Originally Posted by Nukuhiva .
It is certainly much more difficult to lead a car-free lifestyle in North America than it is, for example, in Europe - distances are easily double or triple, public transport systems are thin and sporadic if they exist at all, the size of a lot packaging isn't very bike- or hand-friendly, etc. etc. - so comparing gas prices between continents is kind of pointless.
Thinking about this, I really have come to the conclusion that the problem with public transport in the US is less about people being unwilling to use it, and more about the scale of the cities - you are exactly right, our cities are too diffuse.
Look at US cities were public transit really works - Chicago, NY, Boston....and what's going on is that they are compact, with people stacked one on top of the other, so that when the city makes the capital investment in public transit, it is easy and convenient for significant #s of people.
Whereas once you get out of the "old" cities (basically, I'm thinking the Northeast), the people/sq mi numbers tend to drop, and you also have tightly zoned areas so that you DON'T have stores, restaurants, etc within easy walking distance....ergo, mass transit doesn't work, and neither does walking.
Look at European cities - mixed use all over the place, compact, and NOT generally designed with the automobile in mind. Public transit/cycling work better there.