01 January 2008

Is Gas More Expensive in Estonia than the US?

How much is gas in America?
Well, it's a straightforward question but one I could never answer confidently.
Having finally sat down and worked out the conversions of dollars to kroons and gallons to liters, this is... my final answer:

Gas in Estonia is almost twice as expensive as gas in America.

Price of Gas in America
-3.07 USD for 1 gallon
-3.07 USD = 32.51 EEK for 1 gallon
-32.51 EEK for 1 gallon = 3.785 liters
-8.59 EEK for 1 liter.

Price of Gas in Estonia
-15.90 EEK for 1 liter
-15.90 EEK = 1.50 USD for 1 liter
-1.50 USD for 1 liter = 0.26 gallon
-5.78 USD for 1 gallon.

How far is it from Chicago to Springfield, where both the Hogans and the Simpsons, live?
It is another straightforward question that requires, first, the simple conversion of miles to kilometers and, then, some type of conversion of the highways and expressways in Illinois to the two-lane roads in Estonia.

Speed Limits
-65 miles per hour on intercity highways in the USA = 105 kilometers per hour
-90 kilometers per hour on intercity roads in Estonia = 56 miles per hour

The distance from Chicago to Springfield is about 176 miles (283 km), and, without stopping at a rest stop or a McDonald's, it takes about three hours (176/65) on good ole, eight-, six-, and four-lane Interstate 55 (longer, of course, if there is traffic on the Stevenson).

So how far can you get in three hours in Estonia? Well, you can't go as fast, because the roads are not as good or as wide. At 90 km/h, you can drive only 270 kilometers, or 168 miles. That's Chicago to Sherman, but that's on a eight-, six, and four-lane highway.

Let's try Tallinn to Tapa, or maybe, how many kilometers can you drive in three hours in Estonia?