Free-Will Productions

Dave Garcia, my friend and the current President of the Sierra Club-Yahi Group just wrote an article about the value of driving at 55 mph in the Spring 2010 issue of the Yahi Group newsletter.

I would like to add to his point and I encourage a discussion about this very important topic.

His point is that if all cars in the U.S. were not going over 55 mph, the saving in gas would be equivalent each year to all the oil we currently import from the Middle-East alone.

I add to this that what consumes most gasoline is to change speed rapidly, namely accelerating fast from a stop and giving gas towards a red light for absolutely no other reason than burning one’s money to get faster to a stop, wearing our brake pads in the process and killing a chance to cruise on smoothly when the light turns green.

We mostly drive like asses for sticking to bad habits and we waste our money, create dependency to foreign oil, add to an already terrible pollution and kill each others on the road as a result.   THAT JUST HAS TO STOP.

Most people would also save a considerable amount of (debt) money by keeping their current car but just driving it more slowly and more carefully.   I personally ride a motorcycle rated for an average 35 mpg and I am getting about 47 mpg just by paying attention and not riding over 65 (I feel a substancial difference in wind resistance over 65 mph).

I would like to start a campaign on the theme:

SLOW DOWN – SAVE GA$ – SAVE LIVES.

Who would like to comment and add to that ?  Thank you.

Gerard Ungerman