Filling up your gas tank in Europe

Military personnel and family members assigned to locations in Europe don't just drive to a local economy station to fill up their gas tanks, they first buy gas coupons (only authorized for U.S. personnel stationed there) and use those at designated facilities. Gas coupons today in Italy, for example, reflect a cost of $4.95 per gallon, or $131 for a 100-liter coupon book. In Germany the situation is similar, but a gallon of gas there (using a coupon book) is $4.16. Without a coupon book, you'd pay well over twice per gallon…close to $10. From what I read online about all of this, it appears as if those stationed in Europe are electing to use public transportation, or government provided buses, to travel and do their shopping, etc. The European rail system is hard to beat anywhere in the world. When we were stationed there in the 1980's we used it all the time, and routinely traveled from town to town at reasonable expense. Military there today are doing the same thing we did, but probably more so. Not possible to do this in the United States. Outside of major metro areas, our public transportation is largely non-existent, and our city-to-city rail is pathetic. Don't even get me started on airline travel these days. In sum, for our Soldiers and families in Europe, there are excellent alternatives to deal with excessive monthly expenses associated with driving a car, as compared to what we are experiencing here in the United States.