With gasoline approaching $3.50 per gallon BEFORE the height of the summer driving season, let's put our heads together to recite some methods for improving our gasoline mileage.
Try to be serious.
1. Keep tires inflated to recommended inflation.
2. If driving an older car, get the car a tune-up.
3. Replace dirty air filters in your automobile engine.
4. SLOW DOWN. Excessive speeds burns excessive fuel.
5. Anticipate your Stops. I realize that Tulsa neighborhoods have experienced an explosion of 2-way, 3-way and 4-way Stop Signs beginning with the reign of Mayor Savage, placed for allegedly Traffic Calming purposes. These stop signs have a collateral affect of generating ZERO M.P.G. when people have to stop so frequently.
When you are stationary, you are getting ZERO M.P.G. Doubleplus-Ungood.
6. Remove excessive weight from the car. Carrying unnecessary weight such as golf clubs, tool kits, etc. increases the car's overall weight, and reduces M.P.G.
7. Combine your trips. This helps save on excessive fuel use needed to warm up a car.
8. Car Pool. Is there a neighbor who works in your work location? Can neighbors share the car pooling of neighborhood children?
9. Ride mass transit. Put the kids on the school bus. Take the bus to work.
10. If your neighborhood permits passage with suitable sidewalks, WALK for some of your shorter errands.
Any other ideas??
[?]
11. Enjoy fresh air by turning off your a/c until the summer really heats up. Open two windows, one front-one back to keep the air from swirling around so much.
12. Avoid congested hospital parking garages where you have to circle around looking for a space or waiting for people who are really to old to drive. The open lots usually have lots of spaces.
13. Avoid peak driving times by arriving early to work. Plus your employer will be impressed as long as you don't leave early too.
quote:
Originally posted by waterboy
13. Avoid peak driving times by arriving early to work. Plus your employer will be impressed as long as you don't leave early too.
I think you need to strike the last part. I enjoy leaving almost 2 hours before rush hour.
14. Call the City of Tulsa daily and complain about the craptastic timing of the stoplights all over the city until they finally fix them.
15. When you see a line of 912 cars at McDonalds: park your gas guzzling SUV and walk your lazy donkey inside. Save money on gas, save the air and save yourself about 10 minutes of waiting in line with a bunch of lazy buffoons.
16. Take your smallest vehicle when possible. If you own or have access to multiple vehicles, you don't always need to take the truck, your wife's car will do just as well most of the time.
quote:
Originally posted by EricP
15. When you see a line of 912 cars at McDonalds: park your gas guzzling SUV and walk your lazy donkey inside. Save money on gas, save the air and save yourself about 10 minutes of waiting in line with a bunch of lazy buffoons.
I wonder how many gallons of gasoline are WASTED each year with cars waiting at restaurant drive-through windows?
Definitely just grab the first parking space you see, and walk into the store or restaurant.
And, you'll save gasoline and also melt some excess body fat, too.
quote:
Originally posted by waterboy
11. Enjoy fresh air by turning off your a/c until the summer really heats up. Open two windows, one front-one back to keep the air from swirling around so much.
12. Avoid congested hospital parking garages where you have to circle around looking for a space or waiting for people who are really to old to drive. The open lots usually have lots of spaces.
13. Avoid peak driving times by arriving early to work. Plus your employer will be impressed as long as you don't leave early too.
I seem to recall reading that at highway speeds, it may be more fuel efficient to actually run the air conditioner on hot days, rather than lose the aerodynamic contour of a car by rolling down the windows and increasing aerodynamic drag.
Any truth there?
quote:
Originally posted by wavoka
14. Call the City of Tulsa daily and complain about the craptastic timing of the stoplights all over the city until they finally fix them.
Similar to the proliferation of the 2-way, 3-way, and 4-way stop signs, we've also seen a proliferation of Traffic Lights BETWEEN major intersections.
For instance, on 71st between Yale and Sheridan, there are 3 or 4 traffic lights at the Quick-Tripp and at entrances of various apartments.
