I think drivers are starting to slow down

[WTA]

I've driven around a lot with my scanner attached to the truck and on the data stream you can watch the engine load on most vehicles. A hard headwind does make the load a lot worse. It goes up almost exponentially at any speed over 55. I think I'm running abut 1800 at 55 with my power stroke. The truck weighs about 3 tons so around here that's enough. Those low gears I have just run the RPM up way too much.

I feel sorry for the guy that bought my last truck. I do miss it but the gas mileage sucked. I had big mud tires on it and a C-6 transmission. NO overdrive.
It got 8 MPG no matter what it was doing.

 

[srossman]

I remember reading years ago in a readers digest that the sweet spot was between 45 and 55 mph for optimum gas mileage.
There was an interesting article on CNN a week ago about hypermiling. Some guy was getting 55 mpg in a honda accord. I know that I've slowed down, and when driving to work, I'll often put the truck in neutral and coast down long hills as well as roll slowly up to stop lights and such.

 

[tallyho8]

I've read articles that say that most vehicles get the best mileage at 50 mph and I believe it. I had a truck that never got over 15 mpg when I was driving it. One day I had to follow one of my friends for 500 miles while he was moving. He had a rental van with a governor with a top speed of 50 mph so we had to go 50 the whole way. (I never go that slow on the highway) When we got there and I filled my tank and checked my mileage, I couldn't believe that I got 23 mpg.

On all my present vehicles you have to go 45 for it to go into overdrive and you get the best mileage while in overdrive.

 

[dmccarty]

I have not seen anyone slowing down. Everyone blows by me on the rural four lane road I drive on. Most of the time I catch them at the next light and mentally wave at them as I blow by them in the fast lane because I timed the light right.

I drive it at 55. There is a two lane road I drive and people get really ticked if you drive 55. They will pass me and then sit at the next pack of cars a few hundred feet in front of me. Some people just have to be in front of someone else. I really don't care but it sure is dangerous to pass on these road but they do it anyway. Seen some very close calls with these nuts.

The F350 ticked over the 100,000 mile mark a few weeks back. I have gotten to 20.9 mpg most fill ups in the summer. Last fillup managed 21.0! Wooo Hooo!

Later,
Dan

 

[RobJ]

I have not seen anyone slowing down. Everyone blows by me on the rural four lane road I drive on. Most of the time I catch them at the next light and mentally wave at them as I blow by them in the fast lane because I timed the light right.

I drive it at 55. There is a two lane road I drive and people get really ticked if you drive 55. They will pass me and then sit at the next pack of cars a few hundred feet in front of me. Some people just have to be in front of someone else. I really don't care but it sure is dangerous to pass on these road but they do it anyway. Seen some very close calls with these nuts.

The F350 ticked over the 100,000 mile mark a few weeks back. I have gotten to 20.9 mpg most fill ups in the summer. Last fillup managed 21.0! Wooo Hooo!

Later,
Dan

Same here. At least on my trips to the weekend place the 2 lane road has a large shoulder(almost another lane) where "most" locals will slide over and let you pass. Some will not and sit on 50. Only about 4-5 places to pass in a large truck (there are many more in a sports car!!). I guess the ones that get me the most are the RVers. They will not let you by for nothing, and their speed might vary from 60 to 50 or 45 on the little east Texas hills.

 

[Western]

I have noticed a marked reduction in traffic on the weekends lately and I hardly see people towing boats, at least not like usual.

 

[kenmac]

I haven't seen any slowing down around here. In fact, it's the big SUV'S that are going the fastest. Guess they haven't figured out if they slow down just a little, that big SUV will get a little better MPG

 

[shimp]

nothing slow this way

try i-75-its a goshdern race track

 

[ihookem]

They are slowing down some here. I have noticed it, the patrol has noticed it and the deathes are down in Wisconsin road ways. I slowed to 58mpg, my wife slowed from 80 to 65. (Never thought I'd see that!)

 

[pennwalk]

I hardly see people towing boats

I noticed that the boats for sale classified column in newspaper seemed unusually long today. I wonder if some people are giving up boating Maybe the river will be less crowded.

Chris