🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1857@ra.nrl.navy.mil>
dan@rcdips.nrl.navy.mil (Dan Nagle) writes:
 
>OK. Let's properly apply the laws of physics.  Power consumed by pushing the
>car thru the air scales as the cube of the speed.  CO will scale the same
>way (you guys aren't claiming cars produce less pollution *per gallon*
>at higher speeds, are you?).  So pollution *per mile of highway* goes up
>as the square of traffic speed...
 
Except, of course, that this happens not to be the case.  Remember, the
graph of pollution per mile of highway is lowest at some speed for each
car, depending on gears and so forth.  The highest point on the curve
is at the very low speeds of stop and go traffic.
 
>I frequently drive 65 to 70 mph on local highways.  I'm willing to admit
>it's a luxury bought with (slightly) higher gas bills, (slightly) more
>pollution, and a (slight) decrease in safety.
 
I drive 65 in 55mph speed limit areas for several reasons (at least in
Virginia).
 
1) No police car will ever give me a speeding ticket for
going 65, so I don't have to worry about slowing down when I see one
with a radar gun.  IMHO, the biggest safety concern is people slowing
down on highways because they see police cars.  I have seen people
slam on their brakes, and some were only going 55 or 60 at the time.
 
2) It is generally safer because going slower than the other traffic
is a significant safety hazard.
 
3) OTOH, it does reduce my gas mileage slightly, even with a boxy
mini-van and probably increases my pollution output slightly as well.