Driving at 55 MPH

[Kal]

...I don't get the points of Kal and Eric in McClean.

I'm making two points:

Point 1: Currently, we don't have an energy policy in the US (other than just poke holes everywhere). The proposed policies for the prospective candidates can't be taken seriously until the policy includes a return to 55 MPH limits (and meaningful fuel economy standards). Right now it's just sound bites and photo ops.

Point 2: The whole issue on automobile travel AND 55 MPH is centerfront in everyone's minds everytime we visit a ga$oline $tation. It's a nasty issue and there's little we can do about the price. All we can change is the level of gasoline consumption, one of which is highway speed reduction. But that gets into lifestyle change, which is probably even more difficult to change.

 

[Htoo0]

I don't live in a crowded city. I often have long distances to travel. If you want to drive in the right lane at a slow enough speed to save gas, feel free. Or as I suggested earlier, get a horse. But please, don't try to limit me to 55 just because you don't mind driving that slow.
(I'm NOT directing this at anyone in particular, please don't take it that way. I just have never cared for others attempting to make rules for my own good. Don't care for mandatory seatbelt laws either but that's another story. Might as well outlaw mountain-climbing, sky-diving, skiing, scuba-diving and all the other things we do because we want to even though it isn't really necessary and carries some risk of injury.)

 

[Kal]

I don't live in a crowded city. I often have long distances to travel. If you want to drive in the right lane at a slow enough speed to save gas, feel free. Or as I suggested earlier, get a horse. But please, don't try to limit me to 55 just because you don't mind driving that slow.
(I'm NOT directing this at anyone in particular, please don't take it that way. I just have never cared for others attempting to make rules for my own good. Don't care for mandatory seatbelt laws either but that's another story. Might as well outlaw mountain-climbing, sky-diving, skiing, scuba-diving and all the other things we do because we want to even though it isn't really necessary and carries some risk of injury.)

The 55 MPH limit is strictly a function of conserving petroleum to benefit the US. If there is a water shortage and someone is watering their lawn 24-hours a day, sometimes the local government has to establish rules before they can impose restrictions on the 24-hour a day individual.

The goal is conservation of a resource that could cause severe damage to everyone if it is depleted.

 

[Icarus]

The only problem with your point of view is that the supply problem is a global one not a local one. We can drive 55 all we want, and if demand goes down, the oil producing countries can simply cut supply again.

Personally, I don't think creating a national speed limit will do anything. If the government wants to do anything they need to invest in alternative energy, and not fake alternative energy (ethanol from corn, for example). They need to invest in solar, wind, battery technology, etc. The one positive thing about high oil prices is that it makes the green technologies more cost effective.

What we really need to be able to do is make hydrogen from water at home, using solar technology, store it at home, and use it to power the home and the car. We're really not that far off from being able to do that.

Remember, this is the same government that did nothing to increase CAFE standards for years, and the US auto companies are the same ones that did nothing about it on their own, except to offer bigger SUVs every model year. Now that gas is really hi-priced compared to a year ago, the SUVs finally stopped selling, so the US auto companies are being forced to do something about it.

-David

 

[Kal]

Without doubt we need a comprehensive energy policy, but unfortunately the gasoline automotive engine is here for a very long time. The speed limit is something we could do immediately to impact consumption. Other alternatives will take time, money and most importantly leadership.

The whole concept of ethanol from corn is extremely unwise. Look carefully at the energy balance from planting corn to fuel delivery at a gas station. It takes more petroleum BTU value just to manufacture ethanol than the BTU value in the ethanol product. So the whole corn business increases consumption of petroleum. Clearly a subsidy program for somebody other than the energy stake-holders.

My own ideas probably run counter to the mainstream; however, here it is -

Start with a Manhattan type project used in 1943 to develop the atom bomb. Then establish precise siting, safety and environmental standards for the construction of at least 20 LARGE nuclear energy facilities. If all those standards are met, facility construction can start. (Not-in-my-backyard is not an issue). Use a fast tract approach with heavy government funding. No EIS is required nor litigation against the site or any other criteria providing all the standards are met.

