Trying to look at your argument from an unbiased perspective, I find it too hard to see the concrete evidence behind your argument. The fact alone that using more power= using more gas makes it hard for me, personally, to understand how going faster is a good economic fuel tip. Yes, it is true that there are optimal speeds for given cars; my truck, for example, runs best at 65 mph, receiving about 10 to 11 mpg. However, this driving of 65 mph is over a long period of time, say an hour. If I were to drive for the same amount of time, at a different speed, I may not reach as high mpg. Although, it would be very difficult to commute everywhere at 65 mph. Maybe in the great state of Minnesota, you are fortunate enough to have roads and highways that are traffic free. But you have to understand that others are not as fortunate. Furthermore, getting from 0-65 (again, stating that 65 is my optimal speed) alone burns a lot of gas. It would be very convenient if there was a button to press so that everyone could achieve their highest mpg, but this dream is unrealistic.

In addition, in regards to Mr. Carr’s four points:
1. Increased fuel consumption – this is obvious and further more not negligible, after all, this is an article entitled “Fuel Economic Tip” not “What Satisfies You Most.” We are implying that your marginal costs are exceeding your marginal benefits, and that you are willing to sacrifice time in the first place in order to maintain some income.

2. Increased chance for tickets – Yes, it is possible to talk yourself out of receiving a ticket. But law is law, and mph over the speed limit is breaking the law, and if a cop really wants to give you a ticket, they can.

3. Increased chance for accidents – I was surprised to see that increased speed does not have such an effect on accidents, however I know from a personal experience, that it’s a lot harder for me to slow down when I’m going 60 then when I’m going 30. I sure would not want to have anyone jump in front of my truck, but I won’t rely that people will stay out of the way, and therefore, if I don’t want to take a chance of getting sued, I’m perfectly fine with going a little bit slower.

4. Increased insurance premiums – Insurance companies reward good drivers. Wasn’t it on one of those Allstate commercials? Yes, not all insurance companies are going to reward good drivers, but they will punish bad ones. What consists of bad drivers? How about wreck less drivers? What’s wreck less driving? How bout driving over the speed limit?

5. More wear and tear on vehicle – You’re going faster… so you use your car less= no wear and tear? Surely I must be missing something in this argument, because frankly, I am finding zero sense in any of it. However, let me try to explain Mr. Carr’s argument. When you walk up a hill, you get pretty tired. You reach the hill, maybe a little bit winded, and maybe experiencing a faster heart beat. But that hill was pretty big, and took you a good 15 minutes to reach the top. Now if you were in a hurry (say supper was on the table…no one likes cold mash potatoes) you would decided to sprint up that very same hill. When you reached the top, you would be very tired, more tired than you would be from walking. You would be breathing a lot heavier, your heart would be racing a lot faster, and maybe even your feet hurt. However, sprinting up this hill, although it poops you out, is good for you. It builds endurance and is good for your blood pressure. But in order to receive more endurance and better health, you have to provide yourself more energy than you would from walking (i.e. more water, protein, and vitamins, and perhaps lavish foot massages). The same goes for your automobile. Stop and go traffic is not good for your car, this I will agree with, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not cheaper. Running your car at faster speeds requires more fuel and better care of everything that’s powering your car (engine, tires, drive train, etc.), they need their lavish massages too. All in all, using your car for a shorter amount of time does not by any means reduce wear and tear. Wear and tear is caused by how much work you demand from your vehicle, not by how much time.

I thank both of you for grabbing my attention, I love hearing all sides of an issue, and love even more when I can display my knowledge and have people agree. Although you two seem to be getting a little out of hand with personal attacks, I enjoyed reading your arguments. I hope that I didn’t offend anyone with my argument. If I did, I am sorry. I had no intention whatsoever so insult anyone, and if by all means I am wrong, go ahead and tell me so I can stop believing false information. Thanks again, and happy holidays.