U.S. Fuel Price Complaints Laughable to Brits

LONDON, Aug. 13, 2008— -- Gas pumps have become notorious for inducing stress -- on drivers and their wallets.

But if you believe you have it bad pumping gas at $4 a gallon, try hopping the big pond. In London, "Nightline's" Nick Watt has been pumping gas that costs the equivalent of $10 a gallon. So there's not much sympathy there for the gripes of Americans.

Londoners have felt pressure at the pump for years, thanks to a 58 percent tax on gas. But they can give us Yanks a lesson or two about how to cut costs.

Drive a ridiculously small car. While Americans were joy riding in muscle cars, Europeans crammed themselves into minis.

Americans love their sport utility vehicles, but the Smart car gets close to 50 miles to the gallon. Just forget about having more than one passenger.

Frugal Europeans drive like elderly ladies.

Slow down and you'll save money. It makes sense and even Scottish highway signs tout the benefits of easing off the gas pedal. Driving at 70 mph uses nearly 40 percent more fuel than driving at 50 mph.

"I think it's all a bit old hat, driving 200-mile-an-hour Ferraris," journalist Mike Rutherford said. "Where would you be able to do that? It's illegal. Those days are gone."

In Spain, they're about to lower the speed limit to save on gas. And make sure you're in the right gear: High revs mean high consumption. And don't change lanes too much. Doing so actually makes you drive longer distances.

Roundabouts? Good. Speed bumps? Bad.

The less you use your break, the less fuel you use. The Swedes have found a car will burn 28 percent less fuel in a roundabout than stopping at a traffic light and accelerating again.

And contrary to National Lampoon's Clark Griswold, roundabouts are not as complicated as one might think. Look kids -- Big Ben!

And what about speed bumps? Well, they can double fuel consumption with all that speeding up and slowing down.

A clean and well-maintained car is less thirsty.