This seems a little crazy.  The engine is burning about as much fuel idling
as when driving 30mph?  That can't be right, can it?
Maybe what they meant was that the emissions were as bad?  That seems more
likely.

On Fri, May 23, 2008 at 12:34 PM, Jim Felder <jim.felder@gmail.com> wrote:

> Thanks.
> I read this morning about something I considered, but had not quantified.
> The source (a CNN.com article, I think) said that every minute you spend
> idling is a half-mile of driving. Don't go through a drive-through window
> if
> you don't have to, and if you do, turn off the engine like it was a hybrid.
> Jim
>
> On Fri, May 23, 2008 at 11:19 AM, Don Hanson <dhanson@gorge.net> wrote:
>
> >  As an experiment, my last two full tanks of gas I've reduced my speed to
> > see what real effect it might have for me, the way I drive my 84 topless
> > fake Westie with an Inline four rabbit motor w/5sp.  As I have been
> driving
> > for the past year and a half, I get about 23 mpg.   That is running at
> > 65>75mph down the highway and using the "go pedal" without regard for
> > economical driving practices.  Very consistent fuel consumption over
> about
> > 30k miles during that time.
> >  So I reduced my highway/freeway speeds down to 55 max for these past two
> > tanks and my fuel consumption dropped, as we discussed onlist last week.
>  I
> > got another 1.5 mpg on both tanks at the lower speed. (one free trip into
> > town, per tank)  Thinking about it, I've decided to revise my driving to
> > the
> > lower speed/fuel consumption.
> >  What, if I speed home I may get to catch the last few minutes of
> 'American
> > Idol' on TV?  If I go a little slower, I may have to settle for watching
> > 'Dancing with the Stars' instead (joke)
> > ...And I don't really mind being in the drivers seat of the van..
> >    Don Hanson
> >
>