centrider

Another stupid question, how do you handle the people on inerstate 10 who are doing 10 + over the posted speed limit of 75. Some times on my way to the LA are or on the return I am crusing along at 77 or so and I am being passed by all the trucks, really by everyone. I would think at the speed of 64 that could get exciting.

 

It does take nerves of steel. But, you'll probably see a dropoff of over in your gas millage of over 10% if you drive over 55 mph.

Remember, you're on a US highway, not the Autobahn. Sit back and enjoy that audiobook and let the loonies pass you by.

 

I will try it on our trip and see what happens, saving money is good. Thanks again.

 

Pardon me for asking, but isn't it crazy to go through all of that, driving extra slow on a super highway, obsessing over air pressure and all the other tricks needed to squeeze a few pennies out of the tank?
I know I'll probably get in trouble for this, but do we actually read what they're writing?
The car on it's own is rated for 33 MPG, which is what an average driver should get if he just turned the car on and drove it (like a normal person would).
It appears that the average (not talking about the guys in the warmer climates with 80 mile commutes, exclusively) driver who 'plays' with the car gets up to 39 MPG, on average (not a scientific number, but I'd guess a good overall average figure, factoring in cold and warm, short and long commutes, etc.).
So the differential is, on average, going from 33 to 39 MPG.
At 15,000 miles per year, that's a saving of about 50 gallons a year, or about one gallon a week.
Now gas is about $1.50/gallon, that's about TWENTY FIVE CENTS A DAY!
We are entertaining a discussion about driving extra slow on a highway with cruise control (probably pissing off the other drivers)...to save 25 cents per day???
People wake up...this is absurd!
I know the economy is tough, but is anyone so destitute that they need to scrimp to save 25 cents a day?
If so, they shouldn't be driving a car, let alone a brand new premium priced vehicle. Buy a used car for $10,000 that gets 15 MPG...you'll be way ahead of the game...even if you do the speed limit (god forbid!).
If 25 cents a day is that big a deal, try car pooling, take a bus, combine trips, walk, hitch hike. All of these will save you far more money than you could possibly save by doing 48 MPH on the freeway.
You could conserve elsewhere, like sending one less text message a week, drink a small coffee rather than a large, turn the thermostat up or down when you're not at home, take a shorter shower. You could also recycle 5 soda bottles a day to earn the 25 cents per day and then put your foot on the accelerator and drive.
Do people go to text message forums and ask how they can save 25 cents a day?
Do people go to cooking forums and ask how they can save 25 cents on making a turkey dinner?

I'm sorry for ranting (and probably annoying a few folk here), but I can't believe what I'm reading. Yes, I know about the environment and imported gas, etc., etc. I love the car and am proud of it's mileage, but come on, take a step back and read some of this.
Is anyone so hard up that they can afford a new Camry hybrid, but need to figure out ways to save 25 cents a day?
I'll tell you what I'll do, if anyone is so economically troubled that they need help, send me a private message with your e-mail address. I'll send you 25 cents, via PayPal. Take the money and go out and enjoy one day of driving like a normal person. Do the speed limit, accelerate from a green light fast enough to let the engine turn on. Use the air conditioner (go ahead, you wont kill the environment) or heat. Enjoy a day of driving like a normal person...on me! Offer limited to the first ten responses and void where prohibited by law. Employees of NBC and it's affiliates as well as their family are prohibited. Offer can be rescinded at any time. Limit one offer per person. Offer not valid in Canada, Europe or any blue states.

Sorry!

 

I hear you haroldo. And besides the money, is it worth the $0.25/day to put up with the stress of going that slow on the freeway, plus running the risk of becoming a victim of road rage? Besides, most states have laws against driving too slow as well as too fast. Some roads have actual posted minimum speed limits, but in all places a driver can be charged with obstructing traffic if going so slow as to create a safety hazard, and one ticket could wipe out the entire fuel savings. As a relative of mine once pointed out, you want to be as inconspicuous as possible while on the road.

 

I especially like the "BLUE STATE" crack!

 

You just earned yourself a free "go crazy" day.
Send me you e-mail address and I'll fund a day of driving the speed limit with the AC on full blast!

 

Who can define, "normal". I was responding to a particular question, and so the advice I gave is pretty much the way I've driven since I learned to drive in Chicago at 15 when gas was going for .25-.30/g, and we would pitch in, come up with maybe a buck or so and go off joy riding. I'd coast up to stop lights, and stop signs. I would drive the limit on what was then Eden's Expressway from the Chicago's N.Side to Milwaukee for a Schweinshanken. To paraphrase the late Republican senator from Illinois, Ev Dirksen, a penny here, a penny there and soon your talking real money.

And so for me, it's more the challenge to see just how much/how far I can go. For example, Long Beach to Mesa Az, around 400 miles (I think) on less than 10 g.

My interstate speed of 64 mph should not **** anyone off, if it does that's their problem. I stay out of the way of faster traffic. If some dodo wants to drive up behind me at the speed of light, slam on his brakes thinking that'll intimidate me, well he's a fool.

Habits are hard to break, and driving at speeds above 65 mph when gas is relatively cheap probably will see the same speeds when gas is running 4.00/g.

I responded to the question asked on this forum. I can't enforce the behavior which I advocated, nor would I want to. If the gentlemen thinks that the outcome is worth the (minimal) effort to slow down to increase mpg, well fine. Otherwise, well, he'll probably be one of the thousands (or maybe 100's) of drivers who will pass me on the I-10 as I drive from LB, CA to Tucson, AZ, banking my 48-50+ mpg. Who knows, maybe even enough to buy a chocolate ice cream cone.

Nice hearing from you.

 

That is pretty much a moot point here as the minimum speed limit in most of thoes cases is 40 or 45 mph.

 

Better go back and read my posting as I suggested a maximum speed of 64 mph which is hardly hazardous unless some fool driving 75-80, on a cell phone, MP3 cranking and is a self-contained bomb runs me down. So, some how my 64 mph has become a sub-minimum speed.

So, before you go further, perhaps you should re-read my posting.

And, if you wish to send me that 2 bits, please do - donate it to any organ transplant organization for brain-dead drivers.