Comments on: Complacency http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/05/31/complacency/ Human Animals at the Crossroads of Culture, Science, Religion and Media Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:21:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Erich Vieth http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/05/31/complacency/#comment-18935 Erich Vieth Sat, 31 May 2008 21:08:58 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2686#comment-18935 Am I exaggerating when I call it an energy "crisis"? Here's an article that points out that the increasing cost of energy is already forcing major changes onto many people. There's no reason to think that gas is going to top out at $4/gallon, either. This is the beginning of a new era. Am I exaggerating when I call it an energy “crisis”? Here’s an article that points out that the increasing cost of energy is already forcing major changes onto many people. There’s no reason to think that gas is going to top out at $4/gallon, either. This is the beginning of a new era.

]]> By: Dan Klarmann http://dangerousintersection.org/2008/05/31/complacency/#comment-18930 Dan Klarmann Sat, 31 May 2008 13:46:23 +0000 http://dangerousintersection.org/?p=2686#comment-18930 I've heard a couple of useful proposals to help people understand their transportation fuel use. The simplest for people (and most invasive, conservatives argue) is to put an <b>instantaneous fuel consumption indicator</b> in all cars. That is, show the miles-per-gallon so a driver can watch it drop to 5 while accelerating, and rise to 99 when letting up on the gas. Any car with fuel injection has the sensors and computer to do this; it's a matter of letting the software be active on lower-end models. Another choice is to learn to think in <b>dollars-per-mile</b>. At 35mpg (my '98 Mazda), and $3.90/gallon (today's price), I spend $0.11/mile. At 20mpg (my '92 Volvo), it costs $0.20/mile. Guess which car gets the most use? The guzzler only gets driven when we need to be in different places (that are too far to bike) at the same time. I’ve heard a couple of useful proposals to help people understand their transportation fuel use.

The simplest for people (and most invasive, conservatives argue) is to put an instantaneous fuel consumption indicator in all cars. That is, show the miles-per-gallon so a driver can watch it drop to 5 while accelerating, and rise to 99 when letting up on the gas. Any car with fuel injection has the sensors and computer to do this; it’s a matter of letting the software be active on lower-end models.

Another choice is to learn to think in dollars-per-mile. At 35mpg (my ‘98 Mazda), and $3.90/gallon (today’s price), I spend $0.11/mile. At 20mpg (my ‘92 Volvo), it costs $0.20/mile. Guess which car gets the most use? The guzzler only gets driven when we need to be in different places (that are too far to bike) at the same time.

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