All the information presented here is meaningless unless committed individuals TAKE THE PLEDGE to SLOW DOWN and OBEY ALL POSTED SPEED LIMITS. Sounds like torture? Keep reading.
Several months ago I made a quiet commitment to myself to do just this. I wanted to save some money in a tough economy. My Prius had turned 100,000 miles and I wanted it to last as long as possible.
I was sick of watching the news in the vain hope that the Obama administration would do something immediate and important to combat global warming and help our economy. I was crestfallen when “same old same old” politics swamped the optimism surrounding last November’s U.S. election. And my heart sank when billion dollar lobbying interests prevented Congress from approving any meaningful action that President Obama could take to the Copenhagen Conference as a sign that America was ready to lead the way on environmental issues.
I realized no one is going to save the planet for me. No government is going to solve my economic woes. Big Oil is not going to suddenly grow a heart and give me a break. And OPEC doesn’t give a damn about my cost of living.
So I made one quiet personal decision. When the speed limit said 55, I was going to drive 55. Or 40, or 60, or whatever it said.
Obey the law. What a concept.
The rewards were immediate.
I allowed a bit of extra driving time for trips but found myself arriving relaxed and happy after “cruising” to my destination. My fill-ups went from one a week to one every two weeks – no kidding. My gas bill has dropped substantially. My 2005 hybrid now has 132,000 miles and counting, with no signs of wearing out. It became a fun game, a challenge, to see if I could break my personal “miles per tankful” record.
More importantly, I enjoyed feeling empowered by doing something immediate and personal about global warming and our environmental crisis. I enjoyed my own savings, but I’d get even more pleasure from “plugging up” a local highway and watching two or three cars (especially Escalades and Navigators) line up behind me for a few miles, forced to obey the law with me, and saving gas on their own, whether they liked it or not. After a time I’d pull over and let them pass. But that experience led to this website and some of the more radical ideas you’ll find espoused here.
Change Your Driving Habits. Change The World.
Monday, February 1, 2010
FUEL ECONOMY - WE TEST THE TIPS
What Really Saves Gas? And How Much?
By Philip Reed, Senior Consumer Advice Editor and Mike Hudson, News Editor, EDMUNDS.COM
With gas prices so high, the media is awash with lists of gas-saving tips. Well how's this for a tip? If you listen to us, you can see hybrid-type savings without having to buy a new car.
By changing your driving habits you can improve fuel economy up to 37 percent right away (depending on how you drive). Combine several tips and perform routine maintenance and you will save real dollars, not just pennies.
A miracle? All we did was take several of the most common tips out there and put them to the test over a remote 55-mile route in the high desert of California. Some of them worked like a charm. Some of them didn't work at all. We'll give you the breakdown.
These tests were done under real-world conditions — not in a government lab somewhere. Our results can be matched by anyone — even you.
The wonderful part about what we found is that improving your car's mileage is just a matter of changing your habits. Stack a few of these winners together and we'll bet that you'll see a substantial savings at the pump — without the need for a new car.
Test #1 Aggressive Driving vs. Moderate Driving
Result: Major savings potential
The Cold Hard Facts: Up to 37 percent savings, average savings of 31 percent
Recommendation: Stop driving like a maniac.
Aggressive vs. Moderate Driving: read the entire test - http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fueleconomy/articles/106842/article.html#test1
Test #2 Lower Speeds Saves Gas
Result: Substantial savings on a long trip
Cold Hard Facts: Up to 14 percent savings, average savings of 12 percent
Recommendation: Drive the speed limit.
Lower Speeds Saves Gas: Read the entire test - http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fueleconomy/articles/106842/article.html#test2
Test #3 Use Cruise Control
Result: Surprisingly effective way to save gas
Cold Hard Facts: Up to 14-percent savings, average savings of 7 percent
Recommendation: If you've got it, use it.
Cruise Control: Read the entire test - http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fueleconomy/articles/106842/article.html#test2
READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE:
http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fueleconomy/articles/106842/article.html
By Philip Reed, Senior Consumer Advice Editor and Mike Hudson, News Editor, EDMUNDS.COM
With gas prices so high, the media is awash with lists of gas-saving tips. Well how's this for a tip? If you listen to us, you can see hybrid-type savings without having to buy a new car.
By changing your driving habits you can improve fuel economy up to 37 percent right away (depending on how you drive). Combine several tips and perform routine maintenance and you will save real dollars, not just pennies.
A miracle? All we did was take several of the most common tips out there and put them to the test over a remote 55-mile route in the high desert of California. Some of them worked like a charm. Some of them didn't work at all. We'll give you the breakdown.
These tests were done under real-world conditions — not in a government lab somewhere. Our results can be matched by anyone — even you.
The wonderful part about what we found is that improving your car's mileage is just a matter of changing your habits. Stack a few of these winners together and we'll bet that you'll see a substantial savings at the pump — without the need for a new car.
Test #1 Aggressive Driving vs. Moderate Driving
Result: Major savings potential
The Cold Hard Facts: Up to 37 percent savings, average savings of 31 percent
Recommendation: Stop driving like a maniac.
Aggressive vs. Moderate Driving: read the entire test - http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fueleconomy/articles/106842/article.html#test1
Test #2 Lower Speeds Saves Gas
Result: Substantial savings on a long trip
Cold Hard Facts: Up to 14 percent savings, average savings of 12 percent
Recommendation: Drive the speed limit.
Lower Speeds Saves Gas: Read the entire test - http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fueleconomy/articles/106842/article.html#test2
Test #3 Use Cruise Control
Result: Surprisingly effective way to save gas
Cold Hard Facts: Up to 14-percent savings, average savings of 7 percent
Recommendation: If you've got it, use it.
