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re: Can nation drive 55 again?
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Posted by krx2cm Sat Jul 12, 2008 16:35:52 MDT
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0 responses 2 comments  In regards to the article on conserving gas and lowering the speed limit to 55mph I am in total agreement that it will increase your miles per gallon.BUT WHO EVER came up with the chart needs a new calculator or perhaps I missed something in school.I for the life of me and my calculator cannot see how they came up with the numbers on the chart.Or is this some more smoke and mirror B.S thinking no one is watching                                                                       In running some numbers of my own I could not come up with such a wide margin.I have a 2001 Dodge Intrepid that I have kept close records on.While driving 55 <in oregon> the average mpg per tank was 31mpg. Last week I made a fast trip to Boise at 75 mph with an average of 26 mpg..If I were to use the numbers in the article I came up with a lot different graph.On a 100 mile trip at 31mpg I would use 3.22 gal of fuel at$4.08 per gallon is$13.13 which is .13cents per mile and on the same 100mile trip at 75mph getting 26 mpg I would use 3.85  at$4.08 per gallon is $15.71 which is about 16 cents per mile.So explain to me how it went from 14cents per mile at 55 to $1.04 at 75  with the figures that were used.                     Also take into consideration in our part of the country on a 500 mile trip at 55mph your  engine will be running 9hours and 9 minutes while at 75mph on a 500 mile trpyour engine will run only 6hours and 40 minutes which helps make up for the difference.  

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Comment From: Jen1180

Hmmm, that is interesting. I can tell you that it wasn't someone at the Journal who came up with the graph, it came directly from McClatchy, a national service that we get stories from every once in awhile. I will have to look into that . . . Comment From: Jen1180

Hey, I just got an e-mail I thought I would share with you! This is the content: "A front page graphic in the July 12 edition comparing the per-mile cost of gasoline for a vehicle traveling at different speeds had several errors. The graphic was provided by the McClatchy-Tribune wire service, which later retracted it because of the mistakes." Kudos to you for catching the error! There will be a correction in tomorrow's paper!