These are definitely gas wasters for through traffic.
17. Run Real gasoline..Mileage can be up to 20% less on some vehicles with ethanol blends..
18. Car pool...
quote:
Originally posted by EricP
15. When you see a line of 912 cars at McDonalds: park your gas guzzling SUV and walk your lazy donkey inside. Save money on gas, save the air and save yourself about 10 minutes of waiting in line with a bunch of lazy buffoons.
Which McDonald's are you going! 912 cars in 10 minutes, thats a car every half second...I wait a good five minutes and sometimes more!
[;)]
19. Install roundabouts city wide. Safer and reduce emissions dramatically. Costs less too to build and maintain.
quote:
Originally posted by mrhaskellok
19. Install roundabouts city wide. Safer and reduce emissions dramatically. Costs less too to build and maintain.
I disagree.
"Safer" for most people, because they are willing to yield to the more demanding people. It is safety by terror (they are safer though), sane drivers fear for their lives while jackasses, the incompetent, and fops just swerve where they please. Seriously, the things are chaos - the couple we have in town now are ridiculous and those are minimally used on 2 lane roads (no one grasps the concept that a blinker is VERY important on roundabouts or instead of yielding other traffic has to stop).
Not too mention they require at least twice the land of a standard intersection.
Oh, and drunk women can't seem to avoid any fountains that may be at the center of them.
But the Kansas DOT agrees with you:
quote:
Modern roundabouts are not the big, old traffic circles dating back to
around the 1900's, most of which were congested, confusing, inefficient and had neither poor
safety recording nor the small circles used for speed control as a "traffic calming" tool.
Kansas DOT, presentation at the Urban Street Symposium, Operational Efficiency of Roundabouts (//%22http://209.85.173.104/search?q=cache:OiqmJaXQ9RUJ:www.urbanstreet.info/2nd_sym_proceedings/Volume%25202/Russell.pdf+are+roundabouts+more+efficient%3F&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us%22), 2003.
It does, however, caveat that busy multi lane intersections will likely see an increase in delays as well as the frequency of crashes (further increasing delays), but that the injury level related to such crashes will be less (since everyone is moving slower).
But generally, the study approves. Perhaps worth looking into more.
- - -
And AC is more efficient at highway speeds than opening your window. We did an experiment in that regard in physics, and the results are mirrored all over the place (as are virtually all physics experiment any student will do).
20. Avoid/remove speed bumps (increases fuel use more than 40% on that stretch of road)
http://www.theaa.com/public_affairs/news/20mph-roads-emissions.html
Yeah, I can't stand the road noise of open windows at highway speeds. I'm sure the aerodynamics are slowing the car down. I was referring to city driving where its stop and go and the a/c drags the engine down badly.
21. Be one with your bike.
CF,
From my research, the big mess in NE Tulsa isn't a roundabout. It is a traffic circle. There is a huge wealth of information on Modern Roundabouts.
I love them. I drove to Colorado last year to go see some of the ones they are installing (they have put is a lot the last several years.
quote:
Originally posted by mrhaskellok
CF,
From my research, the big mess in NE Tulsa isn't a roundabout. It is a traffic circle. There is a huge wealth of information on Modern Roundabouts.
I love them. I drove to Colorado last year to go see some of the ones they are installing (they have put is a lot the last several years.
Around intersections that bisect major highways, I've noticed that in some states they build a U-Turn function where a driver can do a 180-Degree turn UNDER the highway and avoid the stop and congestion at the traffic light intersection.
We have ONE intersection like that here in Tulsa, that I know of:
I-44 and Yale intersection.
Do we have others?
I love those! I see those them in OKC. As they widen 1-44 we should have those put in.
quote:
Originally posted by Breadburner
17. Run Real gasoline..Mileage can be up to 20% less on some vehicles with ethanol blends..
18. Car pool...
Ethanol blends definitely achieve lesser M.P.G.
