Properly inflated tires - Too avant garde for the U.S.?

[Raydeus]

Is this really the case? Does every solution need to require billions of dollars spent or it just wont fly over there?



Now don't get me wrong, I couldn't care less if the US saves oil or not. What worries me is if the US gets in a bigger pinch one of the first things they will do is get their puppet goverment in Mexico to give them even more oil, probably making prices here skyrocket in the process.

And if the US can't even consider something as simple as that as a part of the solution then the future seems very grim for us over here.

[KingOfZeal]

Re: Properly inflated tires - Too avant garde for the U.S.?

But... that would imply that people can actually do thing that make sense without the help of Big Brother.

[Gentoo]

Re: Properly inflated tires - Too avant garde for the U.S.?

Is this really the case? Does every solution need to require billions of dollars spent or it just wont fly over there?

You know... I initially tried to work up the drive to write an equally insulting and odious response, but I just couldn't (not to mention reality kind of got in the way).

To answer the question in your Title; no, it's not too avant guarde. In fact, it's probably the opposite. Solving a energy problem by merely inflating ones tires would be -- provincial.

However, getting the public at large to inflate (and maintain) tires will require a significant amount of money to be laid out in order to solve.

Many service stations have adopted coin-operated air pumps -- and if the rest of the nation is like most services stations local to me, expect to pay two dollars to fill your tires up because of a ridiculously short timer.

People could, of course, buy their own pump, but that would require some cash also.

Then of there's the problem of actually motivating people to make sure their tires are inflated. There's two avenues -- education or fines. Fines put in place [or actually enforced where fines for underinflated tires are already in place] ends up costing money through enforcement. Education ends up costing money to get the message out.

[Vyuru]

Re: Properly inflated tires - Too avant garde for the U.S.?

Most likely they'll promote cars with only slightly better gas mileage as being more "economical and environment friendly"

Fact, a 1997 Grand Prix can get 30-32 mpg on highways, which is better than or equal to what alot of what is considered a good gas mileage car today.

I forget what our 1980 Chevy truck gets on the highway, but I remember it's the same or a little better than what most current SUVs are getting.

Which leads me to the, newer is more eco friendly my fine furry butt.

Besides, the energy used to make the newer more eco friendly cars far outweighs the energy saved by the supposed better gas mileage, and it's just a loss no matter how you look at it.

[Feba]

Re: Properly inflated tires - Too avant garde for the U.S.?

Which leads me to the, newer is more eco friendly my fine furry butt.

Pretty much.

(note: rest of this post basically assumes that everyone involved is in the US and speaking about the US)

Between all the extra crap a lot of cars have nowadays, and poor design, they're not really getting that much better. I remember seeing a Geo Metro or something along those lines from the early 90s that got mileage that would make most car buyers nowadays piss themselves; including Hybrids. Regulations and what's considered "great mileage" nowadays are laughable; we should see 70MPG, or electric, as the bare minimum in modern times; yet anything over 30 is considered great. Look at the Aptera Typ-1 for what we SHOULD consider good-- 130-300+MPG (depending on how often it is charged)

Much of the 'eco friendliness' in cars nowadays is pure marketing imagination. As you said, almost everyone is going to be doing more damage (and on a personal level, spending more) to buy one than they will by keeping their old vehicle. I saw someone who compared the "green" prius he'd seen advertised with his Hummer-- he would actually cause more polution, energy use, and personal cost to himself by buying one, as opposed to continuing to use his Hummer. Obviously, it's a different scenario if you're in the market for a new vehicle-- but then, you're usually better off buying used.

Not to mention the obvious need of people to not be lazy as shit. I remember seeing some study that found that something like %40 of car travel in the US is less than 2 miles; and %90 of those trips were by car. I'm not good at math, but that's nearly %36 of car travel (I say nearly because there are some legitimate reasons to cover such short distances by motor vehicle. Very few, though) that could be eliminated by riding a bike or walking that pretty much anyone isn't dependent on a family member or nurse to take care of them should be able to handle. And that's completely ignoring people that commute dozens of miles a day by bicycle; and live without owning cars with few problems. Very few people have a legitimate need to own an automobile, and those that do could usually do with less than they have. And even that is completely ignoring public transportation, ridesharing, and so on.

