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Are gas prices fueling your pain? - READ ONLY

10042 messages,  Last post on Jul 12, 2008 at 3:07 PM

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What is this discussion about? Fuel Efficiency (MPG)


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#8151 of 10042
Re: As for changing driving habits... [andre1969] by oldfarmer50
Jun 02, 2008 (3:13 pm)

Replying to: andre1969 (May 25, 2007 1:13 pm)

"...got hit on their bike last year by an SUV..."
 
Darn those SUV's always going off on their own and hitting people. Those Hybrids are much better behaved.
 
Now if there had been a person driving that SUV we could blame him/her. Then we could say "got hit on her bike last year by this stupid driver". But alas, the SUV was driving around by itself. Can't trust 'em.
#8152 of 10042
Re: Side Effect - Stranded Motorists [tedebear] by andre1969
Jun 02, 2008 (3:15 pm)

Replying to: tedebear (Jun 02, 2008 2:58 pm)

With all these stories of more motorists running out of gas, did their fuel gauge suddenly stop working when they started putting less gas in the tank? "E" still means empty (or darn close), whether someone fills the tank or puts in 5 gallons.
 
Yeah, but I think it's a psychological thing. When you get hard-up and put less gas in the car, maybe you also start driving it more gently...or at least get it in your mind that you are, whether it's true or not. So you think you can go further. Dunno if that's the most rational explanation, but perhaps one possibility.
 
All I know is that I've learned my lesson. On my cars that have a low fuel light, I try to refill as soon as that light comes on. Although I learned with my Intrepid that it comes on once I've used about 13 gallons. And it has a 17 gallon tank, so there's 4 gal of reserve left. Some cars aren't so generous though. My '79 5th Ave has a 21 gallon tank, and its light will come on once I've used about 19 gallons.
 
On my cars that don't have a low fuel light, I just try to err on the side of caution. With my '85 Silverado, which only only as a 16 gallon tank (had twin saddle tanks, but both failed and I only paid to get one fixed), the needle will hit E but still have 3-4 gallons left. My '76 LeMans, which gets horrible mileage, thankfully has a large fuel tank...something like 21-22 gallons. Because I consider it a midsize, I think I subconsciously get it in my head that it only has a 17-18 gallon tank...nevermind the fact that it's an old-school midsize. The needle also seems to get to E pretty quickly, so there's usually plenty of reserve.
 
And now, for something really weird. My '67 Catalina's fuel gauge doesn't work. The needle doesn't show up, and I thought that the gauge was either broken, or the needle came off somehow. But then one day I let it get really low, and suddenly the needle showed up! What happens is that when I fill it up, the needle actually extends so far that it's off the face of the gauge. It goes up there and stays there. But when I get low on fuel, the needle appears, and will slowly sway back and forth across the face of the gauge. Weird.
#8153 of 10042
Re: As for changing driving habits... [oldfarmer50] by andre1969
Jun 02, 2008 (3:40 pm)

Replying to: oldfarmer50 (Jun 02, 2008 3:13 pm)

Wow, how'd you dig up that old fossil of a post? Actually, don't read too much into that. I said that someone got hit on their bike by an SUV, because, simply, that's what happened. That's all I know. If they got hit by a Prius, I'd say" got hit on their bike last year by a Prius." If they got hit by a '57 DeSoto, I would've said "they got hit on their bike by a '57 DeSoto".
 
I didn't mean for that post to demonize SUV's. Hell, one of the vehicles I own is an '85 Silverado, which a lot of SUVs were based upon. And some of my old mastodon cars would probably make an SUV seem petite, in comparison.
#8154 of 10042
Running out of gas ain't fun by gagrice
Jun 02, 2008 (3:52 pm)
My partner in Alaska was always waiting until the last minute to fill his tank. I went fishing with him and 8 miles back in on this dirt road he ran out of gas. We walked back to the highway. Luckily someone was headed back into our fishing spot and gave us a ride back to the truck. That was in 1975. I have not been in a vehicle since that has run out of gas. If I am riding with someone else which is rare, I check their fuel gauge out of habit. I never let mine go under 1/4 tank if I can help it. My wife's Lexus gauge went bad. I always reset the trip odometer to zero when I filled the tank. When we got to 200 miles I started thinking about refilling the tank.
 
