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Report from the US, a nice but somewhat backward country.



 
 
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Old December 12th, 2008, 07:31 PM posted to rec.travel.usa-canada,rec.travel.australia+nz
Lawrence Akutagawa
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Default Report from the US, a nice but somewhat backward country.


"Frank Slootweg" wrote in message
b.home.nl...
[Re-added rec.travel.australia+nz because of the references to Oz (and I
don't believe in splitting up running discussions, unless there is a
very good reason). Of course anyone is free to think/act otherwise.]

Lawrence Akutagawa wrote:
[...]

Just for your edification - in California the sales tax (about 8.25%,
depending on where in the state) is already included in the quoted per
gallon price of gasoline. A number of years ago it was excluded from the
quoted price such that the tax was calculated subsequently as per all
other
taxable purchases. But no longer.


"tax", you pushed yet another one of my buttons (Perhaps that Sharx35
dude was right after all!?).

The tax thingie is rather confusing, needlessly complex, and, AFAICT,
has no advantages for the customer.

In most - but not all - cases, tax was excluded. As you say, the
percentage depends on the location and probably also on the type of
product/service. If you're buying one or a few products, it's hard to
impossible to give the shop attendant the exact amount or to (try to)
get as little change as possible back, until the cash register has
calculated how much you own. That is a nuisance, only takes addtional
time, and I see no advantage (*Is* there any advantage?).

Now that is interesting. Throughout California, all taxes are included in
the per gallon price such that what you pay - strictly for gas - is what is
displayed on the pump. So if the pump says the purchase is for $20.50, then
you pay $20.50 for gas at the register. Of course if you pick up some odds
and ends (snacks, etc.) at the register you will have the sales tax added
onto the nominal price of those items. That pump price, by the way, does
include federal and state fuel taxes - which are separate from the sales
tax. And to make things even more murky, that sales tax is calculated not
just on the cost of the fuel, but on those federal and state fuel taxes as
well...at least it did back when the sales tax was excluded from the pump
price. A label on the pump itself details the various fuel taxes per
gallon.

And it is always a good idea when driving an unfamiliar car for the first
time to check out all the controls - including the one releasing the gas
tank lid - before driving off. It is rather dicey to have to find the
windshield wiper control while going 70 mph in a sudden downpour at
night.


Yeah, I normally do that, at least when there's some light, which
there (much) wasn't for our first rental.

One time, after driving from SFO airport to somewhere in Silicon
Valley, I found myself in front of the motel, unable to get the key out
of the ignition. Had to push some unkown button, which European cars
didn't/don't have. Quite annoying and embarrasing after a light flight
from Europe.

I didn't check the gas tank lid, but I filled up early and we had the
nice lady in the mirror, hadn't we!?

Hope you had a good time and saw some things different than from where
you
are.


We had and did. If anything was even remotely 'familiar' it was Joshua
Tree NP, Mojave NP and Death Valley NP, and it was only somewhat similar
to the things we love in Australia, so we just had a cheaper - and sadly
enough much shorter - trip, than our 'normal' trips to/in Australia. Our
daughter asked "So the US is your new Australia?". Well it isn't, but
it's beautiful as well and comparisons are equally sillay as unfair.

I trust you were able to range as far north as Bodie and perhaps as
far east as Zion. You next go, try working in Bryce, Capitol Reef,
Arches,
Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point, Goblin Valley, Mesa Verde, Monument
Valley,
etc. You won't regret doing so.


(Without looking them up,) Most of the places you mention don't ring a
bell. To be clear, we visited only California (and a tiny bit (Pahrump)
of Nevada) and only a *part* of CA (see above).

Do a net search of some of the places I named. Particularly if you like
nature, you'll like visiting those places the next trip here. In fact, you
can make a two week or so loop from Las Vegas visiting those areas. One
example - if you've enjoyed the scenery in those old Westerns (particularly
those John Wayne movies like Stagecoach, The Searchers, Fort Apache, She
Wore a Yellow Ribbon, etc.) you'll like and appreciate Monument Valley. A
bit more modern are the beginning scenes of Back to the Future Part III,
filmed also in Monument Valley.


 




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