Question: Are there ANY Tulsa-area gasoline stations that still sell 100% unleaded gasoline, sans Ethanol?
quote:
Originally posted by mrhaskellok
I love those! I see those them in OKC. As they widen 1-44 we should have those put in.
The only one like that here in Tulsa that I'm aware of is at the new-widened I-44 and Yale.
quote:
Originally posted by Friendly Bear
quote:
Originally posted by Breadburner
17. Run Real gasoline..Mileage can be up to 20% less on some vehicles with ethanol blends..
18. Car pool...
Ethanol blends definitely achieve lesser M.P.G.
Question: Are there ANY Tulsa-area gasoline stations that still sell 100% unleaded gasoline, sans Ethanol?
The station at 171st and Memorial has a banner outside that says 100% gasoline.
quote:
Originally posted by mrhaskellok
quote:
Originally posted by Friendly Bear
quote:
Originally posted by Breadburner
17. Run Real gasoline..Mileage can be up to 20% less on some vehicles with ethanol blends..
18. Car pool...
Ethanol blends definitely achieve lesser M.P.G.
Question: Are there ANY Tulsa-area gasoline stations that still sell 100% unleaded gasoline, sans Ethanol?
The station at 171st and Memorial has a banner outside that says 100% gasoline.
171st?
South Bixby?
quote:
Originally posted by Friendly Bear
quote:
Originally posted by Breadburner
17. Run Real gasoline..Mileage can be up to 20% less on some vehicles with ethanol blends..
18. Car pool...
Ethanol blends definitely achieve lesser M.P.G.
Question: Are there ANY Tulsa-area gasoline stations that still sell 100% unleaded gasoline, sans Ethanol?
I just called the Flying J at 129th and Admiral to ask if they had ethanol in their unleaded and Joe @ Flying J said 'No sir, not at this time'.
quote:
Originally posted by Friendly Bear
quote:
Originally posted by mrhaskellok
quote:
Originally posted by Friendly Bear
quote:
Originally posted by Breadburner
17. Run Real gasoline..Mileage can be up to 20% less on some vehicles with ethanol blends..
18. Car pool...
Ethanol blends definitely achieve lesser M.P.G.
Question: Are there ANY Tulsa-area gasoline stations that still sell 100% unleaded gasoline, sans Ethanol?
The station at 171st and Memorial has a banner outside that says 100% gasoline.
171st?
South Bixby?
Lol, yup, that is half-way to work for me. But I buy my gas in Haskell for revenue reasons so I can't vouch for anything there. Just saw a banner out there.
Gotta fill up at lunch today. There goes another $70. I'm walking!
quote:
Originally posted by mrhaskellok
quote:
Originally posted by Friendly Bear
quote:
Originally posted by Breadburner
17. Run Real gasoline..Mileage can be up to 20% less on some vehicles with ethanol blends..
18. Car pool...
Ethanol blends definitely achieve lesser M.P.G.
Question: Are there ANY Tulsa-area gasoline stations that still sell 100% unleaded gasoline, sans Ethanol?
The station at 171st and Memorial has a banner outside that says 100% gasoline.
I wouldn't put gas from there in my car if the gas were free. Their tanks spend an awful lot of time underwater due to their location and the fact that the area is very low and floods frequently. The one person I know who did but gas from there swore they never would again.
Try the Phillips 66 on the East side of Memorial just South of 151st. They have a sign saying they have 100% gasoline.
quote:
Originally posted by Gaspar
Gotta fill up at lunch today. There goes another $70. I'm walking!
Filled up the Prius last night. $33 and I'm good for another 500 miles.
As I mentioned before, no-one has sold "100% gasoline" in decades. It is all 90% gasoline mixed with 10% MTBE (which is caustic and being phased out by the EPA) or 10% Ethanol. In another year or two all MTBE will be gone and you'll be left with ethanol or ETBE which is made from ethanol.