High level waste disposal is of course an issue. Yuca Mountain is the solution....period. Make that part of the law. The fact that a radioactive constituent may daylight in 10,000 or 100,000 years is moot. Global warming suggests we don't even have 300 years much less 10,000. Frankly, some would say we don't even have 300 years of petroleum in the ground, especially since were adding major users (China, India to name a few).

Obviously this approach runs counter to just about everyone's favorite issue, but I have yet to see anything of proven technology that is available today and can deliver in a meaningful timeframe.

 

[Icarus]

John McCain's proposal is to built 30 nuclear power plants ...

... by the year 2030. And that included pooling resources and coming up with a common design.

They can't even build them in a decade, Kal.

I guess you and I will just have to agree to disagree about government imposed speed limits as energy policy.

At least we agree about how useless ethanol from corn is.

-David

 

[Steamboat Bill]

We need to get off the non-renewable oil dependent machines.

We all should drive electric cars and Nuclear plants really do deliver the best, cleanest, and cheapest form of energy.

I also like solar, wind, geothermal, etc. but Nuks still are the best current option.

Also, a change back to 55mph will FAIL as everyone will abuse it or be ticketed to death (insert smile here)

 

[swift]

John McCain's proposal is to built 30 nuclear power plants ...

... by the year 2030. And that included pooling resources and coming up with a common design.

They can't even build them in a decade, Kal.

I guess you and I will just have to agree to disagree about government imposed speed limits as energy policy.

At least we agree about how useless ethanol from corn is.

-David

Please be careful. --Posts discussing politics, religion, and controversial social issues that are not directly related to timesharing are not permitted.

 

[Icarus]

Please be careful. --Posts discussing politics, religion, and controversial social issues that are not directly related to timesharing are not permitted.

What political, religious or social issue are you referring to?

Just so I'm clear about where I went afoul of the rules in the post that you quoted.

-David

 

[Kal]

If we can't afford or don't have gasoline we can't get to our TIMESHARES. Hence, this is very much a timeshare story. Also, the utility costs related to energy (heating, A/C, pools, etc) will impact timeshare maintenance fees.

Need more??

Oh, and please do not consider my thoughts on nuclear energy as having ANYTHING to do with a presidential hopeful from Arizona. Nada, zip.

 

[dmharris]

Just to lighten this thread a bit . . . one summer during college days, I coded traffic violations for the State of Ohio. What an eye opener. Most fun was seeing some of the weirdest names people have. But I was most surprised at the number of traffic violations that were given for going TOO SLOW! It caused accidents, often.

And my 2 cents is that discussions about our energy issues, are political because the worthless Congress has done nothing and it does affect people's ability to travel. But even though it is political, it is relevant to this forum. Let it be. Please.

 

[swift]

What political, religious or social issue are you referring to?

Just so I'm clear about where I went afoul of the rules in the post that you quoted.

-David

David, I don't think you were in conflict of the rules. However, since you stated John McCain's proposal I mearly posted a reminder of the rules before a political conversation began.

 

[Pit]

Time to bring back the Flux Capacitor.

 

[Kal]

Didn't the Flux Capacitor only get about 8 kiloclicks/gallon?

 

[Steamboat Bill]

If we can't afford or don't have gasoline we can't get to our TIMESHARES. Hence, this is very much a timeshare story. Also, the utility costs related to energy (heating, A/C, pools, etc) will impact timeshare maintenance fees.

Excellent point...I noticed Hawaii was dramatically LESS busy last week in Maui and all the locals stated business was down....but that means lots of upgrade ttrades during flex, if you can grab a flight there.

Time to bring back the Flux Capacitor.

Yes, that would solve a lot of issues.

Question - Where were you in th 70's during the oil embargo...too bad we did not learn any lessons then or we all would be driving cars that get 50 MPG

 

[rickandcindy23]

We were newlyweds back then, and I can tell you that we couldn't believe it when gas went up to 50 cents per gallon. Unbelievable to think about it, but everything else was just as cheap. Candy bars were 10 cents, too. I measure inflation by candy bars.

How much is a candy bar now? About 50 cents, so gas should be $2.50.

 

[Icarus]

Time to bring back the Flux Capacitor.

