Another Fuel/Gas thread.

[H]

We also use miles & mpg but buy our petrol in litres. No wonder I'm confused.

Something bad has happened when our patrols are in litters...  ??? Oh, those aren't alternate British spellings, are they . Sorry No wonder I was confused on an earlier post

[Craig.]

[quote]Well for those lovely taxes...OUCH

It would be interesting though...Someone from over in the UK who fills their tank next time figure out your average KPL.

[Saitek]

Well our car weighs over two tonnes; its an Multi-people carrier http://www.edmunds.com/media/news/colum ... ia.500.jpg] (Toyota Previa). It does about 24mpg (uk gallon). But it is 14 years old AND an automatic. Not bad really. I think the US folks really need to give up the heavy metal over there and produce fuel efficient cars.
The new cars in Britain today (the average 5 seaters) are doing at least 40mpg. My Grampy has a new Mazda and I think it does about 45mpg.

[Craig.]

If there was a new car i was going to buy, it would have to be the Mazda 3. Has the good looks of the Mazda6 but is much better on the fuel economy. Of course i would go for the 6 if i could afford the running costs. The 3 apparently does really good with MPG, sadly the hot hatchback is coming to an end, its the era of the mini MVP.

[Hagar]

I'm sure my figures were way out & it was a conservative estimate. It's actually quite difficult to measure mpg accurately. The best way of doing it is to top up when the gauge shows a certain level, note the amount of petrol & set the odometer. Then take note of the mileage when the needle drops back to the same level & work it out from that.

Of course, it depends on where you are & how you drive. Lots of steep hills & low gear work will use a lot of fuel.

[H]

I actually lked it on my first trip to the US when the general speed limit was 55 mph. This was fine once I got used to it & you could tell within a couple of minutes either way how long it would take you to go a given distance. If you asked for directions they gave distances in hours & minutes, not miles. Now, they're just as mad as us lot over here.

You mean you never asked directions from an old New Englander so he could respond, "Wahl, ya can't get thayah from heah," whereupon he then tells you how to do so . His meaning, of course, was that you can't get there in the shortest distance without a boat, plane or the likes of a catapult.

[Hagar]

You mean you never asked directions from an old New Englander so he could respond, "Wahl, ya can't get thayah from heah," whereupon he then tells you how to do so . His meaning, of course, was that you can't get there in the shortest distance without a boat, plane or the likes of a catapult.

LOL Unfortunately I never made it to New England.* I'm sure I would have fit in very well. That sounds like the 'country mile' we use here or the Irish logic I love so much. Simply an alternative way of looking at things.

*PS. The nearest I got was Old Rhinebeck in upstate New York. A complete contrast to the hustle & bustle of Manhattan. Stepping off the train at Rhinecliff was like going through a time portal into a different world. I loved it.

[Triple_7]

I guess I forgot to put that part into the equation as well.  It does make more sence when driving long distances on highways and few stops...I have seen my truck get up to 25 MPG on a trip to Ohio...But that was a one time deal and I never tend to drive that far for anything.  Its mostly in town with stops every couple blocks :P  Winters coming though meaning I will be getting less and less per gallon :-[

One thing that struck me today in my government class was this artical in Newsweek magazine...we use it quite a bit for class...This is from the future I guess, date says September 12, 2005  ::)  But we got them yesturday and in one artical it talks about the gas prices...This is what I find a little scary and irritating...

This is for natural gas...Used in the home and measured in cubic feet.

In 2002 the average price was $3.50 per 1000 cubic feet....Now it is jumped to an incredible $12.50 per 1000 cubic feet :o  

$8.00 jump in 2 years...I find that truely uncalled for :-/

Also price per barrel in 2002 was around $25 and now it is hovering around $70 :-/

If I remember right also in 2002 our gas prices here were in the $1.25 range.  Now its running today at $2.93 >:(

Yes there is lots of reasons for this involving demand...But as for the other excuses...

INFLATION MY A$$

[4_Series_Scania]

My truck averages 11 MPG, not bad considering its size & weight (44tons)

My car averages 28MPG yet weights a mere 1900kg! its a 5 speed automatic BMW 7 series.

Relatively, its very good on fuel compared to a 740i or say, 750i yet still capable of 140MPH & 0 - 60 in under 9 seconds. compared to the truck, I reckon its bloody awful!

