Addiction to Oil

“Oil is more expensive than it’s ever been, and consumers in the US are starting to feel the burden. Francis Slakey has a radical short-term solution.” In the May 13-19, 2006 issue of the New Scientist (Comment and Analysis), Mr. Slakey suggests that we should go back to the 55 mph speed limit. “In one decisive act, the US could save more than 50 million gallons of gasoline a day”, he claims.

“Here's why it would work. Every car engine has a sweet spot in terms of efficiency, typically when running at 55 mph. Beyond 60 mph, engine efficiency plummets because of higher temperatures. In addition, three other factors that affect gasoline consumption become more significant at higher speeds: tire resistance, wheel bearing friction and air drag. What all that means is that for the average car, cutting the speed from 75 mph to 55 mph improves fuel efficiency by roughly 25 per cent.”

What about the increased commuting time, since America relies on cars and there is lack of decent public transportation in most of the country. “For most of us, a reduced limit would add only about as much time as it takes to butter the morning toast”, he stresses.

Well, Mr. Carter, the only President with an Engineering degree, imposed this speed limit and introduced CAFE standards for the auto manufactures, there was a public outcry and he ended up losing the following election. As the present president, Mr. Bush, puts it, we should not do anything that interferes with the ‘American way of life’.

Drivers complain that it gets lonely out there, especially in the Western states, where roads go in a straight line for miles and miles, with nary a person in sight. Even in the Carter era, you could drive 80 mph in North Dakota and get a $5 ticket if caught – for wasting gas!

Mr. Slakey also complains that the auto industry is doing its part. The CAFE standards have “…been fixed ever since [the late 1970s]. It shouldn't have been: if the standard had tightened over the years in step with progress in engine design, inching up to, say, 33 miles per gallon today, the nation would be saving 2 million barrels of oil a day. There could be an incentive too for manufacturers to improve an engine's sweet spot to make it run more efficiently at 75 mph.”



50 million barrels of oil a day means over 18 billion barrels a year. This could translate to over a trillion dollars every year, if the oil stays around $70 a barrel. Of course, the price of oil will fall with reduced demand, but we will still save hundreds of billions of dollars. With improvements in technology, if the big three can be up to it, we would save another 630 million barrels and therefore $44 billion annually.

Take notice, Mr. President. A trillion dollars added to the budget would mean that you could balance the budget and still give even more tax cuts to the rich, and nobody will complain. You can even find additional money for Iraq or dream up of a regime change in another country.

Even the Democrats would love you, you will go down in history as the ‘Energy (though not energetic) President’, and Jeb will have a good chance of becoming the next president of the United States. And if you can cajole the big bosses in Detroit, we will still be preserving the American way of 75 mph. We can then have our cake and eat it too.

You see, Mr. Bush, the possibilities are endless. You are the decider, so decide quickly, before your term runs out and Hillary changes the curtains of the White House.