I gave up my truck two years ago, before gas prces even started to go insane. Between the cost of maintenance and Insurance it wasn't worth keeping on the road (not to mention a truck gets CRUMMY gas-mileage).
So far I haven't really missed it - I can always get a ride somewhere by a family member or even borrow a car, which works out SO much better for me.
Work was my main problem (I owned my own construction company), but I found just getting a simple job making way less was actually was more cost-effective (now that I'm saving all that money my truck was costing me, plus company expenses like Insurance, payroll, tools, etc..)
Sometimes down-sizing is the way to go. I've simplified my life, and I'm so much happier now. Besides, with the Internet, I don't have a lot of reasons to really leave home anymore. :D
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I've heard this before--people in high-pay careers discovering they can actually live better at a lower-paying job, vis-a-vis the college grad who gives up the professional job in the city to work as an assistant manager at a rural Wal-Mart: less hours at less salary, but cheaper living at a higher standard.
The problem is that many middle and upper-middle class professionals reach a point where they simply can't downsize their lives; can't sell the house, owe more on the car than it's worth, etc.
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So I ended up buying the Hybrid car rather than the sports model… and I’m pretty happy with the choice. There’s no appreciable difference in power, at least in city driving, and it seems to be terribly fuel efficient. Looks like I’ll be filling up once a month (was previously filling the tank two – three times a month with the old car) – and with petrol above AU$1.60 a litre now, that’s a good thing.
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A french company has developed a car that runs on compressed air....top speed 70 mph....has a 150 mile range...takes 4 hours to refill at home with a small compressor or only a few minutes with an industrial compressor at the cost of 2-3 dollars. Zero emissions. They also have a gas/fuel hybrid that pushes 600 miles on a tank of fuel. Who knows how long it will take to see these advancements become main stream.... or how long it will take before Big Oil slaps some money down on the table and makes the technology go poof....
I wonder how much this tech costs to make.
A french company has developed a car that runs on compressed air....top speed 70 mph....has a 150 mile range...takes 4 hours to refill at home with a small compressor or only a few minutes with an industrial compressor at the cost of 2-3 dollars. Zero emissions. They also have a gas/fuel hybrid that pushes 600 miles on a tank of fuel. Who knows how long it will take to see these advancements become main stream.... or how long it will take before Big Oil slaps some money down on the table and makes the technology go poof....
Do you have a link to this, BsSb?
A french company has developed a car that runs on compressed air....top speed 70 mph....has a 150 mile range...takes 4 hours to refill at home with a small compressor or only a few minutes with an industrial compressor at the cost of 2-3 dollars. Zero emissions. They also have a gas/fuel hybrid that pushes 600 miles on a tank of fuel. Who knows how long it will take to see these advancements become main stream.... or how long it will take before Big Oil slaps some money down on the table and makes the technology go poof....Do you have a link to this, BsSb?
Here are some links to get you started:
Link 1Link 2
Link 3
A french company has developed a car that runs on compressed air....top speed 70 mph....has a 150 mile range...takes 4 hours to refill at home with a small compressor or only a few minutes with an industrial compressor at the cost of 2-3 dollars. Zero emissions. They also have a gas/fuel hybrid that pushes 600 miles on a tank of fuel. Who knows how long it will take to see these advancements become main stream.... or how long it will take before Big Oil slaps some money down on the table and makes the technology go poof....Do you have a link to this, BsSb?Here are some links to get you started:
Link 1
Link 2
Link 3
I was introduced to the concept on a show either on Discovery Channel or the History Channel...not sure which but the YouTube videos that Gentle Giant linked appears to be footage showing the same company and cars. Not the best looking vehicles.....but who cares anymore? As a kid growing up in the 90s, I wondered how people justified switching from the glorious cars of the 60s and early 70s to the boxy crap cars of the 80s and early 90s. I remember my parents bought a brand new corolla in 1985 and I laughably remember them lusting after the neighbors brand new 85 camry. As far as I can tell now, the 85 camry was a slightly larger rectangle....god awful styling. I drove a 1970 mercury cougar from 2000-2007, slugging away at 10 mpg but ahhhhh the car was wonderful. Never broke down....indestructible....people got out of my way....no complicated redundant computerized junk...my navigation system was a map....I rolled down the windows with pliers...I could stop on a dime only if someone threw the dime 100 feet in front of the car...A couch fell off a truck in front of me, I rammed it, my right front wheel got caught, and I dragged the sectional about twenty feet with not a scratch too my car.....sadly it finally came to a fiery end on the side of the highway with 325,000 miles on it. Now I have a 1969 cougar, 1967 chevelle, and a 1990 Gt Mustang....I lust after my wife's Mazda 3. I caught myself saying...."Wow, that mini cooper looks kinda nice...36mpg, eh?" sell out.....
