Fuel Resources

[Matra et Alpine]

Here is a related question. Our Emission laws are so restrict we are reequired to burn a richer mixture than we should. This is because they do not want the combustion to become hot enough to make I think nitroux oxide. This cost us about 2mpg.

Not seen that before, does raise the question though. I'll ask my mate who works for BP.
BUT is it possibly that it's because you guys run very low octane fuels.
We run 95 minimum and 98 for 'performance'.
It is extra hydro-cracking in the plant that creates the benzenes to increase the octane. I'm not sure how that can be reflected in 'mpg' but Iain will know.

Are the cars in europe burning the same mixture?

Nope, and I've been told we run low-sulfur diesel which the US does't invest in.

On a side note, with all the benifits of deisels, our emissions simply won't allow it. As desils get better emisions, and technology grows we will see more.

See above, I've been told it's the US choice to run poor diesel and poor diesel engines that creates the image of diesel=dirty.

[Matt]

Do you have a source for that? I look outside and I count several small cars before I see an SUV and the SUV's I see arn't that big (with ocasional exception). Any high production car such as a Vette are comonly used as everyday cars.






Actually yes, 3 jeeps in a row have better visablility that 3 Saturns in a row. It's not just about the car in front. It makes a big difference to the horizan as a whole.

In America, at least, the top three selling vehicles are the Ford F-Series, the Chevy Silverado and the Dodge Ram. The Ford Explorer is also in the Top 10, as well as the Dodge Caravan. The rest are made up by cars. Small SUVs don't even enter into the equation.

There are 2x as many F-Series pickups sold in the US than there is the best-selling car - the Toyota Camry.

[Matra et Alpine]

Actually yes, 3 jeeps in a row have better visablility that 3 Saturns in a row. It's not just about the car in front. It makes a big difference to the horizan as a whole.

They do NOT produce better visibility for the 'danger zone'.
Your most critical area is the line of cars and the road in front. If it is obscured by a car then it's not safe. For the argument of higher is better to hold then the car in front MUST be lower for it to work.

Learning safe driving distances - something that just NEVER happens on US freeways - means NO need for higher vehicles.

[gow589]

Are the cars in europe burning the same mixture?

This question refferences gas engines.

[gow589]

They do NOT produce better visibility for the 'danger zone'.
Your most critical area is the line of cars and the road in front. If it is obscured by a car then it's not safe. For the argument of higher is better to hold then the car in front MUST be lower for it to work.

Learning safe driving distances - something that just NEVER happens on US freeways - means NO need for higher vehicles.

Actually, There is a difference weather there are other cars on the road or not. If you take a gocart dow the street you can really see the oposite. You can't see anything very far ahead or around you with an open street.

[Matt]

Actually, There is a difference weather there are other cars on the road or not. If you take a gocart dow the street you can really see the oposite. You can't see anything very far ahead or around you with an open street.

Would you feel comfortable driving that kart in traffic with normal-sized cars? If not, think how the normal-sized car drivers feel with the big SUVs and trucks around them.

[gow589]

Learning safe driving distances - something that just NEVER happens on US freeways - means NO need for higher vehicles.

This is just a jab at American drvers. This is not entirely true.

[Matt]

This is just a jab at American drvers. This is not entirely true.

I'm an American driver and I'd have to agree with him. The VAST majority of drivers here don't know how to drive safely.

[gow589]

Would you feel comfortable driving that kart in traffic with normal-sized cars? If not, think how the normal-sized car drivers feel with the big SUVs and trucks around them.

I did not say that wasn't an issue, even so the normal SUV these days doesn't block as much as say a large truck anyway. My point was it is better without concidering other cars. A taller vehickle on an open road (no other cars on the road) has improved visablitlity over lower cars.

[gow589]

I'm an American driver and I'd have to agree with him. The VAST majority of drivers here don't know how to drive safely.

That's not just here though.

[Matt]

I did not say that wasn't an issue, even so the normal SUV these days doesn't block as much as say a large truck anyway. My point was it is better without concidering other cars. A taller vehickle on an open road (no other cars on the road) has improved visablitlity over lower cars.

I don't see how it has better visibility. When most people talk about SUVs having better visibility, it is because they can see over/past the other cars on the road. That doesn't work if the other cars are all at your height.

