I would have thought that since fuel prices are so high that people would drive less. The traffic in the Portland metro area is about as bad if not worse since the prices have gone sky high. I was in LA a month ago and the I saw the same thing and their fuel prices are higher than in Portland.
What gives?

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

Too many people refuse to carpool.....becasue its not convienient to ad 5 minutes to their commute.

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

the price is not high enough yet for people to seek alternate transport methods

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72 W114/M130

RedMeat cartoon

They are getting all their driving in now, before prices go up even higher.

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

Around Dallas, traffic seemed quiet during the labor day holiday. I think people did stay home and cut back on their driving.

During the week, no change. Folks have to get kids to school, go to work, etc. Most people can't conceive of any other way to get around than using a car. So they just cut back on other expenses to spend more on fuel.

I have noticed the motorcycle parking at my office is better utilized, and there are a few more bicycle commuters.

- JimY

Seems the major response around here has been for some folks to slow down. They still pack into the the left lane but now go 45 rather than 50.

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...Tracy

'00 ML320 "Casper"
'92 400E "Stella"

People seem to be driving a bit slower thats it. Now I feel like I am flying doing 70+, most of the traffic seems to hang about 60ish.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Don't expect big changes in behavior until the "Sorry, No Gas" signs start appearing at your local filling station.

BTW, gas is reportedly $0.05 per gallon in Iraq, subsidized by the government, which is causing shortages due to diversion of gas to the blackmarket to sell in neighboring countries . . .

Gas going up or not, I still have my things to do. Truckers pass on the cost to me and I pass the cost on to my customers. Plain and simple. They want my product they are going to have to pay the increase because of the higher fuel cost. That is what my competition is doing and that is what I am doing. Costs me more, costs them more. I'd love to not have to drive to where I am going but such is life,

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

Drive that big POS at 50 mph.

19 mpg, here I come!!

Sammy Hagar already had a song "I can't drive 55". Me neither. After my ECM got "used" to the program, I am making 16.5 empty doing a mix of 85 and city driving.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

No. BC was mentioning my Suburban. He refers to them affectionately as POS or $hitbox.

In my TD I am getting about 30 with a mix of some city and some highway and the highway is about 85. My SUV gets that mileage (16.5) doing the same speeds.

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow

Ted, that's really horrible. Amazing that it does that badly. The diesel gets 29.5 at 95% highway at 60-65 mph, without a/c. Still costs $60.00 to fill it.

This is purely anecdotal evidence but...
I am currently doing an internship at NASA Ames Research Center and in the course of this work I have to leave work at 10:00 at night. On the way home I almost always
pass one of the lite rail trains that travel down the middle of highway 87. Anyway...
a year ago these trains were almost completly empty, last week I passed one at about 10:20 in the evening and it was standing room only, it was the first time I had seen one of those trains that packed. In any case just one anecdotal data point

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I'm sick of .sig files

Considering the way I drive, that is awesom for both vehicles. They constantly see 85 or better and whenever I get the itch, I do romp on them (every chance I get)

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01 Ford Excursion Powerstroke
99 E300 Turbodiesel
91 Vette with 383 motor
05 Polaris Sportsman 800 EFI
06 Polaris Sportsman 500 EFI
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Red
03 SeaDoo GTX SC Yellow
04 Tailgator 21 ft Toy Hauler
11 Harley Davidson 883 SuperLow