I have pretty much stopped driving. Today, I walked 2 miles one way to my work place, and then walked home again at 5pm.
The only need I have to drive now is for supplies/shopping which is a 18 mile round trip once a week or so. And, to the train which is 4.5 miles away one way, twice a week.
I was introduced to the concept on a show either on Discovery Channel or the History Channel...not sure which but the YouTube videos that Gentle Giant linked appears to be footage showing the same company and cars. Not the best looking vehicles.....but who cares anymore? As a kid growing up in the 90s, I wondered how people justified switching from the glorious cars of the 60s and early 70s to the boxy crap cars of the 80s and early 90s.
Do you have a link to this, BsSb?Here are some links to get you started:
Link 1
Link 2
Link 3
The design part has been a major problem for almost all alternative fueled vehicles since way back. And the air driven models in the clips above aren't exactly examples of great design either.
It is, however, something these companies are paying more and more attention to, since it's a very important selling point. People don't just want to drive economically better cars, they want to look good doing it too!
I'd be perfectly happy driving the ugliest electric car ever made if it meant I could use it to drive the 5 miles to work everyday.
Second that. But bump it up to ugliest car of any sort, ever, if it got me there safely and more economically. And bump it up to 30mi round trip. :)
I want a 1970 Dodge Challenger. Who cares about gas milage if you're driving the freakin' Vanishing Point car?!
I'd be perfectly happy driving the ugliest electric car ever made if it meant I could use it to drive the 5 miles to work everyday.Second that. But bump it up to ugliest car of any sort, ever, if it got me there safely and more economically. And bump it up to 30mi round trip. :)
Unfortunately, the two of you (well, include me in the ranks too) are not representatives of the general automotive buying public.
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Well, I have no choice but to keep driving. Where we live there is no public transportation at all. To ride a bike I would need to ride down one US Highway and one Interstate, one is unsafe for a bike and one is illegal.
Fortunately round trip to work is 25.6 miles a day and I average about 27-28 miles per gallon. Right now we have the cheapest gas in the country, but that won't last for long. My wife's work is on the way to my work, so we already ride together which saves a lot.
At $8.33 we will be spending $300 a month on gas. At which point I will likely have to take a second job, stay in town and come back late just to pay for gas. My wife will have to get a ride with her mom, who lives not far from us to go home.
If we can all three car share, which is not likely because of work schedules, we could afford more.
Truthfully, if it hits $10 I will honestly go to the city and see about putting in a stable downtown, so people can ride their horses in like the old days. There are a lot of horse owners here and if there were a stable in town there would be many many more.
If it hits $15 I have acreage and will start growing my own food, erect a wall around our property and set up sniper posts. And at $20 I will begin raiding neighbors :)
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...If it hits $15 I have acreage and will start growing my own food, erect a wall around our property and set up sniper posts. And at $20 I will begin raiding neighbors :)
If you need a Captain-of-the-Watch, I'm your man. I'm pretty well-trained in conducting raids and establishing an area defense, and I don't eat much--bread and cheese will be fine. The occasional pint would be nice, too.
