I just finished reading this piece about truckers voluntarily slowing their rigs down another 5-10mph on the freeways to conserve fuel...

"I used to be a speed demon, but no more," said Dawson, based at Tacoma, Wash. "Most drivers have cut their speed considerably."

Dawson said she's cut her speed by five to 10 miles per hour to save money for her company. Many independent owner-operators have slowed even more, she said.

Here's the full article...
http://news.yahoo.com/..../ap_on_re_us/slower_truckers

News about rising oil prices have been back, and it seems to always be this way around Spring time. Analysts always forecast that they'll go even higher as Summer comes around, but it often never goes as high they predict. But I think this year, we may be reaching a critical mass.

If the average gasoline price across the country rises over $4.00 a gallon, will the USA implement another national speed limit as they did in the 1970s? Will speed limits come back to 55mph?

It was in the 1970s that the USA reached "peak oil" production. Have the Saudis reached peak oil? Peak oil is a state where oil drilling facilities can no longer produce more barrels of oil to satisfy a rising demand.

The USA is no longer in control of this demand, it's now coming from China and Russia as those two countries continue to industrialize. If we Americans reduced its demand for gasoline, all it would do is bring gas prices down to the point where we'd abandon our alternative transportation. But with demand rising from China and Russia, reducing our gas consumption will no longer have much effect on gas prices. We'll have to find alternative fuel for economic reasons as opposed to environmental.

The thing about slow moving trucks is that no one wants to ride or drive behind one. If trucks are slowing down, it'll mean more vehicles attempting to pass them. I wonder what that will do for motorcycling here in the states.

Labels: Gasoline Prices