Just got back from my honeymoon and some things struck me as odd about Europe. Not like it was all bad - the only thing I really disliked about the continent was restaurants not serving free water with meals. But I digress.
For years, I've heard all this stuff about how Europe has better public transportation than us and that gas prices are so high that no one can afford to drive anywhere. But neither were that much different than the United States, in particular the price of gas and diesel fuel. If it wasn't for the difference in the value of American currency compared to the Euro, diesel would have been about the same price as here (a little more than four Euros per gallon)
Also, my wife and I were hard pressed to get anywhere in the south of Spain because we did not rent a car. We ended up taking cabs and tour buses and whatnot, but then broke down and rented a car for the last day in the country. 
There was one glaring difference, however. Their urban sprawl wasn't a tenth as bad as here in the states. Everything in a metro area was pretty close together. "Supermarkets" (over sized convenient stores, actually) were within walking distance of homes. And they had square kilometer after square kilometer of open land.
For example, the above view is the city limits and beyond of an approximately 45,000-person city in southern Spain called Ronda that my wife and I visited. Similar in size to York, but do you see something missing at the city limits? Where are the sprawling Spanish versions of Spring Garden, Springettsbury and West Manchester townships?
Basically, day-to-day living there doesn't involve as much driving as here. Maybe we should start concentrating on that fact of life and changing it instead of lowering gas prices and increasing public transportation funding. What do you think?
You were just dying to write "my wife and I," right? :) Seriously, I hope you guys had a great time in Spain. I want to see some pictures soon!
I think a lot will have to go into public transportation, though, including reliability of buses. I don't know if mainstream America is ready to take the leap to adding an hour or two to their commute waiting for buses, dealing with the frequent stops, etc.
When in Germany our grandson always orders "Wasser vom Hahnen bitte" no charge
One major thing the U.S. has that the other European countries do not have is 3000 miles of interstates. It will be almost impossible for Americans to give up their space for a closer living lifestyle like that of Europe. I remember Italy, everything was within walking distance or at least scooter distance. Not in America, we all drive 20 miles one way to work just so we can have grass to cut.
Gas prices currently range from 6-9 USD / gallon in Europe. I don't know where you found comparably-priced gas. Sold out of the back of a truck?