Adrian Black

Since everybody loves a nitpicker; energy used over a given distance
only increases by the square of speed, not the cube. If going moving
forward through the air at 50mph requires 1000 watts, moving at 100mph
will require 8000 watts. But you'll get where you're going in half the
time, so you'll only consume 4000 watt-hours of total energy. So in his
examples, you'd save about 19%, not 27%, by slowing 10% and about 36%,
not 49%, by slowing to 55 from 70.

john wrote:
> For when you drive to the races. From the "pump guy". Same reason, by
> the way, when if you are already going very fast on a bicycle, why its
> so hard to go just a tiny bit faster.
> Most of this stuff, we as commuting cyclists already know, but its
> just sort of nice to have someone in the mainstream energy industry
> (i.e. big oil companies, etc ) using some logic, physics, and speaking
> his mind.
> His "letter" is in response to the "Stick it to them Day" bulk emails
> that went out, trying to convince everyone to not buy gasoline on a
> certain day.
> //
> /http://www.energy-tech.com/index.cfm?pageid=122&c2e=560&e2e=0&rs=0&artid=233&displaytype=current
> /
> //
> //
> _some excerpts:_
> /The driving public pressured the government to increase the highway
> speeds to 70 mph again, just as the term “yuppie” entered our
> vocabulary. /
> //
> /As a nation, we went out and bought big SUVs that waste gasoline. As
> a nation, we showed the world that we like to drag four tons of steel
> and plastic (the SUV) to the grocery store for a loaf of bread. /
> //
> /Those OPEC nations are so mean! We have the right to drive alone in
> monster SUVs, race across the lake on private watercraft, and waste
> natural resources. We’re good people! Why don’t they like us?” /
> / /
> / /
> //However, if everyone refuses to travel except by walking, *bicycle,*
> skates, or public transportation (remember buses?), then this will
> send the proper message of our desire to change. If we refuse to feed
> the energy monsters, for as long as it takes, then this will send the
> proper message of our desire for good leadership. //
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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john

For when you drive to the races. From the "pump guy". Same reason, by the way, when if you are already going very fast on a bicycle, why its so hard to go just a tiny bit faster.

Most of this stuff, we as commuting cyclists already know, but its just sort of nice to have someone in the mainstream energy industry (i.e. big oil companies, etc ) using some logic, physics, and speaking his mind.

His "letter" is in response to the "Stick it to them Day" bulk emails that went out, trying to convince everyone to not buy gasoline on a certain day.

http://www.energy-tech.com/index.cfm?pageid=122&c2e=560&e2e=0&rs=0&artid=233&displaytype=current


some excerpts:

The driving public pressured the government to increase the highway speeds to 70 mph again, just as the term â??yuppieâ? entered our vocabulary.

As a nation, we went out and bought big SUVs that waste gasoline. As a nation, we showed the world that we like to drag four tons of steel and plastic (the SUV) to the grocery store for a loaf of bread.

Those OPEC nations are so mean! We have the right to drive alone in monster SUVs, race across the lake on private watercraft, and waste natural resources. Weâ??re good people! Why donâ??t they like us?â?

However, if everyone refuses to travel except by walking, bicycle, skates, or public transportation (remember buses?), then this will send the proper message of our desire to change. If we refuse to feed the energy monsters, for as long as it takes, then this will send the proper message of our desire for good leadership.