The biggest difference between Europe and America, specifically Southern California, is that we drive over 300 miles(483 kilometers) per week. Very few European commuters and even many Americans don't have to drive anywhere near that kind of distance in that short a time frame. What makes it worse here in SoCal is the almost complete lack of a public transit system and systemic unwillingness to pay for one. Finally, in SoCal's case your dealing with an area thats 4850 square miles (12561 square. km) that would need to be covered by some kind transit and a project of that scale would cost more than even our huge economy could handle even if the solution took a generation to complete.

Here in Southern California, gas is already $3.90 for 87 octane. The other two grades are both over $4.00 a gallon. We will hit $5 easily this summer.