Gas Prices and Driving Speeds

I agree.... And it's the same in Califronis. The maxiumum speed is between 55 and 70 mph on freeway/highways, but try driving 55 in a posted 55 zone and you would get run over, cut off or some such, even if you are in the slow lane.

I increased my MPG from 28 to 32 by topping it at 70 MPH instead of 80 when driving my route to work. Although there still are speeders, I am noticing more and more slower drivers.
Speed and/or wind resistance makes the biggest difference in fuel economy. More than tire pressure, clean air filters, etc. I am seeing more studies out proving this, so hopefully the news will spread.

and since I have pay for my own fuel, I have slowed down to the speed limit here in the Dallas area. The gas mileage in my Nissan pickup has actually increased to about 22 MPG. It used to be 19MPG. Like Spullis, I get passed every day by people driving large vehicles doing 75+. Either they have tons of money, or they're just stupid. Also, I have noticed a lot more motorcycles and scooters on the road.

I read somewhere that large trucks were slowing down to save fuel (with the cost of diesel at $5). I don't know where that is taking place, because I'm usually the only one doing the speed limit. Trucks go by me as though I have the hand brake set!
I'm reasonably sure that owner/operaters have slowed down, but the corporate drivers just "keep truckin" because they are using the corporate credit card for their fuel.

Joel

I'm going to be cruising at 55 mph to my trip to Minneapolis this upcoming couple of weeks. Looks like I'll have to cruise at it with 4 way flashers on at all time.

There was the guy who got a ticket for speeding; he claimed he wasn't driving any faster than anyone else, to deaf ears. He thought o.k., I'll drive exactly the speed limit, and he got another ticket for impeding the flow of traffic….

I agree. Most vehicles on the highway get the best gas mileage at 50 to 55 mph. The best data that I have seen on Consumer Reports test track is that they loose about 15% in mpg for each 10 mph above 55. Their data only applies to 55, 65, and 75 mph. I know from physics that this is not a linear function but at least between 55 and 75 the exponential increase did not show with just 3 data points and zero decimal precision in mpg.
The point is slow down a little and you won't loose much time and save significant gas and money.
Steve

when the super fast driver here in California passes me and when I arrive at the next signal light, guess who is stopped in front of me? Yep, and what they don't realize is that if they would slow down just a little they would get to their destination just as soon and would have a little more money in their pocket because of the better gas mileage.

I set the mh on 60-65 and have all kinds pass like I have stoped for coffee. Here in Utah they are raising the speed limit the first of July to 80 on the freeway up from 75. I also noticed that some of the larger trucks and slowing down some.

Ok, lets say at 65 you get 30 MPG and at 75 28 MPG (which is about right for my vehicle). Assuming gas at 4.10/gallon, a 100 mile trip costs $13.66 at 65, and $14.64 at 75, a difference of 98 cents. By going 75 you trim 12.3 minutes off the trip at a cost of 98 cents. Compared with a $2.00 cup of Starbucks or a $1.50 bottle of water the 12 minutes might seem like a bargain. Extend the trip to 1000 miles, you get there 123 minutes earlier at 75 at a cost of $9.80, which is 4.78 extra cost per hour saved. Seems cheap compared with the minimum wage on an hourly basis. It is a question as to what your time is worth

Atlanta may charge you an extra $15 for gas if you are caught speeding. I hope they write two tickets; One for speeding and a seperate one for gas. That would definitely fuel the speeders rage!

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/stories/2008/06/16/fu...

While you save some money by driving slower, if you really want to cut the cost try mass transit. Granted I live in NYC which has one of the best systems in the world but there's no reason other cities shouldn't be implementing this. Something else to remember is that in europe gas is around $10 a gallon so it could be worse. GPS systems cut down too as if you're lost for an hour you're still flushing money away.

I recently accepted a promotion at work that, unfortunately, involves a 50 mile commute each way. With the price of gas (I filled up again this morning a $4.49 per gallon) it's been hard on my wallet.

I used to be one of the "faster is better" folks. I always drove at least 10 miles over the speed limit and sometimes more. These days I've slowed it down and, while I will still exceed the limit by 5 miles per hour sometimes, that's the extent of my speeding. I never drive over 70mph and most of the commute is done at 55 - 60mph. I've found that my wife's car can get 28mpg that way which is quite a bit better than I've ever seen from it before.

Sadly, I can't drive my truck to work anymore. I could use good driving style to boost it up to maybe 18mpg but that's just not something I can live with when I'm driving 100 miles round trip just to get to the office and back each day. (I sure do miss the 5 minute commute I've had for the past 8½ years!)

I always check my mileage so when I read the ad for the Scangauge 2 I was curios to see if altering my driving habit would improve my milege. I drive a wrangler that has the aerodynamic of a brick. By using the gauge I it went from 17 ave to 19+. It's also a code reader which might be handy someday.

