 80 mpg truck story, I feel compelled to point out that a very similar story was featured on Urban Legends.

Not an urban legend at all. Everyonce in a while the engineers at the auto groups will accidentally develop a new engine that gets outragous gas milage like that...80, 100....whatever. I've been hearing about them since the early 90's. The oil companies buy the patents out from under the motor corps and they're never used.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Where did that come from?

A small, dark place where none of us need to go, Colly.



Q_C

p.s. An update. Gas prices still suck.

 

[Quiet_Cool]

Not an urban legend at all. Everyonce in a while the engineers at the auto groups will accidentally develop a new engine that gets outragous gas milage like that...80, 100....whatever. I've been hearing about them since the early 90's. The oil companies buy the patents out from under the motor corps and they're never used.

This is 100% true. I've been hearing it for years too, only in most of the cases I've heard, there was a rusted, bloody hook hanging from the gas tank... (How's that for foreshadowing?)

Q_C

p.s. I'm not really questioning you, Darkness, I just have to be a smartass at times. It's an itch (that the special shampoo doesn't seem to get rid of)

 

[The_Darkness]

This is 100% true. I've been hearing it for years too, only in most of the cases I've heard, there was a rusted, bloody hook hanging from the gas tank... (How's that for foreshadowing?)

Q_C

p.s. I'm not really questioning you, Darkness, I just have to be a smartass at times. It's an itch (that the special shampoo doesn't seem to get rid of)

Sometimes you just have to resort to gasoline to cure that itch.

Which is kind of a nice segway back into the main topic of discussion....

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Not an urban legend at all. Everyonce in a while the engineers at the auto groups will accidentally develop a new engine that gets outragous gas milage like that...80, 100....whatever. I've been hearing about them since the early 90's. The oil companies buy the patents out from under the motor corps and they're never used.

I've been hearing this one since the '60's. It goes with the 200,000-mile tire that the rubber companies could produce if they wanted. A variant is the energy pill that turns water into gasoline. Supposedly the oil companies have "bought the patent" on this one too.

If an automobile company could develop a 100 mpg engine, why on earth would they sell the patent to an oil company?

In any case, tha patent would lapse in 20 years, then the invention becomes public. That miracle engine or carburetor would be on the market right now.

Here's a reference: http://www.snopes.com/autos/business/carburetor.asp

 

[The_Darkness]

If an automobile company could develop a 100 mpg engine, why on earth would they sell the patent to an oil company?

Why wouldn't they??? Oil company throws a few million or better at the company in question and they suddenly don't have any recollection of the invention existing.

Eitherway, the engines may indeed be ficitonal, but at least the ones I was hearing about were relatively plausible...not the 200 mpg carbuerator of the 1930's.

Still, there's a vast discrepancy in fuel economy between European models and US models of cars. We get shitty mileage over here, and the smaller cars of Europe tend to get better mileage. That's not a myth or legend of any sort. So why don't we have those better mileaged cars here in the states?

Many times its a performance chip that regulates the engines (at least in cars that have computers) and these regulate interal engine component performance, emision controls, etc. Base chips are what most consumers get and they have a govenor in the engine that kicks it off at about 100 mph or so and regulates horsepower and fuel economy. Performance chips (which are expensive and generally not "street legal") have no govenor programed into them, generally provide a generous boost -- often more than 10% -- to the car's horsepower, and they can increase gas mileage.

Why aren't all cars chipped to have better mileage? We usually don't need the extra ponies under the hood (unless you want to pull a 12 ton camper with your Toyota Celica) and the govenor has nothing to do with the fuel economy from a mechanical stand point.

I hate screaming Conspiracy! but there's something amiss here, and the consumer's getting the raw end of the deal.