A comment

As promised, on our Wednesday and Thursday trip to Austin, we set the cruise control at fifty-five and left it there to show he savings that can be had by reducing speeds to fifty-five. Our resolve lasted all the way to Harlingen when, realizing that we were on deadline–cocktails were at six-thirty, after all–and, perhaps, it would be better to go at posted speed limits on the way up and then test our theory on the way back.

So we went. We made out event just barely, arriving at the Stephen F. Austin Intercontinental Hotel on Seventh just before six. It took some cruising to figure out what the approach to the building, so we’re estimating our first arrival at five-forty-five. Quick shower and dress and we arrive at dinner with five minutes to spare. Total travel time: six and a half hours.

The return trip took longer. Leaving at one-thirty and arriving home at nine forty-five,  it took eight and a half hours. So two hours was the time cost. I had filled up just as I was leaving Austin and topped it off  in Brownsville with seven and one tenth gallons for three-hundred forty-six miles, which made the mileage forty-seven and three tenths miles per gallon. Pretty fair.

Comparison with the mileage going up is problematic. For one thing, the tank I used driving up had some miles on it already, taking away the three-forty-six from the four-ninety-nine on the gauge when I filled in Austin leaves one-hundred fifty-three miles already driven when I left.

Miles per hour on the first tank was forty-five and eight tenths. So the gain from slowing down was one and a half miles per gallon, a three and two tenths percent gain.

Well, that’s not the promised seven to twenty-three percent gain. But I was driving a Prius, so it’s mileage is at the top of the charts already. Maybe for the next trip, I’ll take my ‘98 Ranger.

Nevertheless, I’m not unpersuaded that a drop in speed limits would be a fuel-saver overall. Of course, if everyone were driving vehicles that made forty or fifty miles to a gallon, that would help, too.

Either case, though, those are just short-term solutions to buy a little time while we figure out to live without oil at our fingertips.