[Caspian]

Re: Properly inflated tires - Too avant garde for the U.S.?

I remember my '94 Chevy Cavalier getting over 30mpg and it was 4 years old at the time.
And yeah, you're pretty much always better off buying used. New cars are one of the worst investments a person can make. You lose something like 40%+ in just the first two years. And thats with proper maintenance and really taking care of it.

[Jarre]

Re: Properly inflated tires - Too avant garde for the U.S.?

How to save fuel....
Adopting a smarter driving style is easy. And once you've mastered it, not only will you start to make real savings, but you'll also be doing your bit for the environment.

That's because smarter driving means driving your car more efficiently. Doing this means your car will produce less carbon dioxide (CO2), the main gas contributing to climate change.

Remember to follow the steps below and you'll soon be saving money and reducing your car's impact on the environment.

1. Check your revs - change up before 2,500rpm (petrol) and 2,000rpm (diesel).
2. Anticipate road conditions and drive smoothly, avoiding sharp acceleration and heavy braking. This saves fuel and reduces accident rates.
3. Use air conditioning sparingly as it significantly increases fuel consumption.
4. The most efficient speed depends upon the car in question but is typically around 45 - 50mph. Faster speed will greatly increase your fuel consumption.
5. Drive away immediately when starting from cold - idling to heat the engine wastes fuel and causes rapid engine wear.
6. Accessories such as roof racks, bike carriers, and roof boxes significantly affect your car's aerodynamics and reduce fuel efficiency, so remember to remove them when not in use.
7. Avoid short journeys - a cold engine uses almost twice as much fuel and catalytic converters can take five miles to become effective.
8. Plan your journeys to avoid congestion, road works and getting lost.
9. Check your tyre pressure regularly - under-inflated tyres are dangerous and can increase fuel consumption by up to 3%.
10. If you're stuck in a jam, switch the engine off if you expect to be there for more than a minute or two. Cutting the engine will save fuel and reduce emissions.

[Mhurron]

Re: Properly inflated tires - Too avant garde for the U.S.?

Check your revs - change up before 2,500rpm (petrol) and 2,000rpm (diesel).

Depends on the car. Mine is happier shifting before 2000.

Use air conditioning sparingly as it significantly increases fuel consumption.

You can have my AC from what would be my disgustingly sweaty, dead hands.

The most efficient speed depends upon the car in question but is typically around 45 - 50mph. Faster speed will greatly increase your fuel consumption.

Again, this depends on the car. In the US, a car is most often geared to get maximum fuel efficiency at 55 which is the average for highway speed. I get significantly more MPG at 70 then I do at 55, more then sticker rated btw as well.

Drive away immediately when starting from cold - idling to heat the engine wastes fuel and causes rapid engine wear.

Once again, we see Jarre has a problem seeing that not everone lives in a nice, temperate climate. Like the AC one above, remember you look less like an idiot when you say if possible, since in lots of places, this isn't for a lot of the year. You're going to cause more engine wear by the next point then idling does.

If you're stuck in a jam, switch the engine off if you expect to be there for more than a minute or two. Cutting the engine will save fuel and reduce emissions.

How about not being a dick. Also constant on/off of a mechanical engine increases wear significantly.

On tire pressure saving the US from imported Oil: Power Line: Get This Man A Teleprompter!

On "goverment in Mexico to give them even more oil, probably making prices here skyrocket in the process." Do you really think you don't pay for Oil the same as the rest of the world? Gas is government subsidized in Mexico, you pay for it, just not all at the pump.

[Satimasu]

Re: Properly inflated tires - Too avant garde for the U.S.?

Guess how I have to save fuel? By dying in my truck trying to keep my idle percentage below 30% each week. I HAVE to do this. My tires are inflated and it gets a tune up. It has too. I still barely manage 6.5 MPG. I'm sure you'd just love sitting in an extremely hot truck begging for a decent breeze because the fan is just blowing hot air on you. Then you get flies in there from having the windows down. I deal with this for the 7 or so weeks I'm out on the road. All in the name of saving fuel. I'm all for conserving, but don't tell me it's going to replace drilling or some kind of foolishness.

