Goofy idea - drive 55 save oil

[rurallib]

This thought has been rolling around in my brain. As Bush's war spirals out of control and oil companies continue to make obscene profits, maybe it's time for a silent yet very effective protest, drive on the highways at a much more fuel efficient 55 mph.
I like to drive fast like most and am always in a hurry. But with gas prices where they are and our imports well over 50% it makes sense to drive 55. When you think about it, othere than adding driving time it's pretty much positive:
- saves oil
- saves money
- would send a message to Washington that we can conserve despite Bush telling us to spend, spend, spend.

Iknow this may sound a little incoherent. But I think a national protest of driving 55 would save oil and get attention.

[KG]

1. conservation is sedition! why do you hate america?

[Pacifist Patriot]

2. In some areas it could get you shot at.

Sort of kidding.

[rurallib]

6. Yeah and road rage would probably hit an new high

Besides saving personal money, it may help with the trade imbalance.
Plus I could listen to AAR a little more in the car.

[getmeouttahere]

3. This is the kind of thinking we need....

now if we can combine that with boycotting the largest oil company, and it has to be a mass boycott, nationwide, we could really send a message. If the largest company is hit hard, they will have to adjust and it will have a domino affect. This should be implemented in all industries...boycott the reds, "buy"cott the blues! It worked on a smaller scale back in the 30's, 40's & 50's, when blacks would boycott with a slogan "don't shop where you can't work" as an example. If we banded together, we could bring them down.

[rurallib]

8. Imagine B*** explaining to his Arab buddies

why our consumption is down. Imagine B*** going on TV to tell us to drive faster. That it helps the terraists if we drive too slow. I'm sure you all can think of more scenaios.

[Xipe Totec]

4. I'd have to speed up to do that

I stay on surface roads as much as I can and avoid the freeways. I hardly ever get above 45mph. Yes, I know, I'm very lucky.

:dem:

[Captain Hilts]

5. Yes, I drive more slowly

It saves gas big time, and the fact that we have not been encouraged to do so is absurd.

You can't do it in all situations, but I find that if you drive in the right, or second from right lane, you can drive more slowly a fair amount of the time.

You drive alone, you drive with Osama!

[noamnety]

7. How much it conserves

"Each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.15 per gallon for gas." (based on $2.20 per gallon)

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.shtml

So looking at the chart, if you drive 75 instead of 55, it looks like it costs you an extra 60 cents per gallon, if you look at it that way.

[ProfessorGAC]

9. Commie Terrorist Alert!

You obviously don't understand our god-given right to exploit all resources to exhaustion. You are clearly try to bring this country down with your seditious suggestion.

BTW: I already only drive 55! So, i've been a seditious, commie terrorist since i started driving, 32 years ago!
The Professor

[MadHound]

10. Not only would it save oil, it would save lives.

I heard on NPR this morning that automobile deaths have increased by fifteen percent since the seventy mile speed limit was introduced again.

And the crazy thing is that with 70mph, you don't really save that much time over 55mph.

[getmeouttahere]

12. While I like the idea of using less gas...

I can't agree that you don't save time going 70...when I was a kid, we would drive from Grants Pass, Oregon to Los Angeles and if you stopped no more than 3 times, with the 55 speed limit, it would take 14 hours. Driving at 70-75 mph, it now takes no more than 11-12 hours.

I think what we need to do is simply not drive as much. Any chance you can take to walk somewhere, or carpool for work or pleasure too, take mass transit, anything...every little bit can make a difference if we are ALL on board.

[immoderate]

11. Assume your time is worth nothing...

and it's not a terrible idea.

The idea of giving up an hour of time to save a few cents is not for me. There are also safety issues. Going too slow is dangerous.

Turning a five hour trip into an eight hour trip to save a couple of dollars worth of gas highlights the notion of diminishing returns. Besides, going fast is more fun. Going slow does not solve the basic problem.

--IMM

[pimpbot]

13. I wish I could find non-government reports on this....

I believe the one someone posted earlier.. but what type of car is that on? I'm having trouble seeing the idea that every make and model car rapidly loses MPG going over 55. What about overdrive transmissions? I run at the same RPM in 6th gear at 80 as I do 55 in 5th. Its impractical to run at 55 in 6th because of all the shifting required to go up hills, pass, etc.

I would think aerodynamics, tire type/size, and gearing would all have factors. As it is right now when I take a long highway trip going 75-80mph, I get as good or better than what the epa average highway MPG for my car is. And my car is 10 years old!

[immoderate]

18. One size does not fit all.

I'll accept the fact that mpg goes down at speeds higher than 55. But I agree that one graph can't describe it for all vehicles.

I'll stand on my figuring that I won't be a driver for a seventy-five cents an hour, and at sleep inducing speeds.

--IMM

[BuelahWitch]

14. Isn't that why the national 55 mph speed limit

was adopted in the '70s? :shrug: Of course then Reagan got in and the denial that there was any sort of energy crisis was then the norm.

[bookman]

15. As part of the "war" effort

We can help by driving 55. Let's see how the Yellow Ribbon folks handle that.

[htuttle]

16. My vehicle's top speed is only 55, but I get 108 mpg

It has a 9 hp engine, and weighs about 250 pounds.



Ask yourself why you need a vehicle that weighs 5,000 pounds and needs a 200 hp engine when most of the time you can't legally go any faster than my 9 hp scooter?

Just to stay dry in the rain? Wear a raincoat...

BTW, do you know how much longer our gas supplies would last if we all drove vehicles that were JUST big enough for our needs? How often do you actually have people sitting in all the seats in your vehicle? If the answer is 'never' or 'seldom', why are you paying for them?

Need to haul stuff around? Lookie here:


8.5 hp, top speed 40 mph, upwards of 80 mpg, depending on usage. Cost brand new: about $6,800 (street legal and delivered here in the USA).

You don't all have to drive scooters -- I'm just saying that most of us have 'too much car'.

[garybeck]

17. why not drive on vegetable oil or biodiesel instead?

stop using Bush's oil altogether.

get any diesel car and you can do it.

[LSK]

19. you use more gas if you take off fast and keep changing speeds

Fast acceleration or not going a constant speed wastes probably more gas. Use your cruise control when you can and try to keep your foot from going on and off the gas petal so much.

I will still go 65 on highways because 55 would put me in danger and cause a traffic hazard when 90% of the people are going 65-70. And I dont see it being a huge difference in gas.