At 21 dollars a gallon, I begin to refer to my car as the last of the great V-8 Interceptors. The once cheery voice in my head is substituted for a raspy narrator who refers to gasoline as "the juice." Anytime I ponder a question or a life decision, my thoughts are drowned out by the following speech....
"...you have to go back to another time
when the world was powered by the black fuel
and the deserts sprouted great cities of pipe and steel.
Gone now swept away.
For reasons long forgotten, two mighty warrior tribes went to war
and touched off a blaze which engulfed them all.
Without fuel they were nothing. They'd built a house of straw.
The thundering machines sputtered and stopped.
Their leaders talked and talked and talked
but nothing could stem the avalanche."
I buy a pair of post apocolypse googles, develop a taste for lamb and rice dog food, wet not dry.....
Unfortunately, the two of you (well, include me in the ranks too) are not representatives of the general automotive buying public.
Probably true of most of us who watch this thread. :)
I don't know if anyone mentioned this, but I heard this week that someone in congress wanted to do a study on if reducing the national speed limit to 55 mph would create a significant decrease in fuel consumation.
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I don't know if anyone mentioned this, but I heard this week that someone in congress wanted to do a study on if reducing the national speed limit to 55 mph would create a significant decrease in fuel consumation.
In all honesty I think it would. I notice a huge difference in fuel economy just by going 65mph instead of 70. The car tracks my ecnonomy on the dashboard, so I always have it selected to that rather than the miles I have traveled.
By going 5 under the speed limit I cans see an increase of 1-2 MPG. I imagine if I were to go 55mph I would see a greater increase (if I survived the road that is). Going 65 in the slow lane still gets people to honk at me, flip me off and ride my tail. Which is ok. I just smile at them because I am getting better gas mileage than they are. :)
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By going 5 under the speed limit I cans see an increase of 1-2 MPG. I imagine if I were to go 55mph I would see a greater increase (if I survived the road that is). Going 65 in the slow lane still gets people to honk at me, flip me off and ride my tail. Which is ok. I just smile at them because I am getting better gas mileage than they are. :)
That's good to know, I've been trying to drive the speed limit or a little less lately and I was wondering if it made any difference.
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I don't know if anyone mentioned this, but I heard this week that someone in congress wanted to do a study on if reducing the national speed limit to 55 mph would create a significant decrease in fuel consumation.
I read a study stating that 55 to 65 is the 'sweet spot' for fuel consumption on average. That figure varied depending on engine, vehicle type and weight, etc, but on average that is what I read.
People who decide to drive under the speed limit to save gas are not only wrong but they are a danger to other drivers on the road.You can save more fuel by making sure you aren't carrying extra weight and running around with a half-filled tank, and by making sure you have clean oil, gas, and air filters, and by making sure your tires are properly inflated.
At 21 dollars a gallon, I begin to refer to my car as the last of the great V-8 Interceptors. The once cheery voice in my head is substituted for a raspy narrator who refers to gasoline as "the juice."
When you hit the part where you are driving down the highway and go from a narrow aspect ratio to widescreen, let me know, cause that is going to be frickin awesome.
You can save more fuel by making sure you aren't carrying extra weight and running around with a half-filled tank, and by making sure you have clean oil, gas, and air filters, and by making sure your tires are properly inflated.
For city drivers like me, I've found that staying WAY far back from the next car in front of you really increases gas milage substantially (because you're not always speeding up to catch up with the next car, then slamming on your brakes when he slows down, etc.). If you get good at it, you can get in a "groove" where you're timing the lights, and you hardly ever need to use the brake... you just ease up off the gas when you see congestion ahead. Weaving in and out of traffic ruins this; I just try to pick a lane with good visibility ahead and then coast in it. Amazingly, I notice that I end up eventually passing people who initially got way ahead of me by tailgating and weaving.
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People who decide to drive under the speed limit to save gas are not only wrong but they are a danger to other drivers on the road.
You can save more fuel by making sure you aren't carrying extra weight and running around with a half-filled tank, and by making sure you have clean oil, gas, and air filters, and by making sure your tires are properly inflated.
