If you think $4 a gallon was overly inflated what do you think of the price in the UK?. We have just seen our prices drop from around  $2.25 a LITRE (approx) $9 per gallon. So now at (approx) $4.60 per gallon we are still paying more than you were in the States at the height of the fuel crisis. Even though we have our own North Sea oil and gas our government has never allowed it's citizens any price benefits or subsidies for our own resources. Our heating gas and electricity prices went up by almost 30% this year and they have'nt come back down at all even though the wholesale price of natural gas has come back down just as the oil price has. For every $1.50 taken at the gas pump the UK government takes $1 in TAX.
In the UK virtually everything is taxed beyond reason. And now because of climate change our politicians are rubbing their hands in glee at the thought of slamming us for GREEN TAXES!.

I think it's only a matter of time before they introduce a breathing tax over here, LOL.