Goin' like 60
I'm writing from my grandparents' house in Indiana, where, thanks to the wonders of technology and WiFi, I can blog in bed! I should really buy a wireless router for my cable modem, because this is great.
The drive out went really well, despite snow flurries on my way out of Ohio and extra traffic on the freeways, and in part, I think, to my new money-saving strategy: driving 60. I've never been a hardcore-enough environmentalist to drive 15 miles/hour slower than I could be going just to save the planet, but I did read some statistics recently that have me driving slower to save my money: each 5 mph over 60 is like paying $0.21 more per gallon of gas? I'm too poor to speed!
But I've discovered other, unexpected advantages to slowing down. I don't worry about cops, for one thing. I don't get into aggressive situations with other drivers, either. And although my trip takes longer, I arrive at my destination far less stressed (I doubt my muscles will be sore tomorrow, the way they have been after past drives!). I paid $1.97 per gallon in BG, the lowest I've seen in months, but with all the advantages of slowing down, I may keep this up even if gas prices continue to drop.
8 comments:
Yeah Ceri, for being a responsible driver!
I thought you'd like that!
you even have me thinking about slowing down but i don't know if i could get by with that in california.
Slow and steady wins the race. I'm definately more a tortoise than a hare myself. And, I need to buy a car. By the time you pay for the car, the insurance, and everything else, who has the money to speed?
$1.90 a gallon in OKlahoma.
I paid $2.02 yesterday but there are places around here that are under the $2 mark.
You're certainly right about the fuel efficiency of driving slower but I hate getting tailgated too much to drive a slower speed.
The tailgating thing is a good point, and I wouldn't go below the speed limit (or general flow of traffic) in an area where passing is difficult: my intent is not to slow down all the other drivers! I've found that when I drive 60 on the freeway, though, people just go around me in the left lane, without needing to be on my bumper. I speed way up if I need to pass in the left lane, so as not to block other traffic, but then am able to slow down again in the right lane.
Now this isn't something I'm advocating you to do, Cerise, but the way to get the best fuel milage is to draft the vehicle in front of you. They do it in bicycle racing all the time and NASCAR as well. Of course you have to stay a foot or so from the car in front of you.
Some would consider this dangerous...
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