Cruise Control: Read the entire test - http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fueleconomy/articles/106842/article.html#test2
READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE:
http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fueleconomy/articles/106842/article.html
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU DRIVE THE SPEED LIMIT? SOME SAMPLE MATH.
DOES DRIVING THE LIMITS REALLY SAVE DOLLARS, NOT JUST PENNIES?
Let’s suppose you live in California and drive a 25 mile roundtrip to/from work each day. 50 weeks a year, five days a week. That’s 6250 miles a year, just commuting.
Let’s guess you drive 20 of those miles on the freeway – that’s 5000 freeway miles. The posted speed limit is 55 in some spots, 65 in others, but like everyone else you routinely drive 70.
The average car/truck on the American road gets 17 MPG. That means your freeway driving uses 294 gallons of gas annually. At $3/gallon (sometimes more, sometimes less), that’s $882.
What happens if you set your cruise control at 60 mph?
If you study the links below, you’ll learn that a 10 mph drop in your average speed will result in a 4 MPG savings. That’s almost 25%! You’ll save about 73 gallons, or $220 per year just on your commuting. Since the average driver puts 12,000 miles per year on his/her car, we can double that number to 150 gallons/year or nearly $500/year in savings. Per driver/car. If you’re a two-car family, you’re now saving 300 gallons/$1000 every year.
That’s two or three car payments – or more. Or a flatscreen TV. Or a vacation at the beach!
By the way, this formula applies even if you drive a hybrid or high-mileage compact. If you are a hard-core speeder, you’ll save more – MUCH more. If you drive a pickup or SUV, you’ll be the biggest winner, percentage wise.
Forget a National Speed Limit. Keep your SUV! Just slow down.
Change Your Driving Habits. Change the World.
Let’s suppose you live in California and drive a 25 mile roundtrip to/from work each day. 50 weeks a year, five days a week. That’s 6250 miles a year, just commuting.
Let’s guess you drive 20 of those miles on the freeway – that’s 5000 freeway miles. The posted speed limit is 55 in some spots, 65 in others, but like everyone else you routinely drive 70.
The average car/truck on the American road gets 17 MPG. That means your freeway driving uses 294 gallons of gas annually. At $3/gallon (sometimes more, sometimes less), that’s $882.
What happens if you set your cruise control at 60 mph?
If you study the links below, you’ll learn that a 10 mph drop in your average speed will result in a 4 MPG savings. That’s almost 25%! You’ll save about 73 gallons, or $220 per year just on your commuting. Since the average driver puts 12,000 miles per year on his/her car, we can double that number to 150 gallons/year or nearly $500/year in savings. Per driver/car. If you’re a two-car family, you’re now saving 300 gallons/$1000 every year.
That’s two or three car payments – or more. Or a flatscreen TV. Or a vacation at the beach!
By the way, this formula applies even if you drive a hybrid or high-mileage compact. If you are a hard-core speeder, you’ll save more – MUCH more. If you drive a pickup or SUV, you’ll be the biggest winner, percentage wise.
Forget a National Speed Limit. Keep your SUV! Just slow down.
Change Your Driving Habits. Change the World.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Who is DRIVETHELIMITS?
DRIVETHELIMITS.ORG is an all-volunteer nonprofit network of individuals dedicated to SLOWING DOWN as they drive and thereby gaining a host of benefits while avoiding government interference and incompetence.
By taking one simple action - OBEYING ALL POSTED SPEED LIMITS - you can
SAVE MONEY (savings on gas, vehicle wear-and-tear, accidents avoided)
HELP THE ENVIRONMENT (using fewer petrochemicals is good for everyone)
FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING (less fuel burned = less CO2 emissions)
COMBAT OPEC AND BIG OIL (keep your money in YOUR pocket - not theirs)
LOWER YOUR STRESS - studies prove slow driving = slower heart rate, more relaxed travel
...the list goes on and on.
Everyone cheats on the speed limits, right? How many of us ever stop to think of the greater ramifications?
This solution costs nothing (quite the reverse, in fact), requires no legislation or government interference, and it starts the next time you get in your car.
Our permanent website will be up within a month. Meanwhile, enjoy the links below regarding fuel economy, speed limits, and the benefits of slowing down. BECOME A MEMBER/FOLLOWER od this blog and TELL YOUR FRIENDS about it. Once we open the official site we will notify you of the move and bring you over to our permanent internet home.
CHANGE YOUR DRIVING HABITS, CHANGE THE WORLD.
By taking one simple action - OBEYING ALL POSTED SPEED LIMITS - you can
SAVE MONEY (savings on gas, vehicle wear-and-tear, accidents avoided)
HELP THE ENVIRONMENT (using fewer petrochemicals is good for everyone)
FIGHT GLOBAL WARMING (less fuel burned = less CO2 emissions)
COMBAT OPEC AND BIG OIL (keep your money in YOUR pocket - not theirs)
LOWER YOUR STRESS - studies prove slow driving = slower heart rate, more relaxed travel
...the list goes on and on.
Everyone cheats on the speed limits, right? How many of us ever stop to think of the greater ramifications?
This solution costs nothing (quite the reverse, in fact), requires no legislation or government interference, and it starts the next time you get in your car.
Our permanent website will be up within a month. Meanwhile, enjoy the links below regarding fuel economy, speed limits, and the benefits of slowing down. BECOME A MEMBER/FOLLOWER od this blog and TELL YOUR FRIENDS about it. Once we open the official site we will notify you of the move and bring you over to our permanent internet home.
CHANGE YOUR DRIVING HABITS, CHANGE THE WORLD.
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