[ShadeTreeMech]

One day, I was heading to Little Rock to see a concert, and I came up behind a lady on a moped. Speed limit on the road was 55 but she was doing 30. I had to hit my brakes (didn't see her until I crested a hill) then drive up a hill in 3rd instead of being able to go up it in 4th with a locked TC as i usually do. When I had opprotunity to pass, I did so, then started to ponder something.

If you're on a 2 lane road, and people cannot pass you without slowing down first, will you cause more fuel to be burnt by other drivers due to your actions than you are saving by going slowly? The lady on the moped was likely getting 100+mpg. So she was saving fuel. But I had to spend fuel in the form of lost momentum (had to hit the brakes) not being able to climb a hill in high gear, then using a bit more than usual in order to pass her. If I was the only person to pass her, it may not have mattered much. But how many other people passed her? And how much extra fuel did they burn in the process of moped lady saving fuel?