>>>From: brucerobbins@worldmailer.com
>>>>From my experience, the cost of living in the UK is considerably higher than in the US. Petrol, to name but one product, is almost $6 a gallon here while average earnings are quite a bit lower.
I really don't think that taking petrol prices as an indicator of cost of living is very valid. American petrol is way too cheap to reflect the damage that petrol does and the costs it's overuse occasions. Mr Bush might be happy with this cheapness, but it doesn't mean it's right. You can subsidise whatever you like, but to then use that as an indicator of a lower cost of living seems a little suspect.
I'm not convinced either way about cost of living in the UK versus US, I just don't know, but possibly the higher earners earn more in the US when compared to the lower earners, and these are the kinds of people who buy custom built frames ? Do unemployed people in the US have as high an income as UK unemployed ? How _is_ cost of living measured. I'm not asking to start an argument, more that I really don't know.
"Middle-class Americans have more disposable income", might be a better way of putting it ?
>>>If the cost of living was lower here, we'd maybe have sufficient disposable income to buy a bike from Richard or Brian.
I'm sure that frame costs have a lot more to do with good old competition. Supply and demand, all that kind of thing. We have, per capita, a lot more custom frame builders in the UK, I'm sure. That should keep prices down.
>>>> There is no need for product liability insurance, >>> This may well be an extra expense for American builders.
Don't know about that one, but I guess you Americans do like suing each other. :-)
Andy
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Andy Castellano Smith
Andy@ADSmith.org.uk | http://www.ADSmith.org.uk
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