gas prices for military-was <VV>Tire "aging"

[mygroups]

Roughly $4.75 if you bought gas out on the "economy". No on base 
alternatives in Naples. We got 200 liters a month (50 gallons) for a 
sub-1 liter car, and 300 liters (75 gals) for a 1200cc Beetle. 400 
liters for an American car with a V-6. I drove a '72 VW Super Beetle 
(think same as '73 US spec). Whopping 1200cc 40HP.  Good car.

Anyhow we lived out on the economy about 25 mins from the base. We 
(roomate + me) both had a social life with several Italian friends so we 
were running around alot. Safer and more interesting to hang out with 
our Italian friends than our shipmates / coworkers. There was a nasty 
problem with office politics and people would eagerly rat each other out 
whenever possible - people got ratted on for all sorts of minor things 
(very few illegal, and minor at that - mostly soap opera stuff). This 
made life very difficult for the "rat-ee".

Anyhow on our time off my and I would "disappear" to the countryside. He 
had a girl friend in Vomero and I went with Italian friends to dinners 
and sightseeing and the village markets where Americans were never seen 
and no one was around to play Navy politics with us. Safer and more fun 
though my Chief gave me alot of crap for hanging out with the "natives" 
who he hated instead of just getting drunk with the boys in the EMO 
club. Miserable SOB was he. ANYHOW, I travelled as often as I could 
($15K a year income - how far could you go?) and learned the language. 
FWIW the "politics" got nasty after I left and my whole chain of command 
got into lots of trouble. Details on request.

I say we "got" 300 liters but that means we were allowed to buy gas 
coupons which were good at any AGIP gas station Italy-wide for roughly 
$1.50 a gallon. Use them or loose them. Gas was around $1.00 a gallon 
back here in TN I think. ('91-'94). We generally could make our gas 
ration last and I only had to buy gas a few times "on the economy" for 
$4.75 a gallon. $50 to fill up a VW Rabbit??? Ouch!

When family came to visit and I travelled alot I'd try to gather up (buy 
up) gas coupons from barracks dwelling friends who had cars and no where 
to go. We would set a price that gave them some profit for selling me 
their coupons which often would otherwise go unpurchased. Maybe my price 
was $145 for 300 liters versus $110. Maybe a bit more in a pinch.

Most of our gov't vehicles were diesel and our mileage/consumption was 
logged (miltary police patrol cars which were just basic rental cars or 
fleet style Fiat vans and trucks). Never even thought about any 
"alternatives"! <griN!>

I miss Italy...

Chris

Enjoy! (was made around 1995)

<http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8825709201213490430>



Mike Ioanes wrote:

> Correction:  my last tour in Germany was 93-95, less than 3 years 
> cause I retired.  I don't remember what I paid for gas, but I don't 
> think it was $1 per gallon, or anyway, not a lot more than it was 
> here.  I don't remember what it was here in beautiful Dayton in 95, 
> either.  Never used all my gas allotment, never traveled far enough 
> away from Germany (by car) to need ration coupons for another 
> country.  We mostly went to areas in Austria near the border, like 
> Salzburg or Innsbruck, once, briefly to Luxembourg.  Went to Vienna 
> when my parents visited, during my first tour in the 70's, by train.
>
> My first tour was the time I drove a lot without having gas rations.  
> The Army still had gas-burning deuce-and-a-halfs, which went nowhere 
> but somehow "used" a lot of gas.
>
> Mike
>
>