Money Saving Tip: Save 11% on Gas by Driving the Speed Limit

Here's a gas money saving tip from MSNBC :

Reducing your cruising speed to 65 miles per hour from 75 miles per hour would also mean gas savings of about 11 percent. And you’ll save on speeding tickets too.

As I've said before, we spend about $800 a year on gas. 11% would save us $88. Not bad. But is it worth it? I HATE driving slow -- especially on long trips. Does anyone else out there feel this way?

Comments

[RS]

I would say not worth it. One of my biggest pet peeves is people that drive too slow. Most roads that I have ever seen have a speed limit lower than what I feel comfortable driving. I am not a crazy driver by any means, but the speed that I like to go is usually about 10 miles higher than the posted speed limit. For instance, if I was to just drive on a road at my comfort level without knowing what the speed limit is or what how fast I was going...the speed I end up going is always faster.

I think that speed limits are set for the lowest common denominator and most were set many many years ago when people were driving much bigger cars. Now, I am driving my little Civic around and it is just much more comfortable driving it faster than the speed limit. I would love if they would re-look at the current speed limits and adjust them for today's cars.
-RS

[Jake]

I say not worth it as well because I can't stand to drive that slow and if its 65mph then they really want me to go faster. $88 isn't going to break the bank...

But in regaurd to the last comment I believe speed limits are set to accomidate people such as you and me (the ones that go 10mph over). The thought is that most people probably will go 5 or 10mph over the posted limit so the actual "limit" is 75mph in a posted 65mph area.

[RS]

Yeah, I understand that is kind of "how it is," but I do not agree with it at all. It makes speeding tickets waaay too subjective. I would much rather a speed limit was set correctly and then tickets could correctly be given out if someone was going over it. As it is now, I have to worry about going over the speed limit and getting a ticket from a cop having a bad day just because he feels like it.

We have one road that is near my house that I have to take to work and the speed limit is ridiculously slow...25 MPH downhill on a 2-lane road (2-lanes each way). The worst part is that it is heavily patrolled and they could basically give a ticket to every single person that drives on that road if they felt like it. That is the road that I got my first ticket on years ago and I totally disagree with the posted limit there. It is totally comfortable to drive 45 on that road without feeling as though you are speeding and that is what I think the limit should be. Then, if I am going 50, I would totally understand getting a ticket.
-RS

[Khyron]

I drive fast and make no apologies for it. Now, considering how I manage the rest of my finances, I can easily feel this way. (My monthly gas budget gets 50% underspent, on average.) I like to get places quickly, and when there is less need to do so, I slow down. I also use other fuel saving practices, to great personal effect. As far as whether the posted speed limit is the "real" speed limit, I think it is supposed to be. But between lax enforcement and the ability to evade detection, plus group think, it turns out not to be. Should it be? Probably. But it is what it is and I drive for the goal - arriving safely and in a timely fashion - not for the speed limit.

[Jose]

I own a carpet, mattress, upholstery cleaning business on the side and am obviously always on the road traveling from house to house. I have read that traveling at 60mph vs. 70mph only saves you 6 minutes of travel time for every 100 miles that you travel. Just a thought... We've also recently starting using a product that has been increasing our gas mileage by about 19%. We pour one ounce of it in our tank. You can also use it in your crankcase and in your transmission. It's been working great for us. Email me for more info on it...

[Mark]

I agree with you and driving within the speed limit helps a lot in saving your dollars. We should all be saving. In fact, I read here [http://blogs.iloha.net/toyotaparts/entries/11063.shtml] that even Toyota is cutting down on costs.