Gasoline Prices, and your Z

[g72s20]

Thanks for that Mike! very interesting. I 've heard of the same thing done by HWP cars over there, no idea exactly where though.

Are they legal driving abreast like that over there? Here in Australia the general rule on freeways and the like is to keep to the left lanes (right hand drive remember!) unless overtaking. In other words the right lane over here is supposed to be used for passing or exiting only. We do have gherkins who think because they are sitting on the posted speed limit they can drive wherever they please! It does get them booked.

I can certainly sympathise with the result of the experiment. If you drive at posted speed limits around Sydney you really stand out. I can't afford the fines or extra fuel that the higher speeds will getchaLOL ... so I tend to use cruise for most driving...

[Mat M]

Yes, thank you for that, Mike. That's the kind of behavior I have witnessed on the mountain roads where I live. Somebody (there's always the idiot in front of me) equates slow driving to safe driving, frustrating everyone involved. People pass wherever they can, safe or not, endangering everybody. Why can't people understand that when there is at least 5 vehicles behind them, in CA, they are officially hindering traffic, and pull the F*&%! over???

I am all for driving safe, but I am not going to drive 40-45 on a road (that is ACTUALLY POSTED as a 55 zone) just because it is curvy. And, if there are people that want to go faster than I do at that particular time, who am I to deny them that pleasure? If they happen to run off the road after they pass me, I might wave to them as I go by...(hasn't happened yet, though).:cheeky:

[2003z]

Thanks for that Mike! very interesting. I 've heard of the same thing done by HWP cars over there, no idea exactly where though.

Are they legal driving abreast like that over there?

While its dangerous, it is legal here. They are going the speed limit, any faster would be illegal. Just shows, the slow drivers are the real danger.

[Carl Beck]

While its dangerous, it is legal here. They are going the speed limit, any faster would be illegal. Just shows, the slow drivers are the real danger.

Hi Mike 9 everyone)

While at present there is no law that requires drivers to keep right except to pass, obstructing the flow of traffic is not legal in Florida. In the film, all the cars to the left of the far right hand lane could have been ticketed for obstructing traffic, even if they were driving the Posted Speed Limit.

The law gives the Highway Patrol certain "criteria" that the drivers would have to meet - such as having more than 20 cars backed up behind them, having every reasonable chance to move right and get out of the way etc... but the law allows the Trooper to use his judgment in such cases and the courts usually stand behind the Troopers.

Last year both houses of the Florida Congress passed a bill that required people to keep right except to pass on all limited access highways. The intention was a) to allow the orderly flow of traffic and thus provide the safest environment for all drivers, to reduce the incidences of Road Rage caused by inconsiderate drivers.

Our Governor vetoed the bill saying that he didn't think people should be given a ticket for driving the speed limit.

FWIW,

Carl

[Tri-Star]

Thats a Bush for ya...

[KDMatt]

Interesting topic on the 55 mph law, however I'm going to leap in and play devil's advocate here for a moment, if I may.

Relating to the topic that sparked this thread (i.e. gas mileage), 55 mph was made the "national speed limit" by President Nixon in 1972 due to the 70's energy crisis; it was supposedly the most fuel-efficient speed (encompassing a VERY wide spectrum of cars of course) a motor-vehicle could travel at.

I'm not sure if that still holds true today, but it could be a very plausible reason for keeping those 55 mph markers in place... even if nobody does follow them.

EDIT: Should mention that the act was officially repealed in '95, but, as we know there are still some freeways that are set at 55.

Also, on the topic of gas mileage in Z-cars... I set the trip odometer and watched my fuel guage to see how many miles I could get out of the car before I would hit half a tank... calculated out to about 18/20 mpg for mostly in-town driving. The Z and I don't hit the freeway too often.

'last time I put gas in the car it was about $2.76... that was last week.

[DougN]

Thanks for that Mike! very interesting. I 've heard of the same thing done by HWP cars over there, no idea exactly where though.

Are they legal driving abreast like that over there? Here in Australia the general rule on freeways and the like is to keep to the left lanes (right hand drive remember!) unless overtaking. In other words the right lane over here is supposed to be used for passing or exiting only. We do have gherkins who think because they are sitting on the posted speed limit they can drive wherever they please! It does get them booked.

I can certainly sympathise with the result of the experiment. If you drive at posted speed limits around Sydney you really stand out. I can't afford the fines or extra fuel that the higher speeds will getchaLOL ... so I tend to use cruise for most driving...

The law was the same when I lived in the UK. But, I've always said that the US lack of a law (and tough enforcement of said law) requiring people to stay in the right lanes unless they are passing is what causes congestion and road rage. Here in Atanta, people merge onto the highway, and head straight for the far left lane and then sit there. At least half the time they are sitting there on their cell phones with no cars in front and a line of cars behind them. Interestingly, I tend to drive in the far right lane, as it has in reality turned into the "fast lane" since all the muppets are parked over in the left hand lane all the time.

[MikeW]

Here in Atanta, people merge onto the highway, and head straight for the far left lane and then sit there.

That's one of the reasons they're adding ramp metering. What tends to happen is that a whole line of cars tries to get on the highway at the same time and the car in front is too slow for everyone else so while the #2 car is trying to pass the slowpoke the #3 car tries to pass #2. Letting one car on at a time apparently improves traffic flow overall as you end up having fewer slowdowns on the highway at every entrance ramp.

[mattbibbey]

Just nto take this thread back to the begining a moment: Here in the UK, what you call Premium Unleaded Gas costs (on average) £1.09 a liter at the moment, that's about $1.75. X that by 4.5 to get a gallon and that's $7.87 per gallon of normal pertol (gas). So a full tank of gas in the UK will cost me around $104!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bad Times!

[soundmasterg]

Just nto take this thread back to the begining a moment: Here in the UK, what you call Premium Unleaded Gas costs (on average) £1.09 a liter at the moment, that's about $1.75. X that by 4.5 to get a gallon and that's $7.87 per gallon of normal pertol (gas). So a full tank of gas in the UK will cost me around $104!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Bad Times!

Yah, but the taxes on gas over there are a lot higher on average than here so that is a large chunk of the costs......

[IBZINYA]

My wife allways putts the "do you really need SUPER?" question to me when I fuel up... I simply do the math for her- 10 gallons at 16 cents more per gallon is a whole $1.60 more per tank!!! Go back to your neon! My brother in law and I figured that over 100000 miles of driving the difference between buying a prius and the standard corolla was about $1200.00 in fuel costs yet they want nearly $8000.00 more for the prius! Are people that clueless as not to do the math.... just quick buy it cause everybody els wants one?

[mally002]

I'm sure I will be in the minority here, but gas at even $4.00 a gallon is a bargain.

I will always drive my classic cars and never let the price of gas dictate my usuage and pleasure.

If driving is a passion and funds are tight I'm sure there are other ways to get your gas money......No cokes, smokes, lottery tickets, candy bars, etc.

Why is it no one has complained about the price of milk or soft drinks? I know this could get political really fast, but I guess my bottom line is the price is not bothering me when compared to other issues in life or to others outside the US.