A slow driver is a danger if they are going more than 10 miles under. Where I drive, there are maximum and minimum speed limits posted so there is a little give on what you can do. Granted, most folks drive the maximum and over.
I actually read a recent article saying that the air filters and tires were actually urban legend. i'll see if i can dig it up.
I work freelance in Los Angeles, in a job that pretty much always involves carting equipment and such around.
It is next to impossible for me to give up driving.
This has made my life more expensive than it already was.
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I read a study stating that 55 to 65 is the 'sweet spot' for fuel consumption on average. That figure varied depending on engine, vehicle type and weight, etc, but on average that is what I read.
People who decide to drive under the speed limit to save gas are not only wrong but they are a danger to other drivers on the road.
You can save more fuel by making sure you aren't carrying extra weight and running around with a half-filled tank, and by making sure you have clean oil, gas, and air filters, and by making sure your tires are properly inflated.
Yes you can save money that way, but I know for a fact driving under the speed limit saves gas.
As far as it being a danger to other drivers that is incorrect. The speed limits on the interstate (in Missouri)are 45 to 70. Under 45 is illegal, over 70 is illegal. Everything in between is my right.
Drivers going over 70 are not only breaking the law but are a danger to all other law abiding citizens. At least in Missouri, the law requires faster vehicles to remain in the left lane and slower vehicles to remain to the right. Since I am going 65 (only 5 under the speed limit) I stay in the right lane. If anyone is going 70 or faster in the right lane, they once again are breaking the law (if going over 70) and are a danger to law abiding citizens.
You don't blame people for obeying the law and excercising their rights under the law, for accidents involving others exhibiting criminal behavior. If you can't follow the law, you should loose your license to drive. You are a danger to everyone else.
*now just think of all the other chaotic posts I put up here and then I put up a law and order post-now how does my alingment handle that? does that make me neutral insane?
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Contributor, RPG Superstar 2008 Top 6
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People who decide to drive under the speed limit to save gas are not only wrong but they are a danger to other drivers on the road.
As Car Talk says, it is a speed limit, not a speed at least. There's nothing wrong with driving under the limit, as long as you are driving at a safe speed on the road you're on.
I've driven 40 on I-5 during heavy fog. The speed limit is 65. Going faster would likely have been violating Oregon's basic speed rule (drive no faster than is safe for your current conditions).
I realize that's an extreme case, but the point stands, you aren't obligated to go at the speed limit, but rather, to go at or below it.
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...By going 5 under the speed limit I cans see an increase of 1-2 MPG. I imagine if I were to go 55mph I would see a greater increase...)
Driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee, I get the best mileage at 55 for short durations; 60 for long hauls, primarily because I have a Hemi and the cylinders shut down after awhile.
45 is still pretty good mileage, and often better than the mileage at 60. Below 45 and my mileage begins to decrease dramatically; at 35 and lower, I get worse mileage than at 75.
55 is, I believe, a Magic Number for mileage... but if it's not the law, being the only guy on the road driving it may actually cause accidents...
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...For city drivers like me, I've found that staying WAY far back from the next car in front of you really increases gas milage substantially (because you're not always speeding up to catch up with the next car, then slamming on your brakes when he slows down, etc.)...
No offense, but guys who keep three and four car lengths between themselves and the vehicle in front of them, in the city, on a busy day, in an area heavy in traffic lights, frustrate the hell out of everyone else.
Often, the lights that change automatically (not tripped, but on a timer), are on a timer based off of distance between lights and the posted speed limit. The difference between making it through three lights before having to stop, or stopping at every single traffic light, is often predicated on the driver in front of you: how long does he take to pull out and accelerate to the posted limit; does he drive a steady pace at the limit; does he slow for each light whether it's green or not; and so on.
When I'm driving downtown back home in Fairbanks (where the lights are timed), and I get caught behind the guy who deliberately keeps extraordinary distances between himself and the vehicle ahead, or always goes between 18-22 in the 25, or brakes at every intersection--I will end up hitting every light (and often, that joker gets through and I get stuck, only to catch up with him at the next street and replay the frustration all over again). It's been irritating enough in the past that I'll actually take a detour just to get away from a frustrating driver.
