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Old 05-05-2008, 07:29 AM   #1
fatlazyless
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Default ...r u driv'n less?

Are you driving less due to the price of gasoline? Are you changing the way that you drive to use less gasoline?

Driving around Meredith and the area, it sure seems to me like the roads have become pretty quiet after 7pm. Could be more people are cutting down on their driving and just staying put at home....getting a little better organized with their car use.

If you drive a manual transmission with a small 4-cylinder engine then you probably think you made the correct purchase.

If you drive a new Toyota Tundra, then you probably feel like "Is this big truck really necessary?'

If you are driving a bicycle, then you are probably too tired to think much of anything.

As I pass a gasline station I always looks to see how's business, and locally it looks like people are driving less.

Watching someone put $105 of gas into the tank of a Ford f-350, the other day, sure got my attention.

So, whatever happened to the 95 cent/gal gasoline of 1999 and will it ever return?
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Old 05-06-2008, 05:11 AM   #2
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Default I wish

There's really not much driving we can cut out - gotta get the kids where they need to be and my husband's job takes him all around the lake. He drives a Ford F-250, and it's painful at this point. If we could pack all of his tools in a Honda Civic, life would be great

I telecommute for my F/T job, which has always been a bonus but now it's a blessing. My office is in Manchester, I'd go broke getting down there if I didn't work out of my house.
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Old 05-06-2008, 05:14 AM   #3
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Yes, I am driving less. At home I am fortunate to be able to walk to work, the grocery, library and hardware store. My car sits in the driveway all week until Fri. at 2:50 when it's time to head up to NH (a 200 mile round trip).

In NH, I am very conscious of having to drive 3 miles to the nearest market and gas, 10 miles to the hardware store, and try very hard to combine all errands into one trip. Would I have it any other way? No.

Will we ever see 95 cent gas again? I don't think so. I remember gas prices in the 30 cent range when I started driving...but then we never worried about driving an 8 cylinder monster in those days. We should have though.
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Old 05-06-2008, 07:12 AM   #4
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Default Ahhh...the Good Ol' Days

When I was in High School, I worked part time at a gas station near my home in Nashua. I remember, during one particular "gas war", when the price of gas was 21.9. I also remember filling up my father's nearly empty Buick for 4 bucks. I think I'm giving away my age!!!
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Old 05-06-2008, 09:53 AM   #5
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I like the title.But are YOU driving Less?Truck driving that is.
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Old 05-07-2008, 10:11 AM   #6
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No, for now I am between jobs of driv'n a diesel guzzl'n, 6mpg, 18wheel big rig, and seek'n new employment.

As for my own driv'n which includes pay'n for my own gas, yes, I am driving less, getting better organized on car use, and have a small 4cylinder 5speed. Using cruise control, setting it at 59mph on the interstate, driving more smoothly, and only going down hill and avoiding going up hill will all save on gasoline. As you probably know the price of gas here in the Lakes Region has gone from 3.00 to 3.60 in the last month or so, a 20% increase, ouch!
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Old 05-07-2008, 11:45 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fatlazyless View Post
So, whatever happened to the 95 cent/gal gasoline of 1999 and will it ever return?
My guess is, no. Type "Peak Oil" into the internet search engine. If you're using certain versions of Google Search, the phrase appears at the TOP a list of similar suggestions as soon as you're done typing, "peak." Check out the first two results - more if you have time.

To answer your question, yes. I've been driving gradually less and less since oil first started going nuts in 2004. I remember standing at a gas station in the seacoast region thinking, $1.75 a gallon - ouch. I should've been savoring such a low price while it lasted.

Another thing I have done to save gas is to try to make most of my longer trips as late as I can stay awake. With little traffic, and all the auto-activated traffic lights green (no one coming from the cross-street to make them change) night driving has permitted more steady speeds which has noticably improved my gas mileage for the same trips made during the day.
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Old 05-08-2008, 06:26 AM   #8
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It is hard for me to drive less, as I have a long commute necessary for work. There are simply no jobs in NH where I could do what I do. Sure I could live closer to Mass, but who the heck wants to move closer? I am trying to get farther away! I have however changed my driving habits a bit to conserve gas. Cutting down a few mph on the highway increases my gas mileage ~10%. I drive 500 miles a week, so that adds up pretty quick.
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Old 05-08-2008, 10:48 AM   #9
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Default Same Boat

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Originally Posted by chipj29 View Post
It is hard for me to drive less, as I have a long commute necessary for work. There are simply no jobs in NH where I could do what I do. Sure I could live closer to Mass, but who the heck wants to move closer? I am trying to get farther away! I have however changed my driving habits a bit to conserve gas. Cutting down a few mph on the highway increases my gas mileage ~10%. I drive 500 miles a week, so that adds up pretty quick.
I am in the same boat as you Chip. I drive 85 miles a day and my wife over 120 miles day, transfers to 1025 miles a week for my wife and I. We are currently trying to sell our house, hopefuly abit will come soon otherwise we are going to be putting it up for rent. We have no chance of carpooling and also no chance of using public transortation. last month spent over $1,300 in gas! Two cars that get over 30 miles a gallon.
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Old 05-08-2008, 06:35 PM   #10
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Default ouch!

