My head hurts.
First posted on MySpace on May 11th, 2006
If I knew a kid learning how to drive my advice would be to get Cruise Control and always set it five below the speed limit. A normal teenager would say, "Well of course," and than walk off thinking I was the biggest fuddy duddy in the world. But if they were curious they might ask "why do you say that?"
Well for several reasons my young Padawan. First, you'll never get a speeding ticket. No longer will you get that fist clutching at your heart reaction when you see a State Trooper's car hidden in the bushes, with his lights off, waiting silently like a Panther stalking its prey...
Secondly, the world goes by slower giving you time to see scenery you may have otherwise missed. Also gives you better chance to avoid any accidents or small furry creature.
Unfortunately does nothing about the damn Deer. They're dumb as shit and there's nothing you can do once they want to kill themselves, via your new car of course.
If I sound incredibly lame, wait it gets so much better.
Third reason is calmness. For some reason driving just a few MPHs under the limit lowers stress level, for me anyway. If you're already late, and you're speeding, your blood pressure is only gonna go up so stay off my ASS buddy!
The last and most important reason is money. That's right, I hit you where it counts didn't I? Take me for instance, and yes I'm going to do math now. I drive 94 miles each day to and from work 4 days a week. That means:
94 x 4 = 376
Plus most Fridays I leave from work in Lansing and drive to Toledo (Sunday I drive back to work) which makes it a 216 miles round trip.
376 x 216 = 592
I'll round that up to 600 since I like round numbers, they're much prettier. So I drive 600 miles a week on average. Most of that is freeway driving so let's be nice and say I get 30mpg on my tiny Ford Focus (Ha! Beat that Mr. I drive my Hummer half a mile to work out at the Gym guy.) Anyway, math:
600/30 = 20
So I use about 20 gallons of gas a week. Gas prices have been crazy lately so lets be nice again and say I spend an average of $2.85 per gallon. (Barring of course more Hurricanes or the Bush family wanting to buy the Prince of Saudi Arabia another Jet.)
20 x 2.85 = 57
Math gets easier from here. $57 of gas a week and there are how many weeks in a year people?
57 x 52 = 2964
That's right folks, I spend over $3000 in gas a year mostly to get to work and back. It's actually probably higher since we always take my car on trips because it gets better gas mileage. So if driving a little slower can save me a few bucks I'm all for it. In fact lets do some wild estimations on what my savings would be..... no? S'ok, I'm all Nerded out anyway. Point of my ramblings...
... um, well I think I had a point but hey, Happy National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day! Commonly known as the "but you don't look sick" day.
If I knew a kid learning how to drive my advice would be to get Cruise Control and always set it five below the speed limit. A normal teenager would say, "Well of course," and than walk off thinking I was the biggest fuddy duddy in the world. But if they were curious they might ask "why do you say that?"
Well for several reasons my young Padawan. First, you'll never get a speeding ticket. No longer will you get that fist clutching at your heart reaction when you see a State Trooper's car hidden in the bushes, with his lights off, waiting silently like a Panther stalking its prey...
Secondly, the world goes by slower giving you time to see scenery you may have otherwise missed. Also gives you better chance to avoid any accidents or small furry creature.
Unfortunately does nothing about the damn Deer. They're dumb as shit and there's nothing you can do once they want to kill themselves, via your new car of course.
If I sound incredibly lame, wait it gets so much better.
Third reason is calmness. For some reason driving just a few MPHs under the limit lowers stress level, for me anyway. If you're already late, and you're speeding, your blood pressure is only gonna go up so stay off my ASS buddy!
The last and most important reason is money. That's right, I hit you where it counts didn't I? Take me for instance, and yes I'm going to do math now. I drive 94 miles each day to and from work 4 days a week. That means:
94 x 4 = 376
Plus most Fridays I leave from work in Lansing and drive to Toledo (Sunday I drive back to work) which makes it a 216 miles round trip.
376 x 216 = 592
I'll round that up to 600 since I like round numbers, they're much prettier. So I drive 600 miles a week on average. Most of that is freeway driving so let's be nice and say I get 30mpg on my tiny Ford Focus (Ha! Beat that Mr. I drive my Hummer half a mile to work out at the Gym guy.) Anyway, math:
600/30 = 20
So I use about 20 gallons of gas a week. Gas prices have been crazy lately so lets be nice again and say I spend an average of $2.85 per gallon. (Barring of course more Hurricanes or the Bush family wanting to buy the Prince of Saudi Arabia another Jet.)
20 x 2.85 = 57
Math gets easier from here. $57 of gas a week and there are how many weeks in a year people?
57 x 52 = 2964
That's right folks, I spend over $3000 in gas a year mostly to get to work and back. It's actually probably higher since we always take my car on trips because it gets better gas mileage. So if driving a little slower can save me a few bucks I'm all for it. In fact lets do some wild estimations on what my savings would be..... no? S'ok, I'm all Nerded out anyway. Point of my ramblings...
... um, well I think I had a point but hey, Happy National Fibromyalgia Awareness Day! Commonly known as the "but you don't look sick" day.
posted by SassyJill at 10:06 PM
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