Doing the maths
One US gallon is 3.78 litres
UK average petrol price in April 2004: 78.6p per litre
Percentage of UK price taken as tax: 74.8% (58.8p a litre)
Price in UK Sterling for one US gallon of petrol: £2.97
Today's exchange rate £1 = $1.77
Price US gasoline has to reach before it costs the same as in the UK: $5.26 a gallon
So stop whining!
(Sources: Automobile Association and FT.com.)