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People who decide to drive under the speed limit to save gas are not only wrong but they are a danger to other drivers on the road.As Car Talk says, it is a speed limit, not a speed at least. There's nothing wrong with driving under the limit, as long as you are driving at a safe speed on the road you're on.
I've driven 40 on I-5 during heavy fog. The speed limit is 65. Going faster would likely have been violating Oregon's basic speed rule (drive no faster than is safe for your current conditions).
I realize that's an extreme case, but the point stands, you aren't obligated to go at the speed limit, but rather, to go at or below it.
You're right. In Alaska there are two rules around the posted speed limit: drive for the conditions; drive with the flow of traffic.
If it's -35F in December, then there's probably ice fog on the Mitchell Expressway all morning--you drive about 35-40, even though the posted speed is 65.
If it's 72F in July, clear skies, and everyone is going 70 in the 65, don't be the only guy going 53 trying to save a few gallons of gas--you'll end up with everyone trying to go around you, and you might actually cause an accident, especially around on- and off-ramps.
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...As far as it being a danger to other drivers that is incorrect. The speed limits on the interstate (in Missouri)are 45 to 70. Under 45 is illegal, over 70 is illegal. Everything in between is my right....?
Like I mention above, if you are the only guy on the interstate going 53MPH, and everyone else is going 70, you could very well be the precipitant to an accident as others try to avoid you, or go around you. If you're going 46 in the 70 (like a guy I recently read about on CNN.com), and you're in the right lane coming up against an onramp that is posted at 55, and you've got a line of cars coming around you at 65-70, think of the potential hazard you're posing the drivers trying to enter the highway who probably aren't expecting that you are actually moving slower than they are...
No offense, but guys who keep three and four car lengths between themselves and the vehicle in front of them, in the city, on a busy day, in an area heavy in traffic lights, frustrate the hell out of everyone else.
(shrugs) No offense, but guys who tailgate in heavy traffic just increase the chance of accidents. Everything's a trade-off. I'd rather frustrate someone like you (who will be frantically switching lanes anyway, so he'll only be behind me for a few seconds in any event) than be pushed into the car in front of me when the idiot cel-phone zombie behind me fails to brake (as has actually happened in the past, before I started leaving more space in front of me).
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No offense, but guys who keep three and four car lengths between themselves and the vehicle in front of them, in the city, on a busy day, in an area heavy in traffic lights, frustrate the hell out of everyone else.(shrugs) No offense, but guys who tailgate in heavy traffic just increase the chance of accidents. Everything's a trade-off. I'd rather frustrate someone like you (who will be frantically switching lanes anyway, so he'll only be behind me for a few seconds in any event) than be pushed into the car in front of me when the idiot cel-phone zombie behind me fails to brake (as has actually happened in the past, before I started leaving more space in front of me).
i drive downtown a lot, and i LOVE not catching one light on travis, and watching all of the other people make three lights, stop, make three lights, stop. i just roll by them laughing...
oh, and the general rule for safe driving is one car lenght per 10mph. anything less and you increase the probability of an accident...
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(shrugs) No offense, but guys who tailgate in heavy traffic just increase the chance of accidents. Everything's a trade-off. I'd rather frustrate someone like you (who will be frantically switching lanes anyway, so he'll only be behind me for a few seconds in any event) than be pushed into the car in front of me when the idiot cel-phone zombie behind me fails to brake (as has actually happened in the past, before I started leaving more space in front of me).
Tailgating is a whole other thing; and I think I'm picturing a different sort of city driving, with minimal lanes and a pretty regular speed of 25-35 (mostly 25).
In Fairbanks (in the actual city center, courthouse-area) most of the streets are one way or there is no other lane to switch to and all solid lines down the middle. The speed limit is 25 and the lights are timed. There's always someone who a) takes their time moving out when the light changes, b) slows to 12 at every light in anticipation that it might turn yellow, c) moves up and down the register 15-22MPH d) always keeps three or more lengths between himself and the car ahead.
