And if living in the countryside would be insufficient, it would turn out faster so, with a fuel tax, compared with a car tax. A car tax hits more people, e.g. driving once a week for buying stuff you can't get locally than long range everyday drivers compared with a fuel tax.

And with regard to political feasability of some progressive countermeasure to regressivity of fuel tax, I would say that a group in the position to implement a tax should as well be in the position to implement a benefit. Either you have legislative majority or you have not. My favourite by-measure would be to pay a unconditional basic income of the fuel tax revenue. Of course still some relatively poor people, e.g. long range commuters will be hit, but in the end one wants those people who use more than the average to pay for what they are doing.

Der Amerikaner ist die Orchidee unter den Menschen
Volker Pispers