I like to get up to speed and cruise there as long as traffic allows. Yes, i do take off from a light at a good speed, and yes this is poor for mileage, but the sooner you can get up to speed, teh better you are. If you accelerate and get up there, you will cruise longer at a steady speed. Plus, most lights in metro areas are timed to allow the smooth flow of traffic. If oyu go too slow, or too fast, you will hit the light. Every light you have to stop at causes more gas to be used up to get back up to speed.

I know some areas are using trip sensors to monitor the flow of traffic at the light, but they also need to look back behind the traffic to see what is coming up. Stopping 10 cars/trucks for one vehicle a t alight is a waste of fuel and causes more emmisions to be pumped out.

I am also one who does not do over 70 on the highway. It is for two reasons: (1) save fuel, (2) reduce wear and tear on the engine. I have a diesel truck and I am hoping to get over 200k miles on it before I have to trade it in. I currently have over 131k miles, with the original brakes and clutch (yes, it is a manual).

Good luck to all, and don't get run over trying to stay at the speed limit.

Alan

kapnketel - Though I was just venting, my point is that if thousands of drivers are using a few extra gallons of gas to go 100 miles, the demand for gas increases. As demand goes up, the already high price continues to go up. That, in turn, costs me and others who are trying to conserve fuel, more money. I really don't want to pay more for gas so someone else can get to Birmingham 12 minutes faster.

IF your going too fast, you got up too late.

There are alot of people that need to use a vehicle in their work and can't cut back but then there are the people that have high gas gusslers and still make a dozen trips to town a day for fun, or just have to drive three block every day to do something.
They are also some of the biggest complainers of the cost of gas. If people that can would just take one day and do all the running instead of everyday they would see a drop in their expense of gas. I am retired so it is a little different for me but there are alot of people that can change their driving habits just a little and same alot. Off the soap box.

Here in California a lot driver drives like their job is on the line or something. For instance on the highway, I see a lot of people will change lane and speed ahead and change back and then to exit the freeway ramp and force to stop at a red light. I bet the guy feel a great accomplishment that he’s ahead of the slower car.

Nice work, dude! Can't argue with math. I agree. Faster is better!

-peace

You are correct. Trucks are slowing down. We are slowing down are fleet from 65 MPH to 62 MPH. This will save us thousands of dollars of fuel that goes to the bottom line. Our company cars are asked to go to 68 MPH. It is also a nicer drive slowing down. A lot less stressful.

If you are serious about that, you should seek out roads where the speed limit is 55 or 60....like 2-lane US routes that roughly parallel the Interstate.

Most of them are in pretty good condition and there is usually little traffic.

Cruising at 55 on a road where the limit is 75 is a DANGEROUS thing to do......just to save a few cents in gas costs.

I happen to be in Victoria, BC right now (from Calgary, hence the CGY Guy name )). I drove consistently at the speed limit of 90-100 Kph and enjoyed an average of 38mpg in my '92 Ford Taurus 3L V-6.

Here in Victoria, a lot of people are slowing down, no fast starts. More scooters, bikes and bicycles are out too. Gas is $1.469/litre (x 4.54 or 3.76 for Americans) at the pump. Yippee! :rolls eyes:

The safest way to travel is to keep up with the flow of traffic. Just do not drive with Kangaroo gas (go fast and then slow and then fast) in your tank. Just be safe and sound.

Your life and others are the most important items in your travels.

Be careful out there in the zoo.

Ray

You cannot be given a ticket for driving the speed limit, and that includes one for impeding.

How come the speed limit has not been reduced to 55 MPH like we did in the 1970s when we had the last gas crisis.

At least in Washington state (and others I imagine) you can be ticketed for impeding traffic while driving the speed limit....if you are driving in any lane other than the far right lane.

There is no shortage, just expensive gas.

The high gas price is a good thing in the long run. It will force car manufacturers to design more efficient cars and keep people from buying gas guzzlers they don't need. It's a lot faster than the government CAFE mandate will do.

One is supposed to drive on the right lane. The concept of left lane is for passing seems to be lost in the U.S.

Around the Palm Springs area of California, the speed limit is 70mph. Typically, cars will be going faster than 85mph coming down the hill eastward toward Palm Springs. It can be difficult not to try to stay with the "flow of the traffic."

To improve my gas mileage, I try to accelerate gradually, coast a little when there is a red light ahead and brake smoothly. With a light pressure on the gas pedal, the car can move up to a "higher" gear quicker which will promote better fuel economy. Using these techniques, I have been able to get up to 30mpg on my Honda Prelude.

Sure you don't get to feel the thrill of the g forces when accelerating but, I don't have to re-fuel as often. The challenge of getting good mileage feels pretty good.

Henry

I agree. We have fallen into the trap of thinking fuel would remain cheap forever. Car manufacturers kept making bigger and bigger cars, the government didn't raise the CAFE standards and many thought the country could go on with its wasteful ways. Now the American auto industry is in shambles because they wouldn't heed the lessons of gas rationing in the 70's. They loved the big profits of huge vehicles. Now their assembly plants are being shut down and they can't scramble fast enough to build more economical cars.