[Grizzlebeard]

Re: Properly inflated tires - Too avant garde for the U.S.?

However, getting the public at large to inflate (and maintain) tires will require a significant amount of money to be laid out in order to solve.

I really find it hard to understand how people can not check their tyre pressure once a month and expend $2 on inflating them if needed. I mean, not only does it save on fuel consumption but the chances of you being involved in an accident are significantly reduced. Under-inflated tyres seriously impact on the stopping distance of a motor vehicle.

[Jarre]

Re: Properly inflated tires - Too avant garde for the U.S.?

Mhurron what i posted was advice from the environment commission in what they put forward to the last Kyoto summit, many european countries will be implementing more awareness and strategies to get people to do this. In the Uk they are considering making tyre pressure too low (based on a percentage) as a fineable offense and points on your license (just like have tyres worn down to much)

As for your comment about a nice temperate climate, you obviously have not been to the UK!!!

Last week it hit 33C with 90% humidity, today its 18C and pissing down with rain, 4 weeks ago it was 10C, next week its going to be around 28C with high humidity. call that a nice temperate climate?

As for your mechanical wear thing, if you service your car regulary, use the right grades of oil and lubricants, it does not damage your engine. It used to yes, but any car under the age of 12 years it doesn't, and considering 80% of cars in the Uk are under 12 years old, you get the picture.

what america also has to do is get rid of these huge gas guzzling cars that do less than 10 to the gallon that you can swing a horse in and start getting a more efficent car.

I have a ford fiesta 1.25 zetech engined car.

It can sit 4 people comfortably, it can fit a drum kit in the boot with the backseats down (a full kit, bass drum, 4 toms, high hat, stool, 4 cymbols, snare and stands.) as thats what I carried last weekend helping a friends father pack up after a gig.

My petrol tank is 35 litres (7.7 Uk gallons), and it can travel 320 miles on one tank on country roads and highways. this works out at 41 miles to the gallon. (obviosuly its less when city driving but I still can do 32 miles to the gallon in cities, stop/starting all the time at traffic lights / idling etc.) The car is nippy, it can sit on motorways quite happy at 80mph and still do the above efficiency. I don't have A/C but have efficient air blowers.

[Feba]

Re: Properly inflated tires - Too avant garde for the U.S.?

I'm all for conserving, but don't tell me it's going to replace drilling or some kind of foolishness.

I hope you don't seriously think that more drilling is actually going to help oil problems.

call that a nice temperate climate?

Temperateness - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Science agrees.

[Satimasu]

Re: Properly inflated tires - Too avant garde for the U.S.?

Please, tell what will help oil problems then? I'm sure we'd all love to hear your answer to magically drop gas prices for us. We need something to hold us over until we find a real replacement for it.

[Jarre]

Re: Properly inflated tires - Too avant garde for the U.S.?

Please, tell what will help oil problems then?

By using less of it, so the world reserves last longer.

Note why we are discussing more efficent vehicles and ways of driving efficiently so you don't have to fill up as much.

[Feba]

Re: Properly inflated tires - Too avant garde for the U.S.?

Please, tell what will help oil problems then?

See: Pretty much everyone else in this thread. The answer to oil problems is to stop using it whenever and wherever possible.

Newsflash: Gas prices are not going to 'magically drop'. I'd be surprised if they ever go back down. If they do, it will likely be government shifting the cost from the pump to taxes. Offshore drilling, (as with my above post this pertains to the US) even if allowed, is not going to start showing results for years, and would not do us much good. see EIA - Impacts of Increased Access to Oil and Natural Gas Resources in the Lower 48 Federal Outer Continental Shelf and EIA - Petroleum Basic Data . Offshore drilling is patchwork at best. The money would be far better invested in alternative technologies and energy programs (for example, quick charging electric cars, and power stations) to get off oil instead.