Several school systems have modified their walk/bus boundaries because of fuel costs, and many more are considering doing so. And frankly, I do know a lot of people (even in this very affluent area) who are attempting to drive less.
Best wishes, Ericka
It's likely that rolling the window down instead of running the A/C won't be an improvement, as the rolled-down window affects drag sufficiently to affect gas mileage. And don't bother leaving the tailgate down on the pickup.
People have cut back on driving in the LA area, as evidenced by the reduced number of gasoline loads we're hauling.
I think it's 4 years/40 pounds in California, but I also think they're trying to increase it. I'd like to see children banned from front seats until they're at least 12. A friend in Arkansas is pregnant with her third, due the day after the first's third birthday. They're talking minivan. And given the hell she went through to get pregnant at all (though she obviously hadn't had a bit of trouble with #2 and #3!!), I think they're going to abide by the laws in their state. I have a Chevy Astro mini van, and have explained before why I neither carpool (no one else working my shift) nor use public transportation (two counties, two transit systems, with "South Central" between work and home, and limited busses at the time I get off work). Once each month I participate in an activity for which I need the cargo space, and two to three times each year I go camping. All I need for the monthly activity and the 2-3 camping trips related to the monthly activity will fit in my Astro van and can be safely secured there (as safe as any vehicle is as a storage device).
They did a test on this on the Discovery show "Mythbusters". Got
*identical* SUV's. Drove them around a track until the gas tanks were empty. Then each vehicle was towed to oposite sides of the track (one being in the other's tailwash would defeat the test), and loaded with exactly 5 gallons(US) of gas. One vehicle had the windows rolled down, one had them all up and the AC cranked on MAX (that guy actually dressed warmly). They drove around the track with their cruise control set at 45MPH until the tanks went dry again. Checked the odometers. The car with the AC on went further than the car with the windows down. The reason is that modern AC's in cars don't draw that much from the engine (most modern cars have one belt running everything, so flippin on the AC doesn't draw that much more from it than when the AC is not running), but the open windows created drag on the car.
Oddly enough they recently conducted an experiment on one of our motoring programmes which PROVED that it was more economical to run the AC than to have the car windows open.
Pat P
I LOVE Mythbusters! Jamie rocks!
Cheryl
Except...in my non-AC truck, I never leave it running when popping into a store or any short-lived stop as it doesn't affect the breeze coming in the windows. :-) I frequently see vehicles running at a parked position to keep the AC going.
Tara
In this state, that practice is illegal, unless there is someone in the vehicle.
Elizabeth
LOL! We don`t do THAT! But then we probably don`t get as hot as you do.
Pat P
Our family loves MythBusters too!! It's great fun that it's often fairly local being in the SF Bay Area where my DH and I grew up - we're near Sacramento now which is only 2 hours away.
Did you ever see the episode where they tried to find a needle in a haystack? They actually visited Needle in a Haystack in Alameda because of the shop name and to buy the needles to look for. Had Cathe on the segment talking to them and everything - what a hoot!
Great shop if you ever get a chance to visit - (no affiliation, just a satisfied customer)
And remember, it's hard to meditate when you're on amphetamines...
I'm a huge fan of Mythbusters, but I have to point out that their MPG experiment was flawed to the point where the results are invalid.
Sorry, but it's a pet peeve when people cite Mythbusters as the gospel truth. It's a great show, but remember...it's just entertainment. The science is often reeeeeeally shaky.
Cringed during the first Chicken Gun episode... Becky A
Their puddle-of-gasoline-on-the-garage-floor "experiment" was flawed, too. Their example may have accurately represented the effects of throwing a burning cigarette into a tiny puddle on a concrete floor, but it certainly didn't examine the effects of a burning cigarette -- or even a cell phone or other electronic equipment -- at a loading rack or under other conditions. feh!
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