Vaguely recall something about 'urban mpg' tests being based around an average of 50 mph, so modern vehicle designs are tweaked to be more aerodynamically slippery at that low speed range giving more economical/greener performance figures. With traffic congestion getting worse every year we may be the last generation to travel the roads at such heady speeds as 70mph.
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- Thread starter Toddy
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You may be right actually. Just doing a crude calculation of wind pressure between 50 and 70mph would suggest a doubling of wind resistance - maybe they're right after all
Huge number of variables. The states like to make us believe that lowering the speed is the answer, but it is not.
For safety - yes.
Not for me though. I love high speeds, and driving on excellent roads at a ridiculously low speed makes me grumpy, angry and unpredictable.
You might discover that your own car engine runs much more efficiently at the revs needed to run it at 70 mph in top gear than at 50 mph in one gear lower.
There is one more negative effect. If the speed is lowered substantially, the road will not 'empty' as quickly, and tailbacks can happen.
For safety - yes.
Not for me though. I love high speeds, and driving on excellent roads at a ridiculously low speed makes me grumpy, angry and unpredictable.
You might discover that your own car engine runs much more efficiently at the revs needed to run it at 70 mph in top gear than at 50 mph in one gear lower.
There is one more negative effect. If the speed is lowered substantially, the road will not 'empty' as quickly, and tailbacks can happen.
Not really for safety either. During the period when our speed limit was 55mph the accident rate didn’t change.
That is interesting. Maybe more people than me get stressed by driving slow on nice roads?
Here, our max speed on just a few kilometres is 50 mph. The rest 40, 35 or 25 mph.
Yet we have many accidents and deaths considering the small population.
Here, our max speed on just a few kilometres is 50 mph. The rest 40, 35 or 25 mph.
Yet we have many accidents and deaths considering the small population.
Not for me though. I love high speeds, and driving on excellent roads at a ridiculously low speed makes me grumpy, angry and unpredictable.
I am lucky. I live in an area where the roads are fun within the speed limit. You can't beat drifting around winding mountain roads in a rear-wheel-drive sports car
But it would be less fun if they lowered the speed limit to, say, 15 or 20 Mph!
But then we could take an electric scooter I guess, and bring the fun back!
But then we could take an electric scooter I guess, and bring the fun back!
There are many factors other than speed which will make a car efficient, when I go to work a distance of about 12 miles I achieve 45 mpg going there and 58 mpg coming back, solely down to the fact I go up a long hill going, and cruise down the same hill coming back., now if I cruised down the hill coming back at about 20 mph, I can actually achieve something in the region of 110 mpg, this is because the computer calculates the mpg on distance and time.
Saying that I do not always believe what the computer says..................................very few cars can normally achieve the manufacturers stated mpg figures, as there are too many variables, roads, wind speed, temp, landscape, etc, etc,
Saying that I do not always believe what the computer says..................................very few cars can normally achieve the manufacturers stated mpg figures, as there are too many variables, roads, wind speed, temp, landscape, etc, etc,
For best efficiency ( but dangerous so never, ever recommended!) you should put the car in Neutral and roll downhill. The higher exit speed - the longer your car will roll and only consuming ‘engine idling’ amount of fuel.
For me, driving a decent car is a pleasure. Cost of fuel is a minor problem.
For me, driving a decent car is a pleasure. Cost of fuel is a minor problem.
Both SAAB and Rover (amongst others) offered cars with "freewheel" gear boxes.
http://www.bmh-ltd.com/wheelnut/wheelnut_1.asp
Citroen had the TraffiClutch, which was centrifugal/freewheel, and Trabant also had a freewheeling box.
And anyone familiar with Massey Ferguson multi power gearboxes will know that in low multi power there is no engine braking so it effectively is a freewheel.
http://www.bmh-ltd.com/wheelnut/wheelnut_1.asp
Citroen had the TraffiClutch, which was centrifugal/freewheel, and Trabant also had a freewheeling box.
And anyone familiar with Massey Ferguson multi power gearboxes will know that in low multi power there is no engine braking so it effectively is a freewheel.
Absolutely.
If you do not burn some carbohydrates, somebody else will.
I am offsetting what I burn in cars, boat and airplane by being as environmentally friendly as I can.
Buying Local, recycling, not buying shortlived Far Eastern goods, stuff like that.
Buying cars that I keep forever. In fact, what we have now will stay with me until my Earthly departure.
If you do not burn some carbohydrates, somebody else will.
I am offsetting what I burn in cars, boat and airplane by being as environmentally friendly as I can.
Buying Local, recycling, not buying shortlived Far Eastern goods, stuff like that.
Buying cars that I keep forever. In fact, what we have now will stay with me until my Earthly departure.
I have a Rudd Rake - great bit if kit!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-en...-the-family-raking-in-the-hay-for-generations
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-en...-the-family-raking-in-the-hay-for-generations
I make my own, I also still use one of these.I have a Rudd Rake - great bit if kit!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-en...-the-family-raking-in-the-hay-for-generations
I used one very like this in the 1970s seeding a pasture. The only difference was ours used a hand crank rather than a pull handle.
My old fiesta had a speed if 56mph written in the manual as being the most efficient cruising speed. By the time I sold it that speed was impossible to maintain on some motorway hills even with a good run at them. I guess a few horses escaped the bonnet leaving only the old nags!
What a good idea!
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...plant-1m-trees-across-nation-in-tv-fundraiser
Apparently they raised more than 99% of the goal.
Maybe something BBC could do?
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...plant-1m-trees-across-nation-in-tv-fundraiser
Apparently they raised more than 99% of the goal.
Maybe something BBC could do?