I remember when we could only buy gas on days in which the date was even if our license plate ended in an even number? I remember days when I waited in a gas line for almost 2 hours.

I guess we will have to suffer through an adjustment period. Hopefully, it will not be too painful.

Henry

There is no shortage, just expensive gas.

The high gas price is a good thing in the long run. It will force car manufacturers to design more efficient cars and keep people from buying gas guzzlers they don't need. It's a lot faster than the government CAFE mandate will do.

Absolutely correct; the only issue is where the additional money being spent on expensive gas goes. It either builds better roads, mass transit and schools in the US-- through reasonable tax rates-- or indoor ski slopes in Dubai. We know which one is favored at the moment.

I drive a tow truck and paying over $5.35 for a gallon of diesel has made me change my driving habits. I have slowed down tremendously and also cut out all unnecessary idling. When you avg 10-12 mpg every lil bit helps.

You are missing the OP's point, what he was saying is if everyone slowed down a little bit and upped their gas mileage it might help to drive the price of gas down a little. Your theories are great if you don't get a speeding ticket, that could kind of mess up the trip time waiting for the cop to write the ticket and also add a little more to the price of the trip. I'm not sure because I haven't had one in years, but I would guess the minimum price for a ticket nowadays is probably $100.00.

Here in SLC, Utah the scooters are more popular than ever. I know 5 people on my shift alone who just bought scooters that get between 80-100MPG.

Even though you can't really drive motorcycles/scooters between the months of November-February because of the cold/snow, people are still buying them in droves.

Heck, *I'm* even thinking of getting one just to get me to and from work and school.

As for speeders...I have to confess, I'm one of them. My VW Jetta seems to be made for going fast, because it feels the most comfortable at 80+MPH. My GPS's Max Speed still reads 122MPH, which I hit on a long stretch of unpatrolled highway. As for gas being so high, ever since my wife started working with me, our monthly gas bill has been cut in half, so I guess I'm still basking in the afterglow.

Even if we used less gas to try to make the gas prices down, it won't work. Especially with India and China coming into play.

So, I'd think that one could either fight that "impeding" ticket or use it to defend the next "speeding" ticket.

"Your Honor, my client was just trying to avoid another ticket for impeding traffic which he received the last time he tried to maintain the posted speed limit on that stretch of highway."

-Rob

Today I had to drive 40miles on a donut tire to the tire repair shop to get a flat fix. Wish I would have tested my gas mileage then since I was constantly 10 to 15 mph below the posted limit.

Yes...yes... I had my flashers on to warn upcoming drivers that I was a snail!

The amount of savings in driving slower depends in part on the gas mileage of your car. I drive a V8 4WD Jeep at 65 and was getting 17 mpg. After slowing down to speed limit of 50-55, and avoiding fast starts, the gas mileage has been 20 mpg. That's a 18% savings on gas. Not bad.

But maybe I should buy a Prius, huh?

He wasn't give a ticket for driving the speed limit.... You in theory are correct, but a police officer can give you a ticket for impeding the flow if he feels you are causing a danger... You might be able to beat it but you'll still have the ticket, as unfair as that may seem....Tell it to the guy who got the ticket....

I don't suppose you ever got a ticket that you felt you weren't guilty of?

Cruising at 55 on a road where the limit is 75 is a DANGEROUS thing to do......just to save a few cents in gas costs.

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I agree However I regularly drive on a 60mph road at 60mph and still get run over. Got passed on the right shoulder by a kid in a Dodge Ram.

Not only may this be the death of the large SUV (finally), but also the suburbs. I read an economist (Business Week)predicting that at some point the commute will be too expensive, and people will be forced to live near their place of employment. Then again people predicted we would be in flying cars by now so who knows?!

So, if I'm driving 80 MPH in a 55 MPH Zone while all the other cars around me are going 85MPH. The cars in front of me went out of my site and the cop pulled me over. Could my excuse be I was "Following the traffic?"

But if the cop picked you out rather than the faster drivers, and gave you a ticket for impeding traffic it would really ...... Or if he gave you a ticket for speeding, you could tell the judge but everybody else was going 85 mph, He would probably say something about jumping off a bridge.... That was one of my mothers favorite sayings.... If everybody else ju.....

I think it is the same all over...same here in Beantown...

I get around 2MPG better when turning off the Air Conditioning. Not always possible, but at this time of the year it's often nice enough to do so.

Folks,

Our country needs to slow down on the interstates. There is no reason to go 85 MPH on any road. If we all slow down it is that much more savings. Much safer also.

I am in the gas business and I am telling you it does not look good for prices going down. Cut back as much as you can now. In a couple of years things will turn around.

RIP $2.00/gallon

How fast you drive you're always going to get passed. I keep the speed down, especially when towing, to maximize my savings. I don't really care what the other idiots do. Obviously they have more money than I do to spend on gas.

Don't know what kind of car you have? But, using AC in my Civic is almost negligible on gas milage.

If you turn your AC off and roll your windows down at highway speeds, according to the experts, you'll get worse milage.