What is it you think you see more of?

[Matt]

Representing the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, consumer activist Joan Claybrook presented the following information to the House of Representatives in 1996 and 1997: "Each year nearly 5,000 Americans die in truck crashes. According to the IIHS, in 1995, 98 percent of the people killed in two-vehicle crashes involving passenger cars and big trucks were occupants of the passenger vehicles. Since 1992, there have been more fatalities in collisions involving SUVs and cars than in car-to- car crashes, largely as a result of the disparity in vehicle weight (mass), height, and front-end aggressivity between SUVs and passenger cars. Of those persons fatally injured in SUV-car collisions, the vast majority, eighty per cent, were car occupants (see NHTSA report, 'Relationships Between Vehicle Size and Fatality Risk')."

Four-wheel-drive pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles (SUVs) are designed to be driven for work, hauling, and off-road purposes. They were not designed to be people movers, and don't handle nearly as well as passenger cars or minivans. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that SUVs are four times more likely to roll over than passenger cars in high-speed maneuvers. In addition, some smaller top-heavy SUVs have rolled over in NHTSA side impact collision testing. SUV-to-car collisions are six times more likely to kill the occupants of the smaller vehicle when compared to a normal car-to-car collision. You may be safer inside an SUV, but you're at greater risk of killing others in the event of an accident.

[Matra et Alpine]

This question refferences gas engines.

I reckoned that hence the 95/98 octane comments, gow.
We're used to you guys not having much experince with diesel cars so make the assumption already
Diesel only comes in 2 ratings - vehicle and domestic heating oil
Petrol aka gas, comes in 95 and 98 octane and when you know where to get it 100 octane. most cars run 95, modern performance cars can run 95 or 98 and even 100 with no change (sometimes). Older cars usually need rejetting to handle such a wide range. no problem for us trackday lunatics who'll set up cars for the days weather conditions anyway

PS: IIRC US regular gas is 85 and 'premium' is 89 and "ultra premium" was 91 or 92.

Like the beer, you're gas is weak (j/k)

See http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/...ium-side_x.htm for US description of octane ratings

[Matra et Alpine]

Actually, There is a difference weather there are other cars on the road or not. If you take a gocart dow the street you can really see the oposite. You can't see anything very far ahead or around you with an open street.

Well at the risk of getting labelled as no-ti-all again

Actually if you WERE driving a kart down the road you woudl position it to see more of the road ahead by looking up the INSIDE of the vehicle and with SUVs, looking UNDER it. It's learning that skill that makes the differnce.

Safe driving on roads is all about driving to the visible safety zone.
So if you dont' see far engough ahead you slow down.
Most drivers just arent' trained this way or grasp it.
So it doesn't matter what height a car s, you can still drive it safely by usign what you CAN see effectively.

For example. I regulary drive LHD on UK roads, so in theory I've worse visibility. But in reality in traffic I can see MORE up the INSIDE of the vehicles ahed of me and can safely make progress with in soem cases BETTER vision than 'normal' cars.

Riding a motorbike is real easy once the trick is learned. Over here it's taught straight out of the police motorbike riding technique.

Of course it fails abysmally as soon as the driver is sipping coffe, talking on the phone and telling the kids in the back to behave

[Matra et Alpine]

This is just a jab at American drvers. This is not entirely true.

get serious gow and put that chip away, PLEASE.

I've sat at 58mph with 3 feet gaps on the freeway in Atlanta.
I've driven at 65 down 101 with nose to tail.
I've driven in Boston -- aaaargh

The American licensing system does NOT make an effort to require a driver to learn the skills to drive on busy roads safely.

The European ones don't fair much better - just a little.
Hence why I always say everyoen shoudl learn motorbike.
European motorbike training is SO focussed on ensuring that the bike rider does NOT have an accidnet that it teaches all the safest driving techniqes. Transfer them to the car and it's a win-win.

So rather than seeing it as a 'jab', spend tomorrow LOOKING at the traffic as your drive. See how many are closer than the "2 second gap". See how many are on the phone, reading maps, talking to kids in the back etc etc.
Please dont' go the route of another person assumign I'm not taling REAL LIFE experience. Ther is no BS from me, never has been and until I'm senile never will be Do the analysis yourself.