dailyfueleconomytip.com — With the price of gas up 40% since January, many people are trying to find new ways to save money at the pump.While many of these ideas are useful and worth the extra effort - adjusting your commuting time, cleaning out your car’s trunk, turning off your car at long stop lights - many of these ideas will actually cause you to needlessly waste gas.
May 23, 2007 View in Crawl 4
randall101May 23, 2007
Actually, Jesse, Mythbusters aside, this experiment was performed by the more respected Cecil Adams, of The Straight Dope (here's the link: <a class="user" href="http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_393.html).">http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_393.html).</a> Clearly, with all the variables that can come into play with auto use (and AC use) there will be differences in results; but overall it makes sense that windows-down driving will use more gas than driving with the windows up/AC on. (as long as the AC is used moderately). Air drag is a fact, and affects any moving object. Increased drag *will* lower gas mileage, and considerably so. How much an air conditioner affects gas mileage, on the other hand, isn't as easy to surmise.
squisheeMay 23, 2007
Whenever I drive to Vancouver, I see people waiting at the border who turn their car off, then turn it back on when they need to pull up a couple feet, and then turn the car back off. I'm assuming they think they're saving gas by keeping the car off, but wouldn't the act of repeatedly turning the car on and off actually use more gas than they think they're saving?
zionadMay 23, 2007
thats not entirely true. Especially if your turbo kicks in between 3000-3500 rpm...
Closed AccountMay 23, 2007
@quisphOk, so I drive 45 minutes to work, mostly up a mountain. The distance is roughly 35 miles.So you suppose that it's just so easy to drive halfway, park my car, and then bike the rest of the way? Seriously, did you think that through before you posted it? Where exactly am I supposed to park? There are no public parking lots along the way. It's all rural. Moreover, being that it's an up-the-mountain drive for me, it would take so much exertion to get to work, that even when I did arrive somewhere around 11:45 each day, I would need to take a shower, because I'd be soaked in sweat, but too bad, because there aren't any showers at work.Seriously, I do everything I can to conserve energy, products, and to maximize what I do. However, this isn't an option. It's like all the mess with the fuel prices. No matter how high the gas prices go, I will still HAVE to pay it. Even if gas is $5.00/gallon, I will still have to pay it. I cannot carpool because no one else where I work lives this direction, nor this far from work. Pundits want to talk about how gas prices haven't deterred people from driving. Well here's a f**king news flash: I cannot stop driving! I don't have a choice. I cannot afford to live in the city in which I work, nor can I find work in the city in which I live.
kakapu4uMay 24, 2007
The American Petroleum Institute says we're paying 52 cents per gallon here in IL. I hear that 15-20% number tossed around now and then, but it always ends up with me thinking 15-20 cents per gallon instead. Pretty surprising to see the actual amount.<a class="user" href="http://www.api.org/policy/tax/stateexcise/upload/GAS_TAX_MAP_MARCH2007_2A025.pdf">http://www.api.org/policy/tax/stateexcise/upload/GAS_TAX_MAP_MARCH2007_2A025.pdf</a>
gb506May 24, 2007
@VinceNoirI think you need considerably more soluble fiber in your diet, buddy.
reaperunrealMay 24, 2007
@xstaticThank you! Finally someone who actually understands drag, and that no matter the car, you will eventually reach a speed where it is more fuel efficient to have the A/C on. (Tractor trailors exempt.)
mancatMay 25, 2007
quisph,Sorry, but I CAN'T. I'm not playing excuses here. I have lots of large and heavy equipment that I have to bring with me to work on a routine basis; routers, computers, antennas, etc. Even without this stuff, my standard set of tools that I bring with me every day is too bulky. It doesn't go on a bike. Wonderful idea, but completely impractical.
coawjbloggerJun 21, 2008
Let's do this: <a class="user" href="http://gas-out.blogspot.com/">http://gas-out.blogspot.com/</a>