This is standard driving in October through April, but not on the 9th of July.
Tailgating is a way of life in South Korea and if there's even a hint of space between you and the next car, someone will try to squeeze in there. And at traffic lights people have actually honked at me for not moving out when the cross traffic light turns yellow--before my light has actually turned green. Trucks routinely honk and blow right through red lights, and no-one waits for the safe moment to pull into oncoming traffic. I can't stand driving here.
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Tailgating is a way of life in South Korea and if there's even a hint of space between you and the next car, someone will try to squeeze in there. And at traffic lights people have actually honked at me for not moving out when the cross traffic light turns yellow--before my light has actually turned green. Trucks routinely honk and blow right through red lights, and no-one waits for the safe moment to pull into oncoming traffic. I can't stand driving here.
wow, i didn't realize 75 (central expressway in dallas) was in korea...
I think I'm picturing a different sort of city driving, with minimal lanes and a pretty regular speed of 25-35 (mostly 25).
Ah! I get it. Yeah, I was talking city driving like on Westheimer in Houston (3 lanes each direction, plus turn lanes, with moderate to heavy, super-aggressive traffic and irregular lights). The speed limit on Westheimer is 35 mph, I think, but everyone goes 50.
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I think I'm picturing a different sort of city driving, with minimal lanes and a pretty regular speed of 25-35 (mostly 25).Ah! I get it. Yeah, I was talking city driving like on Westheimer in Houston (3 lanes each direction, plus turn lanes, with moderate to heavy, super-aggressive traffic and irregular lights). The speed limit on Westheimer is 35 mph, I think, but everyone goes 50.
well, the greater houston metropolitan area has almost 10 times the population of alaska, as far as that goes. hence, our roads are built to handle a much larger volume of traffic. of course, that just means we probably have 30 times the number of idiot drivers here than alaska...
like the one who hit my girlfriend's car twenty minutes ago on west alabama at montrose, turning from an illegal lane because she isn't hip to the concept of "reversable lanes"...
like the one who hit my girlfriend's car twenty minutes ago on west alabama at montrose, turning from an illegal lane because she isn't hip to the concept of "reversable lanes"...
Sorry to hear that, man.
I am always amused, though, when some retard in an F-350 hits the light rail train and derails it.
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like the one who hit my girlfriend's car twenty minutes ago on west alabama at montrose, turning from an illegal lane because she isn't hip to the concept of "reversable lanes"...Sorry to hear that, man.
I am always amused, though, when some retard in an F-350 hits the light rail train and derails it.
she's ok, fender bender, and she works for a law office in the heights, and it wasn't her fault, so it's just an inconvenience, really (i go to work 2 hours before her, so she'll have to get up with me in the mornings and drop me off until her car is fixed).
as to the F-350s. well, they shouyldn't have built that worthless piece of rail in the first place! the trucks need room to roam!!!
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Good news story from my neck of the woods.
Additionally, the Borough Bus System is trying to get some state funds to expand its routes to cover the complete north end of Fairbanks, and they'll pick you up off-route with a 24-hours prior service call. They're asking for additional state subsidies in order to make pay fares $1 for any drop-off within 12 miles of pickup, and $3.50 to North Pole and Eielson AFB from University West (UAF).
I know that doesn't mean much if you're not from Alaska, but those are pretty significant rides (distance), and great prices for the area: $1 to go from the west rim of the city all the way to the east rim-that's way cheaper than driving.
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Public Transportation (in Korea) v. Car (in Interior Alaska), expenses less ownership, 11 Feb 08 to 11 Aug 08--
(I pay for the car whether I drive it or not, so...)
--after six months of me not driving over here in Korea--
--and six months of my wife driving back home in Alaska--
My taxi/train/subway/bus tab.........$889
Gas for my car.................................$972
Not much of a difference.