I saw an advert yesterday
which was encouraging drivers to reduce their speed to save fuel. Fair enough, you say.

But it said 'travelling at 50mph uses 10% less fuel than travelling at 70mph'.

And I thought, if I turn that round, that means that at 70mph I'm travelling 40% faster, and so get to where I'm going more quickly and enjoyably, and only burn about 9% more fuel.

Bargain! Or am I going to upset eco-warriors by thinking like that?

Alternatively, do you give a shit about the Oscars?
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Tue 9 Mar 2010, 9:21, 14 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

So if the train left Plymouth at 8.54am
and travelled at an average of 27.4mph until it arrived at its destination at 10.06am, why does the Relentless energy drink turn my piss green?
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Tue 9 Mar 2010, 9:38, Reply)

Because
you forgot your stomach meds, you mong!
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Tue 9 Mar 2010, 9:39, Reply)

Nah, it always does it.
Freaked me out a bit the first time.
( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Tue 9 Mar 2010, 9:43, Reply)

Yeah
I was just doing some thread crossover stuff!

I've never drunk Relentless to try this out. Some folk say that beetroot turns their piss purple too, but I've never eaten enough of the stuff in one go to see the effect.

I fancy trying the pineapple thing though!
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Tue 9 Mar 2010, 9:44, Reply)

I tried the pineapple for a couple of weeks
she still refused to suck it.

lulz
( Peej, Tue 9 Mar 2010, 9:49, Reply)

I don't have any problem getting it sucked, luckily
But it would be nice just to see if she liked the change of flavour!
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Tue 9 Mar 2010, 9:53, Reply)

I don't get what her problem is
I thought she liked cheese and pineapple on a stick
( Peej, Tue 9 Mar 2010, 10:00, Reply)

Or because it's so green to start with
It's like drinking acid.
(PenguinOfDeath is Scottish, and most likely angry, Tue 9 Mar 2010, 9:41, Reply)

Didn't Clarkson test this
and found that because he got there quicker, had the engine/aircon/radio etc on for less time that he used less fuel going faster?
( Peej, Tue 9 Mar 2010, 9:48, Reply)

Probably
It depends on the car, the gearing, the road conditions, etc.

Were it possible to do a constant speed, then 50mph will almost certainly use less fuel than 70mph, simply because of air resistance. But we live in the real world, and depending on the thermal efficiency characteristics of your engine, it may well be that it's just as economical to be doing 70 where you can. Especially if you need the aircon.

And doing only 50mph on a motorway is bloody ignorant anyway, because it causes lorries to pull out and overtake, which holds up other traffic.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Tue 9 Mar 2010, 9:52, Reply)

That,
and I wouldn't trust Clarkson to test anything properly in a scientific fashion.
(LongJohnBaldry, Tue 9 Mar 2010, 10:06, Reply)

Yes he is a complete cunt
and if he doesn't have his own agenda it will simply be to disprove a theory and look smart/smug.
( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Tue 9 Mar 2010, 10:17, Reply)

Depends entirely on conditions
and your engine. But each engine has a rev-range where it will be at its most efficient where you're getting the best power to fuel use ratio. This will be a different speed per engine and will be affected by factors like gearing, air resistance and stroke length (oo-er).

Arbitrary speed guidelines like this are stupid. Trufax.
( Kroney, Tue 9 Mar 2010, 10:13, Reply)

M1
On most of the M1 now there are so many roadworks you can't go faster than 50.

Trouble is I tend to go at 90 on the other bits to make up time.
(misspiggy In danger of having to get a job, Tue 9 Mar 2010, 10:22, Reply)