Idea for those who commute

[Turbo Lover]

I had an idea last night, after I came up with the idea to troll Chicagoland drivers by driving exactly the posted minimum speed (20 above the speed limit is standard there) with my Packers/Brewers stuff all over my car.

How about something like a bumper sticker that says "55 MPG" or "60 MPG" and then a custom license plate that says "yer wlcm" to explain to people that there is a reason you're driving below the speed limit? Obviously this would be a waste of time in the left lane, as you're dealing with people who mainly think they're the center of the universe and need to save two minutes on their trip by driving like a maniac. Do you think this would make people take notice, and realize there is substantial money to be saved by slowing down on the interstate, while they commute? Or just a waste of time/money since most people wouldn't realize/care?

 

[Eric Smit]

waste of money. nobody cares. I try all day.

 

[ThatTmoGuy]

you'd have better luck with this on the back window

 

[mitdr774]

I have debated something like what TMO posted. I piss people off every time I drive on the freeway. Apparently 60 MPH in the right lane is not acceptable?? I could slow down to the posted minimum limit of 55 and get even better economy.

 

[ThatTmoGuy]

I need one on the front that reads "slower traffic keep right" written in mirror image lol.

 

[Blue hedgehog]

I need one on the front that reads "slower traffic keep right" written in mirror image lol.

How about "get the f*** out of my way" in mirror image of course

 

[Insanika]

I'm not sure it would do any good. I know for a fact I can pump good numbers out of my RS, but I have to be in the right state of mind to want to drive that slowly to get those numbers.

 

[mitdr774]

I have been cruising at 60 on the highway for years. Its not that hard to do really. When I work at the steel mills or refinery it adds about 5 minutes to my commute.

 

[SouthFLSonic]

I drive about 140 miles round trip to work very day about 137 of that is highway. The average I get at 70 mph has been between 37-42 mpg. I started driving the 60 mph after reading this thread and I went to 48 mpg steadily(btw I have a 1.8 sedan manual). Increased my drive by 10-15 min each way but the mpg savings is def worth it when I drive so much. Lots of angry people on the road ways but it actually decreased my stress level drastically because I'm no longer stuck in the rush crowd bobbing and weaving through traffic.

 

[SonicBoy24]

I need one on the front that reads "slower traffic keep right" written in mirror image lol.

Me too..
Or something like, "if the speed limit is close to your age, get off the road and out of my way!"

How about something like a bumper sticker that says "55 MPG" or "60 MPG" and then a custom license plate that says "yer wlcm" to explain to people that there is a reason you're driving below the speed limit? Obviously this would be a waste of time in the left lane, as you're dealing with people who mainly think they're the center of the universe and need to save two minutes on their trip by driving like a maniac. Do you think this would make people take notice, and realize there is substantial money to be saved by slowing down on the interstate, while they commute? Or just a waste of time/money since most people wouldn't realize/care?

I'm going to guess you are either 35 years old +, or are fairly nerdy young person. No offense intended, honestly, that's just the vibe i'm getting from you.

 

[Turbo Lover]

I'm going to guess you are either 35 years old +, or are fairly nerdy young person. No offense intended, honestly, that's just the vibe i'm getting from you.

I'm a fairly nerdy young person, no offense taken

 

[ungawd]

Time has more intrinsic value even for those making minimum wage.

The best way to conserve fuel is by working 12 hour shifts. By working 40 hours per week by way of 8 hour shifts you will consume 21% more fuel and spend an extra 21% more time commuting. As a bonus to 12 hour shifts you average an extra 2 hours of work per week. Depending on how your employer figures overtime, you're looking at a minimum of 4 hours per 2 week pay cycle if they screw you or 8 if they don't.

The reasons above are how I rationalize my situation. My commute is 100 miles round-trip and with minimal @$$holishness I currently average about 38 mpg with my 1.4t Auto. That is combined city/highway and just above my window sticker for highway. I could certainly drive for better economy since I currently don't drive for economy at all as I am always exceeding the speed limit. Now if I were to drive slower and get an extra 4mpg out of it I might save $1 per round-trip, but I would be doing so at the expense of about 15 minutes. One hour to me is worth far greater than $4, especially considering my combined mpg already bests the EPA highway estimate with my craptacular driving.

 

[Swordsmith]

I drove from PA to TX a couple days ago, at 80mph as often as I could. I could have saved a few bucks by going slower, but at what cost?

