Opinion: Reasons to be glad you’re not buying gas by the liter (litre?)...

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This is strictly anecdotal, but in my local environment, which includes Hollywood, Downtown and occasional ventures around greater Los Angeles (including South L.A., where I filled up for $4.45/gal. this weekend; I even got change back!) gas prices have dropped between five and 10 cents within the past week.

I ain’t saying that means we’ve turned the corner, but take a look at how U.S. gas prices stack up against the rest of the world, with a handydandy map.

Some of it may make you feel better: In Australia outlaw bikers are laying siege to oil refineries in order to get at the precious $5.57/gal. juice. In Paris they’re cruising the BoulMich at a whopping $9.43/gal.

Some of it may make you feel worse: Oh, for the fresh air of Mexico City ($2.62/gal.) or Cairo ($1.24/gal.).

And some of it may make you feel best of all: In Caracas you can fill up for only 12¢/gal., and you’ve only got to put up with a lifetime of poverty and oppression to do it.

Correction: In a strongly worded comment, Oz’s own Kim Clarke points out that outlaw bikers are not in fact laying siege to oil refineries. I could have sworn I saw the footage.