More and more, I find myself getting depressed when I'm sitting in my car at stoplights. Not because it takes the light forever to turn green. It's because I'm constantly amazed at the number of vehicles that arrive at the intersection going nearly 50 m.p.h. and only start thinking about slowing down when they're 20 feet from the stoplight.
And jackrabbit starts. Drivers who have to accelerate from a stop as though they're late for their own wedding. Jackrabbit starts, especially with large trucks and SUVs which are plentiful where I live, can burn as much as 40% more gas than gradual starts. Of course there are dozens more driving tips that can help increase gas mileage. Going 65 instead of 75 can improve fuel efficiency by up to 25%.
The depressing thing is, if this country ever faces a true gas shortage again, like it did in the late 70s, I'm not sure we have the mentality and collective will to successfully deal with it.
If U.S. motorists could decrease gas consumption by just a few percentage points, gas prices might come down dramatically. According to an MSNBC column last year, U.S gasoline demand fell 7 percent between August 2006 and January 2007. Gas prices accordingly fell 28%.
I just sense that the great majority of American drivers think energy efficiency is a passing fancy, and won't be much of an issue in the long run. We're a NASCAR country. Cylinder numbers and engine displacement still rule. CAFE is, well...what's CAFE?
Is there a public information campaign in someone's mental file cabinet that could change driving habits among the everyday Jeff Gordons? Especially a campaign that directs the messaging to drivers while they are in the car?
And jackrabbit starts. Drivers who have to accelerate from a stop as though they're late for their own wedding. Jackrabbit starts, especially with large trucks and SUVs which are plentiful where I live, can burn as much as 40% more gas than gradual starts. Of course there are dozens more driving tips that can help increase gas mileage. Going 65 instead of 75 can improve fuel efficiency by up to 25%.
The depressing thing is, if this country ever faces a true gas shortage again, like it did in the late 70s, I'm not sure we have the mentality and collective will to successfully deal with it.
If U.S. motorists could decrease gas consumption by just a few percentage points, gas prices might come down dramatically. According to an MSNBC column last year, U.S gasoline demand fell 7 percent between August 2006 and January 2007. Gas prices accordingly fell 28%.
I just sense that the great majority of American drivers think energy efficiency is a passing fancy, and won't be much of an issue in the long run. We're a NASCAR country. Cylinder numbers and engine displacement still rule. CAFE is, well...what's CAFE?
Is there a public information campaign in someone's mental file cabinet that could change driving habits among the everyday Jeff Gordons? Especially a campaign that directs the messaging to drivers while they are in the car?
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One additional note on this: I'm not sure the percentage ratios I listed still hold true. Gas prices may appear to be increasing as fuel consumption decreases. We'll see how the number shake out at year-end.
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