AC1727 OUCH!!!
$1300 a month in gas, and needing to sell the house....sounds like the plight of many Americans right now. Including myself. Gas prices have killed my business (that and the fact that people just have no money right now), and economic times continue to get worse.
I can't help but think of a post a while back (I don't recall the thread) from someone saying...."oh, this is just the typical 'sky is falling' effect. The economy is fine. It's just the election year blah blah blah." Or something to that effect. Not sure what planet that poster is living on.
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Old 05-08-2008, 09:16 PM   #11
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Default Go slower

I am using the cruise control on my Highlander SUV and have cut it to just over 1 tank of gas a week including the 200 mile round trip to the lake. I do not go over 65 anymore, work at home 2 days a week and have a 53 mile round trip to work 3 days a week. I do not go anywhere else unless I have to. I used to use nearly 2 tanks of gas a week and traveled 70-80 mph on the highway.

I just put over $60 in the tank... when I bought the car 3.5 years ago a fillup was $26. I don't think my salary has increased enought to compensate. Now I have to fill up the jetski... ugh!!!

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Old 05-08-2008, 10:11 PM   #12
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I have been fairly lucky, my commute is only 7 minutes to work so I do not use a lot commuting, although my gas guzzling H2 eats it up at 12mpg. A recent trip to Georgia, 2300 miles round trip while towing a boat one way cost $1000 in gas.

Filling the box truck at work at $4.20+ for diesel is tough, and paying the fuel surcharges (33% this week!) to trucking lines is getting rough.

With the added cost of a weekly 45 minute drive to the lake and feeding 3 boats however I will be paying less in gas than I spent in heating oil and electricity this winter heating our house!
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Old 05-09-2008, 05:50 AM   #13
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Default Premium gas

Years ago, when gas was cheaper, I did a MPG test on my car with plus and premium gas. At 10 cents a gallon more expensive, I was getting about 10% better gas milage (22 rather than 20). When gas was a buck, it was about break even. Now that gas approaching 4 bucks, a dime or even a quarter to get plus and 20-30 cents more for premium starts making sense. As little as 3% cost to get 10% better mileage. Has anyone else noticed a improvement with modern blends above regular?
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Old 05-09-2008, 06:38 AM   #14
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Default I'm going in the opposite direction

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Originally Posted by Lakegeezer View Post
Has anyone else noticed a improvement with modern blends above regular?
I've actually just gone from premium to plus and so far haven't noticed a difference in mpg's or performance. I own a VW, most of which require premium, but we decided to see if we could safely run on the plus. If that works out, we may try regular.
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Old 05-09-2008, 06:54 AM   #15
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Default ?

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Originally Posted by Rose View Post
I've actually just gone from premium to plus and so far haven't noticed a difference in mpg's or performance. I own a VW, most of which require premium, but we decided to see if we could safely run on the plus. If that works out, we may try regular.
What year is your Vdub? my wife has a 08 Jetta and manual and dealer and door sticker says run it on 87?
By the way the first couple of months the milage was horrible, now that it is over 8000 miles she gets even better milage, espeically when I head home from the lake area, I get non ethanol gas and get 32 to the gallon at 72 cruise control. We have owned the car just over 4 months and have 10,400 +- 15 miles already

By the way the boat will be visitng a alot of sand bars and getting to know my mooring ball a lot better this season. My monthly gas price stated earlier only incluided two trips to NH to work on the cottage.

Trick for all us boaters on the cusp of breaking: Have friends come up and let them pay for the gas
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Old 05-09-2008, 07:25 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rose View Post
I own a VW, most of which require premium, but we decided to see if we could safely run on the plus. If that works out, we may try regular.
Modern engines have anti-knock provisions built into their control systems, so probably "safety" isn't a factor if you have a relatively new car. This is usually achieved by dynamically de-tuning the engine while under load by increasing the fuel-air mixture and retarding the spark. In plain English, if you are using maximum power with a lower octane gas, the engine will simply produce less horsepower to compensate for the lower octane. Usually, though, we don't drive at maximum load, so the lower octane probably wouldn't make any difference at all.
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Old 05-09-2008, 08:14 PM   #17
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Usually, though, we don't drive at maximum load, so the lower octane probably wouldn't make any difference at all.
You've never seen me drive, have you???!!!

