I was bemused by the mention of hybrids in the president's speech....when
you cut off the tax benefit after only 60,000 cars have been sold, you're
not doing too much to help.

Bob Gardner

"SMS" wrote in message
...
Doug McDonald wrote:
Frank F. Matthews wrote:


Really smart folks commenting, If you slow from 75 to 60 you might save
10& on your gas. If you do that over 750 miles you will take 2.5 hours
longer. For that distance you would probably use about 35. gal of gas
and thus would save 3.5 gal. by their top estimate. Thus you would save
$7 to $10 for 2 1/2 hours. A great rate of return.


Not a great rate of return. I'd rather go 90 than 60 or 75. Time is
more important than money. Let's raise the speed limit on Interstates to,
normally, 90.

It's not just the time, it's the fatigue of drivers that are on the road
longer because of the slower speeds.

What the government should do is to set the price of fuel higher for the
vehicles that have higher fuel consumption. In some ways they are doing
this, with the tax credits for hybrids, but they should extend it to all
vehicles with MPG ratings of 40 or higher, and make it a recurring tax
credit, not a one time thing.