Sq is absolutely correct. Minimum 10% oxygenate is required for burn gas cleaner (in general, some blends do not require it). The ethers used are being phased out for environmental and health reasons (which are really minimal, but it is nearly impossible to clean up as it is water soluble) and the alcohols (ethanol specifically) are being subsidized.
Not hard to figure out where we are headed. So long as we stop using primary products (corn) and start using waste products or fallow land, I'm fine with it.
quote:
Originally posted by Friendly Bear
quote:
Originally posted by mrhaskellok
CF,
From my research, the big mess in NE Tulsa isn't a roundabout. It is a traffic circle. There is a huge wealth of information on Modern Roundabouts.
I love them. I drove to Colorado last year to go see some of the ones they are installing (they have put is a lot the last several years.
Around intersections that bisect major highways, I've noticed that in some states they build a U-Turn function where a driver can do a 180-Degree turn UNDER the highway and avoid the stop and congestion at the traffic light intersection.
We have ONE intersection like that here in Tulsa, that I know of:
I-44 and Yale intersection.
Do we have others?
Texas-style turnarounds? Theres' one under 44 at Memorial I believe.
Yes, I-44 and Memorial/31st street has one.
quote:
Originally posted by Friendly Bear
quote:
Originally posted by EricP
15. When you see a line of 912 cars at McDonalds: park your gas guzzling SUV and walk your lazy donkey inside. Save money on gas, save the air and save yourself about 10 minutes of waiting in line with a bunch of lazy buffoons.
I wonder how many gallons of gasoline are WASTED each year with cars waiting at restaurant drive-through windows?
Definitely just grab the first parking space you see, and walk into the store or restaurant.
And, you'll save gasoline and also melt some excess body fat, too.
I HATE restaurant drive-throughs. On the rare occasion that I buy fast food, I always go inside to order. I can't stand talking over those inaudible speakers, where you have to repeat yourself 2-3 times each way. It takes no more time to park and order inside. Great point.
quote:
Originally posted by cannon_fodder
Yes, I-44 and Memorial/31st street has one.
I believe you're right.
We need many more of them. They probably have to be designed into the bridge overpass construction, unfortunately regarding any potential retro-fitting.
Shorter, better timing on side street traffic lights vs. the main thoroughfares should be immediately looked at for gasoline economy purposes.
A baseline review of EVERY 2-Way, 3-Way, and 4-Way stop sign within each square mile quadrant to determine it's necessity.
These unnecessary signs waste truckloads of gallons of gas collectively.
And, Councilor Christiansen should re-review the City Car Take-Home policy.
Finally, ground Kathy Taylor's and Mr. Lobeck's His-and-Her private jets.
That would save a BUNCH of jetfuel.
[:)]
quote:
Originally posted by bluelake
quote:
Originally posted by Friendly Bear
quote:
Originally posted by mrhaskellok
CF,
From my research, the big mess in NE Tulsa isn't a roundabout. It is a traffic circle. There is a huge wealth of information on Modern Roundabouts.
I love them. I drove to Colorado last year to go see some of the ones they are installing (they have put is a lot the last several years.
Around intersections that bisect major highways, I've noticed that in some states they build a U-Turn function where a driver can do a 180-Degree turn UNDER the highway and avoid the stop and congestion at the traffic light intersection.
We have ONE intersection like that here in Tulsa, that I know of:
I-44 and Yale intersection.
Do we have others?
Texas-style turnarounds? Theres' one under 44 at Memorial I believe.
Got one at I-44 and 129th too.
##. Don't over accelerate, either on take off or just speeding up on the highway.
##. Don't use AC on surface streets. Once on the highway though, above about 55, you loose more efficiancy by having the windows down.
quote:
Originally posted by custosnox
quote:
Originally posted by bluelake
quote:
Originally posted by Friendly Bear
quote:
Originally posted by mrhaskellok
CF,
From my research, the big mess in NE Tulsa isn't a roundabout. It is a traffic circle. There is a huge wealth of information on Modern Roundabouts.