It's an 8+ year old car with almost 170,000 miles on it, so if I hear any pinging I'm headed back to my premium fuel. Luckily, my foot isn't as leaden as it once was, but it's hard to go slow in a Passat.
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Old 05-12-2008, 01:01 PM   #18
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We have changed our driving habits, by carpooling into work and to the lake. I had planned on buying a newer larger vehicle as we are expecting our first child next month, but have put those plans on hold. We currenlty have smaller more efficient cars that will do for for now. When I purchased my car new about 7 years ago, it cost $13.00 to fill the tank, now about $45.00, there are so many things wrong with why we are paying what we are for gas.
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Old 05-12-2008, 07:44 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AC2717 View Post
Trick for all us boaters on the cusp of breaking: Have friends come up and let them pay for the gas
...Or as stated in another thread in General Discussion, pay $79 for a season's pass on all day cruises of the MOUNT, Mail Boat, and the Doris E. I'm getting my pass soon. Planning to leave the boating worries to the crew while my friends and I hang out at the railing and watch the lake go by!

According to this article from MSNBC this morning, the future of oil looks like it's not getting any cheaper or more plentiful because of a number of factors in the world.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com...unningDry.aspx

I've also been hearing that we should all be mindful of where we park because less-honest people are stealing gas from parked cars. Anyone else been hearing anything on that, or reacting?

I just thought of a bright side to all this... ready? (*smiles like Ralphie from "A Christmas Story" *)

With more Americans carpooling and taking trains (the news this morning said ridership is rising dramatically everywhere) the morning commute has just become sociable. Kids in a few years will start hearing the words, "Your father and I met on the train/carpool..." Plus, no more driving & texting/dialing! This combined with fewer people on the roads and more people going slower to save fuel = safer roads = lower car insurance rates!

Expensive oil could be a solution to the obesity/diabetes/heart disease problem in America as people save money by killing the Gym membership and doing everything manually that gym machines only simulate. Who needs an exercise bike when a real 10-speed has just taken the place of local car trips? Or who needs a treadmill when we actually walk from point A to point B? And, once we all get in supreme physical shape from all the walking/biking/physical labor, I think the healthcare system's problem would solve itself at that point! BY law of supply and demand, less demand for healthcare = cheaper healthcare! We could re-train a lot of internal medicine doctors as orthopedic doctors for the injuries we'd occasionally get, and trade all our current prescriptions for a massive bottle of ibuprofin from the local Wal-Mart... for those times when we're feeling too macho to visit the ortho doc!

Just trying to look on the bright side. I'm not finding it easy to adjust to driving less. But I have to admit, when gas was cheap I found it hard to keep a healthy walking/biking regimen. I think I finally found the motivation.
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Old 05-12-2008, 11:17 PM   #20
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There is a gas station in Nashua that closed just a couple of years ago on Canal street. They never took the prices down when they closed the shop. I think it is < $1.00. I cringe every time I drive by and try not to look.

I have a simple way for congress to protect us from the evil free market oil companies excessive profits.
Make each one of us buy an equivalent ownership in the oil company of our choice that represents our annual usage of gasoline. That way we are all happy when they make a lot and we get it back. Then we send 1/3 to Washington to keep the beast fed.

Does anyone really think that Washington dislikes when corporations make a lot of money and have to pay a lot of taxes. They just have to act outraged and do nothing. Oh wait, that's what they do.
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Old 05-21-2008, 04:54 PM   #21
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Default RG... check this out.. maybe we should drill

http://www.wthr.com/global/story.asp?s=8348967

Maybe we should drill some test sites... On RattleSnake.

Check it out.... Winnigas.com (just kidding.. it's not a real URL.. yet ) $1.00 per Gallon...
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Old 05-22-2008, 11:54 AM   #22
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Default WV gasoline- 3.59/gal

At the little, self-serve, credit card only, Waterville Valley gas station down at the bottom of the ski area road, prices were 3.59 for reg and 3.89 for hi-test this morning, Thursday, May 22.

Waterville Valley is known as the 'town at the end of the road' and the next closest gas station is the Mobil, about eleven miles away, at exit 28.

Methinks the town owned gas station is selling gas either at, or below(?) cost as an incentive for vacationers to visit this very scenic resort town.

www.visitwatervillevalley.com
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Old 05-22-2008, 02:06 PM   #23
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Default Oil Companies paying Tax???

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rattlesnake Guy View Post
Does anyone really think that Washington dislikes when corporations make a lot of money and have to pay a lot of taxes.
The problem is that the oil companies are getting a Tax Break even with the obscene excess profits. Our Congress hasn't had the time to rescind this tax break. With all the vacation time they have to take they just don't have the time?
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Old 05-23-2008, 11:32 AM   #24
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Default Any one up to share commute to work?

I've been trying to locate someone who wants to ride share my weekday commute from Moultonborough to Laconia. Anyone travel that route? Even if you start out in Center Harbor or Meredith along my way in to Laconia. If so send me a PM and see if we can work something out.
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Old 05-27-2008, 10:10 PM   #25
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Default Stayed In

We stayed at our camp more during the Memorial Day weekend. Normally, we would have driven around to places to see what was going on such as the Weirs, or the Meredith docks for ice cream. We planned one trip to Gilford to include a stop at Fay's, The Wineing Butcher, Hannaford's and Home Goods. The big gas splurge was driving to Castle in the Clouds. Small , but notable, changes in our driving habits this weekend.
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