Do the math, 18 hours 40minutes vs 25 hours.

Meanwhile the whole trip cost $162 at around 32mpg and would have run more like $133 at 40mpg. But the extra 6 hours would have meant at least one more meal, more snacks, maybe even a night in a motel.

60 mph would have been penny wise, pound foolish.

Now get out of the ultrafast lane with your ultraslow driving you young whippersnapper!

 

[ungawd]

You rebel! That 8mpg cost you $4.58 per hour not spent traveling.

 

[RoXXXanne13]

i mean, i love driving agressivly, but, when shes all shined up, sometimes i throw on the parking lights and the fogs, n just go out cruisin rumbling around, and just enjoy it and get looks

 

[RoXXXanne13]

I drove from PA to TX a couple days ago, at 80mph as often as I could. I could have saved a few bucks by going slower, but at what cost?

Do the math, 18 hours 40minutes vs 25 hours.

Meanwhile the whole trip cost $162 at around 32mpg and would have run more like $133 at 40mpg. But the extra 6 hours would have meant at least one more meal, more snacks, maybe even a night in a motel.

60 mph would have been penny wise, pound foolish.

Now get out of the ultrafast lane with your ultraslow driving you young whippersnapper!

very true, i make trips from nc to ny a few times a year, and i have done a few experiments, mind u i am a 1.8 derp, but at 65 strictly i managed 36.4, at 70-75 i managed 34.1 and at 75-80 and gettin it over 100 a few times ( when im really motivated to get home ) i got about 31.8... from bragg to utica ( my trip ) is 752 miles if i remember correctly, it costs about 100 bucks, i fill up every time i stop tho, i dont wait until i need it, i usually stop 3-4 times..but, i set the record at 10hrs 15 minutes, vs, 12-13hrs traffic.. so less than 20 dollars more to get home a few hours earlier.. i think so lol and weather were included in my tests to include rain, snow, car accidents, police checkpoints and once, a fueler tractor trailer on its side... 15hrs to get home... i was dyyyyyyyyyying

 

[mitdr774]

For me to go visit my Grandpa in Las Vegas it would be about a 28.8 hour trip at 70 MPH and a 33.6 hour trip at 60. Either way I am looking at an overnight stop along the way.

70 MPH would use about 59.3 gallons of fuel, and 60 mph would use about 46.9 gallons based on past experiences. Assuming an average of $4.00/gallon it would be a difference of about $49.60 in fuel cost. Thats an extra $50 that I could piss away in a casino.

 

[Turbo Lover]

I love how people consider the short term fuel savings. Some of us drive on the highway up to 2000 miles per month. How about calculations, per month, for that? There's no question that an hour or two is worth a few dollars. However, my highway trip varies by three or four freaking minutes each way, depending on my speed, but my MPG varies by about ten at those speeds. The way I see it, I'm already saving $30 a WEEK over my V6 Accord, so I'm quite happy squeeze every dollar per week I can. Hell, it adds up to over half of my car payment, in monthly savings lol.

 

[stoopid]

There is no formula that can be constructed by mankind that properly and justly compensates me for time sitting in traffic or mindlessly lumbering down a highway. Life's too short and I'd rather be doing other things. Screw a dollar or percentage here/there. The sooner I get to where I'm going to faster I can get on with living. Calculated over the course of 70 years those 5-20 minutes daily/weekly add up. Time I'll be happy to have lived when on my death bed. Seriously. If my last thoughts on this earth is "I saved $28.93 in 2013 driving 60MPH" then I lived a pathetic existence.

 

[Swordsmith]

I can see both ends of this discussion. On a per trip basis, a few minutes longer drive just doesn't feel like much of a price to pay, and if it's a whole lot of short trips, the savings might add up to some semi-significant cash.

On the other hand, when we're talking a long trip, then it's hours shaved off, and the added one time expense simply isn't worth worrying about. Driving to Texas at 80 I wasted less money than the cost of taking someone out to a movie with drinks and popcorn, and shaved hours off my trip and had a blast instead of a mind numbing grind.

On the gripping hand, if I had to drive to and from a "real job" every day maybe I'd also say the hell with the grind drive, enjoy that too. It simply isn't that expensive. That's also the reasoning I use when I put another tank of E85 in instead of sticking to the more economical 87. Lets enjoy life!