I love them. I drove to Colorado last year to go see some of the ones they are installing (they have put is a lot the last several years.
Around intersections that bisect major highways, I've noticed that in some states they build a U-Turn function where a driver can do a 180-Degree turn UNDER the highway and avoid the stop and congestion at the traffic light intersection.
We have ONE intersection like that here in Tulsa, that I know of:
I-44 and Yale intersection.
Do we have others?
Texas-style turnarounds? Theres' one under 44 at Memorial I believe.
Got one at I-44 and 129th too.
##. Don't over accelerate, either on take off or just speeding up on the highway.
##. Don't use AC on surface streets. Once on the highway though, above about 55, you loose more efficiancy by having the windows down.
We're getting some good ideas recycled here that we learned back in the 1970's Oil Embargoes, and have to just re-learn again!
Definitely, the Jack-Rabbit Start as they are called need to be retired.
EASY does it.........when accelerating.
PRETEND there's an egg between your foot and the Accelerator pedal........!!
[:)]
quote:
Originally posted by Friendly Bear
We're getting some good ideas recycled here that we learned back in the 1970's Oil Embargoes, and have to just re-learn again!
Definitely, the Jack-Rabbit Start as they are called need to be retired.
EASY does it.........when accelerating.
PRETEND there's an egg between your foot and the Accelerator pedal........!!
[:)]
I would be all for reinstituting the nationwide speed limit, say at 60 mph. It may save lives, as well as fuel.
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
quote:
Originally posted by Friendly Bear
We're getting some good ideas recycled here that we learned back in the 1970's Oil Embargoes, and have to just re-learn again!
Definitely, the Jack-Rabbit Start as they are called need to be retired.
EASY does it.........when accelerating.
PRETEND there's an egg between your foot and the Accelerator pedal........!!
[:)]
I would be all for reinstituting the nationwide speed limit, say at 60 mph. It may save lives, as well as fuel.
Slowing down definitely saves on the rate of fuel consumption.
Should it be mandatory?
Probably will have to be, because there are so many drivers who want drive 80 MPH + on the highway.
quote:
Originally posted by Friendly Bear
EASY does it.........when accelerating.
PRETEND there's an egg between your foot and the Accelerator pedal........!!
[:)]
I like to pretend there's a rabid, hungry wolverine between my foot and the accelerator pedal and that mashing it to death is the only way I can survive. Is that not good?
Eric, the only problem is when you take your foot off to break the wolverine will get you...so don't stop at red lights either. But make sure you don't go through any intersection that has those red light cameras.
Disclaimer: I don't mean it! STOP AT ALL RED LIGHTS!
quote:
Originally posted by EricP
quote:
Originally posted by Friendly Bear
EASY does it.........when accelerating.
PRETEND there's an egg between your foot and the Accelerator pedal........!!
[:)]
I like to pretend there's a rabid, hungry wolverine between my foot and the accelerator pedal and that mashing it to death is the only way I can survive. Is that not good?
It's good only if you want to help our Friends from the Religion of Peace.
[:O]
quote:
Originally posted by mrhaskellok
Eric, the only problem is when you take your foot off to break the wolverine will get you...so don't stop at red lights either. But make sure you don't go through any intersection that has those red light cameras.
You mean the fake red light cameras we have mocked up around the city? Has anybody actually ever received a ticket from one of those? I don't suspect Tulsa can afford them.
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
quote:
Originally posted by Friendly Bear
quote:
Originally posted by EricP
15. When you see a line of 912 cars at McDonalds: park your gas guzzling SUV and walk your lazy donkey inside. Save money on gas, save the air and save yourself about 10 minutes of waiting in line with a bunch of lazy buffoons.
I wonder how many gallons of gasoline are WASTED each year with cars waiting at restaurant drive-through windows?
Definitely just grab the first parking space you see, and walk into the store or restaurant.
And, you'll save gasoline and also melt some excess body fat, too.
