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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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