I am wondering at what $$price parents will stop giving their teenagers gas money?
#8155 of 10042
California consumed 4.5% less gasoline by gagrice
Jun 02, 2008 (4:10 pm)
California consumed 4.5% less gasoline, including aviation gas, in January 2008 than in January 2007, according to figures released by the State Board of Equalization (BOE). The BOE is able to monitor gallons through tax receipts paid by fuel distributors.
 
Total gallons of gasoline used in January 2008 were 1.234 billion—58.2 million less than in January 2007. For all of 2007, Californians used 0.97% less gasoline compared to the previous year. Californians used a total of 15.672 billion gallons of gasoline for the twelve months of 2007—a decline of 153 million gallons from the total of 15.825 billion gallons for the calendar year 2006. Gasoline consumption in the state has now fallen for two years in a row
#8156 of 10042
Re: Running out of gas ain't fun [gagrice] by explorerx4
Jun 02, 2008 (4:52 pm)

Replying to: gagrice (Jun 02, 2008 3:52 pm)

i'm glad my older teenager started working. sort of not their fault. they got a job, but no hours to work. i was putting 10 gallons a week in the explorer and the gauge ended up lower than the last 10 gallons each time.
#8157 of 10042
Re: Changes are possible [kernick] by british_rover
Jun 02, 2008 (5:21 pm)

Replying to: kernick (Jun 02, 2008 12:42 pm)

The state agency my mom works for went to four day work weeks almost two years ago.
 
Also about a year ago I was talking to one of the managers at the the shopping center downtown and he had started giving his employees the option of doing a four day work week to save gas.
#8158 of 10042
Re: Changes are possible [british_rover] by snakeweasel
Jun 02, 2008 (5:38 pm)

Replying to: british_rover (Jun 02, 2008 5:21 pm)

Also about a year ago I was talking to one of the managers at the the shopping center downtown and he had started giving his employees the option of doing a four day work week to save gas.
 
I wonder if it really does save gas. Working a 4 day week gives one more day a week to do things. If you go somewhere that one extra day it could very well negate the gas savings of one day less of commuting.
#8159 of 10042
Re: Changes are possible [british_rover] by laurasdada
Jun 02, 2008 (6:25 pm)

Replying to: british_rover (Jun 02, 2008 5:21 pm)

My group at work has adopted an optional work from home one day a week "green" policy. With phones (including teleconferences), email and IM it's the next best thing to being there!
 
My wife's company, however, actually sends people to Europe to do their job there for a week or two. The exact same job, not interacting personally with the people that they communicate with using the above communication tools US to Europe. Rather, the US employees actually sit in a conference/training room in a different building at German HQ communicating with the German folks by phone, email and IM. Brilliant!
#8160 of 10042
Gas and Food prices got you down? by gagrice
Jun 02, 2008 (6:38 pm)
Here is a way to enhance your diet and rid the planet of unwanted critters. You may have to run this by PETA. Not sure if they approve...
 
Scientists claim adding insects to our diet would be good for us and the environment.
 
Crunching into crickets or snacking on grilled caterpillar is apparently a means to a nutrient-rich diet that also helps reduce pests and puts less strain on the planet than eating conventional meat.
 
Some insects in their dried form are said to have twice the protein of raw meat and fish, while others are rich in unsaturated fat and contain important vitamins and minerals.
 
Experts believe they could one day be marketed as a healthy alternative to fatty snacks.
 
In most of Europe, bug-eating is largely restricted to the belated realisation that there has been an unwelcome addition to the salad.
 
It is common elsewhere, however, with some 1,700 species of bug eaten in 113 countries.

 
The rest of the Story

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