I HATE restaurant drive-throughs. On the rare occasion that I buy fast food, I always go inside to order. I can't stand talking over those inaudible speakers, where you have to repeat yourself 2-3 times each way. It takes no more time to park and order inside. Great point.
Why not force fast food joints to build walk-up windows on the outside of their buildings? They have these at Rally's/Checkers and some other places.
When you get food late at night you're forced to use your car. Which is some poor planning considering many people who purchase fast food at 2am are inebriated. (encouraging drunks to drive! brilliant!). Most times they won't serve pedestrians.
Those cameras count cars, they don't have near the resolution to distinguish one car from another. They're pretty blunt instruments. Look at the City of Tulsa / TPD maps website has all the data for a few years previous.
Speed is not the paramount issue with road safety, but rather INATTENTION and generally poor skills. The Autobahn is a tired argument and there's no saying that the same thing could be done here - but it does demonstrate that people can be trained to use roads well. Driver's education is a joke here.
The cameras run the stop light timing in place of a loop detector in the paving....
Has anyone mentioned car-pool lanes on the 'spressways?
quote:
Originally posted by waterboy
Has anyone mentioned car-pool lanes on the 'spressways?
We don't have enough lanes as it is on our inadequate local highways to justify a High Occupany Vehicle (HOV) lane.
FB, but isn't that the point of the HOV lanes? If there WERE enough lanes, then you wouldn't need to encourage car pooling to save on congestion...
Buckeye,
I agree...only because we don't have that kind of application in Tulsa. There are way to many access points on 169 to turn it into a race track. PLUS, on the Autobahn they are considering dropping the speed limit for environmental reasons. In Tulsa, the LAST THING WE NEED is to drive faster...unless we all enjoy writing checks to the EPA. I know everyone can show how other cross country highways are safer but they
1. Build their roads better
2. Train their drivers better
3. Enforce their laws better
4. Are not smoking up the air I breath (per say) while I play with my kid at the park.
I meant to point out the value of proper drivers' training. It CAN be done such that you can let loose a guy in a Porsche 996 to go as fast as he wants - and there isn't a trail of twisted metal and broken bodies in his wake automatically.
quote:
Originally posted by buckeye
I meant to point out the value of proper drivers' training. It CAN be done such that you can let loose a guy in a Porsche 996 to go as fast as he wants - and there isn't a trail of twisted metal and broken bodies in his wake automatically.
Valid point
quote:
Originally posted by cannon_fodder
FB, but isn't that the point of the HOV lanes? If there WERE enough lanes, then you wouldn't need to encourage car pooling to save on congestion...
What, to PUNISH the drivers with even MORE congestion for not utilizing the underutilized HOV lanes?
That sounds like a typical Goobermint idea at its finest.
Along with the DOT's 1975 version of the vehicle Starter-Interlock System.
(22) I think.
Ask your neighbors if they need something from the grocery store, combining trips to reduce those short errands.
(23) Find a reliable local teen who's willing to earn a few dollars for running those errands.
(I have a seventeen-year-old son available at low-low discount prices. He works for food - really!)
quote:
Originally posted by Ed W
(23) Find a reliable local teen who's willing to earn a few dollars for running those errands.
(I have a seventeen-year-old son available at low-low discount prices. He works for food - really!)
Given how much a teen eats, and the current cost of food, that isn't a discount.
quote:
Originally posted by Friendly Bear
quote:
Originally posted by cannon_fodder
FB, but isn't that the point of the HOV lanes? If there WERE enough lanes, then you wouldn't need to encourage car pooling to save on congestion...
What, to PUNISH the drivers with even MORE congestion for not utilizing the underutilized HOV lanes?
That sounds like a typical Goobermint idea at its finest.
Along with the DOT's 1975 version of the vehicle Starter-Interlock System.
Sounds good to me because we car pool to work every day. The last time we left Dallas just after rush hour, we flew by about 8 miles of slow traffic in the HOV lane almost by ourselves on 75 north. It was WONDERFUL.