It makes me laugh the way you Americans moan about what you pay for petrol (gas). We here in Britain would LOVE to be able to pay $3 a gallon. At the moment an average gallon here is costing between $7 - $9 a gallon.
True, the gas prices in Europe are much higher, but the average wages are much higher as well. MOST of my friends here in America hardly get by on what they make. On top of that, they have to pay for all their medical expenses, which puts them back in the hole each time they think they had a chance to get a little ahead. Personally, I wouldn't call it "moaning". I never saw as much struggling and poverty in Europe as I have seen over here. Although $3 a gallon would be a joke to Europeans, it is strongly leaning towards unaffordable for many Americans. You may also add to this that the daily average distance covered for a person to drive to work is much larger for Americans.