The flux capacitor used 1.21 gigawatts of electricity.

What you meant, maybe, is the Mr. Fusion he added when he came back from the future. Remember?

Good ole Doc.

-David

 

[rickandcindy23]

The flux capacitor used 1.21 gigawatts of electricity.

What you meant, maybe, is the Mr. Fusion he added when he came back from the future. Remember?

Good ole Doc.

-David

Our middle child graduated in 1997, and his class's motto was, "Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads." It was appropriate for Josh's class because they grew up on the Back to the Future movies, and our son had the entire first movie's dialogue memorized. What a waste of a perfectly good memory.

 

[Jbart74]

Ouch! Glad I'm not your son Josh. And why is this thread still going on in the Timeshare User's Group?

 

[DeniseM]

And why is this thread still going on in the Timeshare User's Group?

Posted at the top of the forum: TUG Lounge The place for all discussions that don't fit into the other defined forum areas.

It looks like it's in the right place to me!

 

[Jbart74]

Posted at the top of the forum: TUG Lounge The place for all discussions that don't fit into the other defined forum areas.

It looks like it's in the right place to me!

But you left out the rest:

"Posts discussing politics, religion, and controversial social issues that are not directly related to timesharing are not permitted."

I know I'm just a guest here, but is this really DIRECTLY related to timesharing?

OK, I'm sorry... I'll go back to lurking and keeping my mouth shut. As a TS owner, I do appreciate many of the other threads here on the forum, so thank you to all who contribute.

My apologies to the moderators and/or administrators if I have spoken out of place.

Peace!
jb

 

[Pit]

But you left out the rest:

"Posts discussing politics, religion, and controversial social issues that are not directly related to timesharing are not permitted."

I know I'm just a guest here, but is this really DIRECTLY related to timesharing?

Ref: posts #33-37

 

[Jbart74]

Ref: posts #33-37

I read them long before I posted. There's a wide spread of content there. I understand the sentiment that, and I will loosely quote, 'If we can't afford to get to our timeshare, then this is relevant.'

I generally fly to my timeshares, which, all in all, may cost more or less than driving as far as increases in the price of oil go. I really don't pretend to know how that equation works out. I do know that I am paying about 150% more this year to fly than what I was paying three years ago for the same flights.

I am also paying about 150% more at the gasoline pumps to drive my car this year than I was three years ago. I would imagine that the rest of the country is in a similar boat. (which would cost a lot less if it had sails!)

It's a tricky world we live in. Some on the forum have blamed us for using the oil, some in the world may be taking advantage of us and our dependence on the oil, but most of all, I think that most of us just want to get back to that week in whatever paradise we call our happy place.

That's what I want. And although it's harder and harder to afford the plane tickets, I plan on continuing to make sure that I can, at least once a year, if not twice.

Peace...

jb

 

[DeniseM]

I know I'm just a guest here, but is this really DIRECTLY related to timesharing?

Posts in the TUG Lounge do NOT have to be related to timesharing, and a moderator has already posted a warning in the thread reminding posters to stay away from controversy.

Here is a link to the posting rules for more Info. - http://www.tugbbs.com/forums/tug_rules.php

If you feel like a post is not in compliance, please click on the red triangle and report it, rather than pointing it out in the thread.

Thanks for your input and I hope you will consider becoming a member.

 

[Kal]

Although the topic here deals with energy conservation, the larger theme is the cost of energy. Take that one step further and we're worried about the US economy and how it impacts us personally. So the issue is discretionary spending and timeshares are very near the top of the list.

We all have rationalized the initial purchase, and then every year why the maintenance fees are a "good value for the buck". I suggest many of us did not spend much time considering the travel costs. In January 2001, the price of gas was $1.46 and today it's about 300% higher. Airline ticket pricing is just starting to escalate and it won't be long before that too is outrageous (and unaffordable). Travel costs are now a huge issue.

So all this is a real paradim shift from economical vacations to serious questions about affording those vacations and "what to do with these timeshares". If it were not for the fact that other costs such as food, healthcare, etc are still very cheap, it might start to be like real money. Maybe I need to go out and fertilize my forest of money trees!