Democrats' common sense plan for gas prices...

[Steerpike]

Home office is great, isn't it? I'm going to try to spend 2 days a week working from home. Either that or rent a room in the city I work in and just stay there a few nights during the week. Will be cheaper than gas.

 

[Shogun]

It's something off the Death Race 200 Motors lot, isnt it?

 

[Ravi]

Home office is great, isn't it? I'm going to try to spend 2 days a week working from home. Either that or rent a room in the city I work in and just stay there a few nights during the week. Will be cheaper than gas.

It's best when I drag my laptop out by the pool. Glare can be a problem, though.

 

[glockmail]

Nope. But I'm seriously contemplating getting a hybrid for the drive

Unless its stop and go (and 100 miles ain't) you may actually get worse mileage with a hybrid.

 

[Ravi]

Unless its stop and go (and 100 miles ain't) you may actually get worse mileage with a hybrid.

I've heard that but I average 45 mpg either way. It might depend on the car.

 

[glockmail]

I've heard that but I average 45 mpg either way. It might depend on the car.

With a hybrid, you charge the batteries when you use the brakes, then get about 30% of that energy back when you accelerate back up to speed. In City driving it makes a lot of sense. On the open highway though, you shouldn’t be using your brakes, and the additional weight and friction of the electrical components actually waste energy. So unless you’ve got a highway drive with lots up steep grades that cause you to use the brakes, take the $5G or so that you’d spend extra for the hybrid and out it to good use somewhere else.

 

[editec]

The dems don't have the power to lower the price of gas.

If one of them PROMISED to do that (which I sort of doubt) they're pandering for the complete idiot vote..

 

[Ravi]

With a hybrid, you charge the batteries when you use the brakes, then get about 30% of that energy back when you accelerate back up to speed. In City driving it makes a lot of sense. On the open highway though, you shouldn’t be using your brakes, and the additional weight and friction of the electrical components actually waste energy. So unless you’ve got a highway drive with lots up steep grades that cause you to use the brakes, take the $5G or so that you’d spend extra for the hybrid and out it to good use somewhere else.

Last time I drove from Miami to Tampa, which is pretty flat, I averaged 43.5 on the trip. I understand what you're saying, but the car gets good mileage even when you aren't building power with friction. btw, you don't actually have to use the brakes to build friction, you can just coast in gear (this is with a stick shift, anyway). If I don't run the a/c I can get 50 mpg on the highway.

 

[glockmail]

Last time I drove from Miami to Tampa, which is pretty flat, I averaged 43.5 on the trip. I understand what you're saying, but the car gets good mileage even when you aren't building power with friction. btw, you don't actually have to use the brakes to build friction, you can just coast in gear (this is with a stick shift, anyway). If I don't run the a/c I can get 50 mpg on the highway.

The point is that you only get back 30% of the braking energy with a hybrid under the best conditions. If you don't believe me just look at the EPA highway ratings for the hybrid vs non-hybrid of the same car.

 

[Ravi]

The point is that you only get back 30% of the braking energy with a hybrid under the best conditions. If you don't believe me just look at the EPA highway ratings for the hybrid vs non-hybrid of the same car.

Too technical for me. When I'm driving along at 70 and I slow down to 60, the friction of slowing down charges my battery and and my minute to minute mpg shoots up. No hills or braking needed.

 

[JimH52]

The dems don't have the power to lower the price of gas.

If one of them PROMISED to do that (which I sort of doubt) they're pandering for the complete idiot vote..

The complete "idiot vote" was demonstrated when gw was voted into office twice. Thus, the most unpopular president of all time.

 

[glockmail]

Too technical for me. When I'm driving along at 70 and I slow down to 60, the friction of slowing down charges my battery and and my minute to minute mpg shoots up. No hills or braking needed.

I'm guessing that you're a Democrat.

 

[Ravi]

I'm guessing that you're a Democrat.

No, I quit them. But my car still gets the mpg I claim, in the city or on the highway.

 

[Ravi]

I'm guessing that you're a Democrat.

Mine's a 2003. Check the highway mileage at the link for the 2008.

2008 Honda Civic Hybrid - Official Honda Hybrid Car Web Site

 

[Jeepers]

Here is the bush plan.. or is that was the bush plan.. or.. what is the bush plan..
"Gov. George W. Bush of Texas said today that if he was president, he would bring down gasoline prices through sheer force of personality, by creating enough political good will with oil-producing nations that they would increase their supply of crude.

''I would work with our friends in OPEC to convince them to open up the spigot, to increase the supply,'' Mr. Bush, the presumptive Republican candidate for president, told reporters here today. ''Use the capital that my administration will earn, with the Kuwaitis or the Saudis, and convince them to open up the spigot.''

THE 2000 CAMPAIGN: THE TEXAS GOVERNOR; Bush Would Use Power of Persuasion to Raise Oil Supply - New York Times

 

[JimH52]

Here is the bush plan.. or is that was the bush plan.. or.. what is the bush plan..
"Gov. George W. Bush of Texas said today that if he was president, he would bring down gasoline prices through sheer force of personality, by creating enough political good will with oil-producing nations that they would increase their supply of crude.

''I would work with our friends in OPEC to convince them to open up the spigot, to increase the supply,'' Mr. Bush, the presumptive Republican candidate for president, told reporters here today. ''Use the capital that my administration will earn, with the Kuwaitis or the Saudis, and convince them to open up the spigot.''

THE 2000 CAMPAIGN: THE TEXAS GOVERNOR; Bush Would Use Power of Persuasion to Raise Oil Supply - New York Times

Not when you are as popular as a heart attack...

 

[Ravi]

Here is the bush plan.. or is that was the bush plan.. or.. what is the bush plan..
"Gov. George W. Bush of Texas said today that if he was president, he would bring down gasoline prices through sheer force of personality, by creating enough political good will with oil-producing nations that they would increase their supply of crude.

''I would work with our friends in OPEC to convince them to open up the spigot, to increase the supply,'' Mr. Bush, the presumptive Republican candidate for president, told reporters here today. ''Use the capital that my administration will earn, with the Kuwaitis or the Saudis, and convince them to open up the spigot.''

THE 2000 CAMPAIGN: THE TEXAS GOVERNOR; Bush Would Use Power of Persuasion to Raise Oil Supply - New York Times

Now that's funny. I wonder how many wingers voted for him because of that?

 

[glockmail]

Mine's a 2003. Check the highway mileage at the link for the 2008.

2008 Honda Civic Hybrid - Official Honda Hybrid Car Web Site

Perpetual motion is great, ain't it? City/Highway/Combined) 40/45/42

 

[Ravi]

Perpetual motion is great, ain't it? City/Highway/Combined) 40/45/42

Apology accepted.

 

[Swamp Fox]

The problem is the Dems have only a slim majority in the Senate. The republicans, partisan hacks and stone-wallers that they are, still have enough power to make sure nothing improves.

That should change in November.

I don't remember them ever presenting a bill for a vote that would lower gas prices. Surely no Republican would be stupid enough to vote against that.