I resent paying heavy fuel prices in the UK, what my employers pay anually in fuel tax, scares me!

Thankfully, I use my car little in the week, so fuel isn't really an issue for me & my car.  ;)

[Hagar]

[quote]One thing that struck me today in my government class was this artical in Newsweek magazine...we use it quite a bit for class...This is from the future I guess, date says September 12, 2005

[Craig.]

As someone stated, it might have been here. Part of the reason for such a big rise is because countries like China have very recently had a huge step forward in their development. They are using more petrol/gas and other fuel sources now than they ever have.

[Hagar]

This is what I meant about confusion. I don't think you can blame China for the price of natural domestic gas (gasoline is a completely different thing). They probably have their own supplies, if they use it. Wouldn't surprise me if they end up supplying it to us. Maybe they already do.

[MattNW]

I think the US folks really need to give up the heavy metal over there and produce fuel efficient cars.

They did that back in the "70's" during the Oil Shortage and the oil companies lobbied congress to set limits on the mileage of cars produced in the US  because they were loosing money due to reduced fuel sales.

Of course then gas got cheap (relatively) and auto manufacturers started pushing the SUV and other gas hogs and now it's expensive again.

As for myself, I just reattached my saddle bags to my motorcycle. You'd be surprised how much groceries you can stuff into some soft saddle bags. Doesn't look as cool with bags on it but it sure feels cool when I fill up. Last tank of gas cost me $7.50.

Hagar and H: Try asking directions down in the south. People assume that you know where everything has been for the past 50 years.

"Just drive down this road till ya get to the old General Store. It isn't there anymore but that's where ya turn. Now turn right just past Wilson's barn and look for the Nary bridge sign."

What he didn't mention is that the "Nary" bridge sign doesn't mean "Narrow" bridge. It means "Nary a Bridge." You can tell you are almost there from all the skid marks made by Yankee folk from up north as they slid off into the river.  ;D

[H]

"Just drive down this road till ya get to the old General Store. It isn't there anymore but that's where ya turn. Now turn right just past Wilson's barn and look for the Nary bridge sign."
What he didn't mention is that the "Nary" bridge sign doesn't mean "Narrow" bridge. It means "Nary a Bridge." You can tell you are almost there from all the skid marks made by Yankee folk from up north as they slid off into the river.  ;D

Sorry, that's not restricted to the south. I worked as a field technician for a short while (NH) and the supervisor gave me directions to a repair location:
"Head north [obviously - I knew where the township was] and there's a road to the right [amongst how many?]. You'll know it's the right one because there's a large tree on the left side of a right hand curve and then there's a house just beyond it."
"OK, I have to try every blasted road to the right until I find one with a tree and house near a curve - and how far in?"
"Maybe half a mile -- but it's easy to find. The tree was cut down a little while ago and the house burned down a couple years ago."

I think I'll need a trailer full of flares

[Triple_7]

This is what I find so confusing when you Yanks refer to petrol & gas by the same name. How the heck do you chaps differentiate between two completely different products? ???

Generaly conversations are eather about cars or home...Typicaly not both at the same time ::)  

As for the whole SUV and truck situation.  It is out of hand really.  I think its safe to say at least 75% of the owners really do not need them.  I dont know why people want the SUV so badly.  They have many downsides and for some crazy reason there are a lot of rollovers in them
:-/  Trucks are a really big thing around here.  Yes they are nice but why get one just to drive around town...I own one...But I use it for its real purpose...Hauling.  I see plenty of brand new trucks out in the school parking lot...They stay perfectly clean and waxed...Its all to show off their money..Period :-/  Same with the Hummers...There is no one out there (except the military) who has any excuse to drive one around...I can only imagine the fuel consumption.  There is at least 3 I have seen in this town alone.  The only reason these people have them...MONEY FLASHERS

I know some people said that raising the US gas price up to meet the European price would change some minds and force people to start buying the more fuel efficient vehicals...In theory this is the best way to do it...Logicaly though...right now it would royaly screw over the little people who accualy have a vallad use for trucks and SUVs and cant afford the prices now.  And the people who own them just for show would complain but still buy it just the same...Think of it this way...If you can afford $40,000 for a new truck...Most likely you can afford to put $150 worth of gas in it every week or so :-/