The government forced us to save fuel a few years back. It all started in the 70's. We had a 70mph speed limit in our state at that time. The Government decided to change the speed limit to 55. Being a trucker most of my working life i hated the new speed limit. I can't drive 55 was a hot saying back then and most of us fudged on the limit and when in the truck pushed the limit as far as the pocketbook would allow. Now i decided that i would VOLUNTARILY drive 55 and stick the savings in my pocket. With fuel hovering around $2.50 gal I decided to test my savings with my 2002 4.0 Ford Explorer. My average was around 19-21 MPG. Now driving 55 my MPG went to 26 MPG. Thats a 25% fuel savings. Now that I'm retired i don't drive that much but for you who still commute to work or school, well just put a pencil to your weekly savings. Anyway it's a good way to save money and screw the oil company's out of a few bucks. If everyone went back to 55 for 1 week i think the oil price would fall also. Where would the oil companies store that sudden glut of 20-25% more fuel? Flame suit on.....Wayne

All my auto learning has pointed at 60 MPH to be just about the perfect speed as far as MPG is concerned. Also accelerating slowly up to your target speed will add a couple MPG as well..

Lowering the price of gas?? Our world could use so many improvements.... I'm staying out of that one....

Ahaaa! I have found the dude that was in front of me on the f-way this afternoon for 40 miles!
FJ if you are that consious of your milage why not trade that nice ride in on a YUGO?
You do know there are rides around that would getcha near 35mpg?
I drive a H/D Chevy all day long. 12mpg is about the extent of it. I do need it in my trade. I also have a nice Ranger that has shown me 22mpg at 55/60 mph. But I save it for the weekends.
Big Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

My mom has a toy. Matrix, I pulled 40 MPG out of it this summer on a trip to Yosemite doing 70 MPH the whole way........

I agree with you in principle Funjeep, but, I'm afraid it's too late to make any significant difference one way or the other. WE'RE DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMED <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />

gas is cheap here. go to europe. how many litres are in a gallon??!! this is the land of consumption funjeep, don't be unamerican, put in a big block and run some 44" swampers and then go teach some guy in a hummvee a lesson.

55 in a 70......people get dragged out of the car through the window for that in n.y.!! neither safe nor intelligent here!! people up here are so bound up and stressed you really have no idea what havoc road rage will cause.

Tom all the places that gasoline is higher than the US have no income tax! So everyone pays their tax when they make ANY purchase. THAT is why gasoline is so high around the world.
Did you know that POOR MEXICO has a higher gasoline price than the US? All the border cities in Texas have a steady stream of Mexicans coming over to get gasoline. Lots of them have installed HUGE tanks in their rides and get 100 gallons or more.
Big Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/pfft.gif" alt="" />

tom, 55 in a 70?? where is it 70 uphere?? isnt more like 80-90...only in the honda of course.. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I drive 55 too. My DD is my truck, with 33s. I get 20 mpg and run the a/c.

That's why they have a slow lane. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

Clay

I'm gonna have to call BS on that one! Background information from my European friends combined with the good 'ol internet says otherwise...
2003 Income Tax by Country

The biggest costs (I think) their income tax covers are social programs (unemployment, education, healthcare), while their gasoline (and car registration/owenership taxes for that matter) are applied to transportation (road improvement, PUBLIC TRASNPORTATION [which is great in Europe]).