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There is no convenient way to calculate the costs of different driving habits. If on-board computers could be programmed to show pence/mile at current speed, the way they show mpg, you could immediately see the expense of speeding, jack-rabbit starts, etc. Maybe a wi-fi connection in the car could automatically download the daily average cost of petrol in the UK and that could be used to calculate the cost of your fuel consumption/mile.
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Let's take a closer look at the real, possible savings that I -- an average driver in an average car (new Mondeo) could make by slowing down on open A roads and motorways.
I drive about 12,000 miles per year, mix of business and personal. Over 50% is in urban / town, 30 or 40 limits. I do not speed or traffic-light GP in town. But I DO drive briskly on open roads and motorways.
Diesel has gone up from 98p / litre in July 07 to 132p at the moment.
As my car has averaged a real 42mpg in the whole time since I got it, driving the way I've always driven. So at current prices, it's costing me £1714.50 per year in fuel - or £143 a month.
Even if I could get my AVERAGE mpg up by 7% to 45mpg -- and considering that over half my driving is in town, and I DO drive within limits in town, I'd have to be driving like a COMPLETE trilby-hatter on open roads to get the average up to that level -- I would spend £1600 a year on fuel.
That's a saving of .... £113 per year. £9.48 per month.
Is it really worth me taking 25% longer to complete every long journey I do (i.e. the difference between a point-to-point average of 50mph and 65mph), to save less than a tenner per month?
Edited by craig-pd130 on 04/07/2008 at 10:25
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I was given this info whilst on a driving course so if it is wrong - don't shoot me!
100 miles at 90 to 100mph given against 100 miles at 60 to 70mph.
With no obstructions, traffic etc there is a max of a mere 15 min difference.
So knowing that I don't speed and I am certainly not a mimser...
...situations dictate my speed - not idiotic others.
The way I deal with fast, aggressive, 'pushy' and tailgating drivers?
When and only if it is safe - I let them pass me.
I always try to do this just before a speed camera :)
Why just before a speed camera you may well ask?!
Because the other driver is more wrapped up in their own selfish personal need and world to notice the device they are about to hopefully trigger...
...and instant justice is served.
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Tron, not shooting you, but,
speed=[60 70 90 100]; distance=100; time_mins=60*distance./speed
time_mins =
100.0000 85.7143 66.6667 60.0000
max(time_mins)-min(time_mins)
ans =
40
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time_mins = 100.0000 85.7143 66.6667 60.0000
Bearing in mind your reputation in this forum, I'd have expected you to get the times more accurate than merely to the nearest ten thousandth of a minute! ;-)
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Humbly craving your forgiveness!
format long time_mins=60*distance./speed
time_mins =
1.0e+002 *
1.00000000000000 0.85714285714286 0.66666666666667 0.60000000000000
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The difference between 100 miles at 85mph and 100 miles at 65mph is over 20 minutes.
On motorways I find it's a lot easier to maintain a steady 75 / 80 than to do a steady 65, because at lower speeds you end up mixing with the trucks in lane 1 & 2 etc. This means much more decel & accel, which negates the advantage of the slower speed.
The advice to "slow down" sounds great in theory, and I'm sure works on those mythical open roads that are free of traffic. But how often do you get one of those?
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Surely if we live in a democracy then the individual has the right to choose for themselves the parameters of whatever they are doing (within some obvious boundaries).
In a democracy we have laws that we elect people to implement, as such this gives us a degree of freedom of choice within the parameters of the law, anything outside of those parameters is against the spirit of democracy and certainly against the law.
There is no such thing as absolute freedom on planet earth, every decision we make, everything we do has consequences.
If each of us choose to drive in a manner according to our own rules they'd be utter chaos on the roads. For example, someone who thinks it's ok to drive at 75 or 90 or 110 on a motorway, someone else chooses to drive at a different speed only they choose to drive in the opposite direction in the same lane and head-on towards the other driver, result is obvious.
Freedom of choice without responsibility brings with it dire consequences. Once we step outside the parameters of the law then we step into lawless behaviour and/or anarchy.
Edited by MikeTorque on 04/07/2008 at 11:42
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[1] Many drivers' fuel cost is reimbursed by employers
[2] For some, time is more precious than fuel
[3] Some can afford paying for fuel - so not bothered about saving by driving slower than normally they do
I don't understand why suddenly there is a tendency of driving extra slow! Definitely fuel price has grown up. But food price is also up. Are people eating one less toast or 20 g less cereal in the morning?
:)
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Are people eating one less toast or 20 g less cereal in the morning?
It would do some people good healthwise, help them lose weight and thus increase their vehicles fuel economy, it's a no brainer win-win situation.
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I am trialling a real economy drive at the moment, which involves sticking rigidly to a cruise control enforced 65-70 mph on motorways (usually cruise at an indicated 80-85, sometimes 90 where possible), and accelerating no quicker than I have to to avoid causing a hindrance to others.
I've only done a hundred miles so far, but have noticed two things:
1) It adds about 2 minutes to my commute - no more, no less.
2) My fuel gauge has just dropped off 'max' at 100 miles. It's usually the low side of the next mark by now.
3) Lane 1 is actually quite a pleasant place to be. You don't get tailgated, and you don't suffer anywhere near as badly from the concertina, 'panic brake' effect that is a fact of life in Lanes 2 and 3 on the M3 in rush hour.
Best regards
Dan
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"On motorways I find it's a lot easier to maintain a steady 75 / 80 than to do a steady 65, because at lower speeds you end up mixing with the trucks in lane 1 & 2 etc. This means much more decel & accel, which negates the advantage of the slower speed."
But you should be driving at a constant speed - or as close to it as possible - and using the lanes to overtake where required in order to maintain that speed. Allowing more distance from vehicles in front also makes this easier.
Mind you the guy who does my MOTs told me off at the last one for not braking hard enough and often enough to keep away corrosion and prevent the rear drums from seizing.
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@ Dyane6 -- my point exactly.
In normal motorway conditions (i.e. during the working day, with lorries / trucks etc) it's easier to maintain a near-constant speed at 75 / 80, as you're mostly in lane 2 & 3 and away from the slower traffic.
If you try and maintain a steady 65 under the same conditions, you're constantly being baulked by trucks overtaking each other, and having to wait for a gap to resume your cruising speed.
Sure, you can slow down to 55mph and stay in convoy with the trucks, and this will save some fuel. But you also add 30+% to your journey time.
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When and only if it is safe - I let them pass me.
What do you do the rest of the time ? weave around trying to stop them?
Edited by martint123 on 05/07/2008 at 11:19
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This is ridiculous, would you skip a bath to save money?
Did you know that if you don't leave your mobile phone charger plugged in for six years, you will save enough energy to have one hot bath.
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