Life in the "Legal Lane"

[DifferentPointofView]

burning fuel that they don't have to pay for, how do they drive?

Not my mom, I've gotten her to drive 55 daily, but she still drives over on longer trips.

When I see people drive other peoples cars, they basically drive like a race car driver... fast, quickly, and they have a grand ole' time.

[cfg83]

DifferentPointofView -

Originally Posted by DifferentPointofView

seems that when I drive, (long trips) I hit all the stop lights, but when everyone else drives, we hit all the green. that's why it takes 1hr 15min. for me to get to E-ville, but my mom only takes 45 (40 mile drive, a couple-minute long red lights (about 15-20), and traffic buildup at each light).

Who puts stop lights on 60mph+ highway roads

EDIT:

What would save you more money? driving 10 over to get all green or drive the limit and hit all red?

I think it evens out. There is only one light I notice on my 70+ mile commute that would work for me if I drove at or above the speed limit. Other hypermilers time the lights so they know how fast to drive between the lights. I am too lazy to do that because I don't know which lights change their timing.

CarloSW2

[Chris D.]

When I'm doing 55, I'm all over my mirrors and watching jackass's swerving in and out of lanes trying to win the invisable race, keeping an eye towards onramps to have the proper timing for the zipper effect..

It takes a bit of practice..

Glad to see your helping the cause even though its not out of your pocket..

[RH77]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Hey Rick - congrats on the paradigm shift.

I consider that a pretty accurate indicator of a person's efficiency motivation: when they're driving someone else's vehicle, burning fuel that they don't have to pay for, how do they drive?

It's not entirely about the money. I appreciate the understanding

I just completed a ~600 mile trip around the State of Kansas for work. Instead of a larger vehicle, I felt more comfortable with the Chevy Cobalt Coupe:



32.1 MPG at 47 MPH avg. (Winds at 20 MPH - North; averaged W travel)
22 City/31 Highway EPA
148 HP at 152 ft-lb torque (2.2L "Ecotec" DOHC I-4)
(Trip computer and stereo was nice, all else basic -- seating terrible, painful)



Yesterday was 10-hours in the cabin (worked in the car in small towns between work visits -- about drained the batt using an inverter with the engine off to power the laptop )

I don't save our company any money, but the company that hires us saves. They don't "bean-count" that sort of stuff -- I could've had a V-8 Cadillac for all they care. Burning up gas is indeed the paradigm shift. I just can't justify speeding and excess luxury anymore. Let me stress: it has taken a while to sink in.

But, it took some diplomacy out on the 2-lanes. Grain and Cattle trucks rode my bumper at 65 MPH (limit), so I just took the shoulder and waved them around. We met-up in the next small town, so there's the expensive Diesel burnt-up for no good reason.

Side note: I drove through Greensburg, KS.

Not sure if you remember, but this small town experienced an EF-5 Tornado about 10 months ago that completely destroyed the entire town.



I have to honestly say that almost a year later, it looked like a war zone. Very eerie and chilling. The Hospital was a few trailers and Army tents. Seeing it made the impact real.

Then it was on to Dodge City, and back home via Great Lakes Aviation



(at least it's 5-hours faster )

Catch ya on the next trip...

RH77

[DifferentPointofView]

WOWWWWW...

[Lazarus]

Originally Posted by RH77

(at least it's 5-hours faster )

Catch ya on the next trip...

RH77

Nice pic.

[boxchain]

I have to honestly say that almost a year later, it looked like a war zone. Very eerie and chilling. The Hospital was a few trailers and Army tents. Seeing it made the impact real.

I can relate. Here, our banks, police stations, schools, everything was (or still is) in trailers it seems like.

I've heard that people from there are choosing not to come back, which makes the decision to return harder for others. Vicious cycle.

People don't realize how long construction takes, and it's even harder when everyone is trying to hire the same people to do the work, or carpetbaggers, and the builders supply stores are all gone as well. It all points to prices going way up.

[DifferentPointofView]

My small town in 1989 got hit by an F-4 tornado that ALSO leveled the town, and injured 10% of the current residents. Basically, we went from having gas stations, stores, and a high school, to nothing in a few moments.

19 years later, we get our first gas station in 19 years... yea, people overestimate the time it takes for rehab. People that don't come back have it much easier.