Advocacy & Safety - Cars are such a waste of energy

This morning I was going home from a hard ride on a four lane road, two in my direction. I'm in the right lane as I approach a red light, and a behemoth SUV is in the left lane next to me. We both slow down next to each other as we appraoch a red at the next intersection.

Then, the light turns green and we both accelerate. I'm not going all out, I just get out of the saddle for a few pedal strokes and sit back down, accelerate from about 12-18 mph. The SUV next to me accelerates as hard as he can, because of course he has to beat the cyclist (who isn't even trying) and sounds like an 18 wheeler trying to get up a hill. He had to be using at least 200 horsepower to get the same acceleration I was getting without even trying hard. I easily keep up with him for a bit and then pulled in back of him because I was turning left.

How much energy did he use for the same acceleration the I got?

What a waste.

And, no doubt, he spends a lot of time complaining about fuel prices.

How much energy did he use for the same acceleration the I got?

What a waste.

It's so crazy how drivers drive. I live in a pretty dense city, and people go so fast when they get a green light, even if they'll have to stop in a block or two for another red.

It's a total waste of energy: if you really want to figure out how much energy is wasted in that scenario, when a car speeds up and then has to come to a stop, you can calculate its kinetic energy as 1/2 m*v^2, where m is mass and v is velocity, and throw in an efficiency factor of ~25% overall from fuel tank to wheels.

The scary part is, I sometimes find myself as a cyclist doing the same thing: accelerating hard and then braking, just to "keep up" with traffic, since I always ride in traffic, taking the lane. Very bad habit, because I know I could take it easier and still hit the upcoming light before it turns green.

How much energy did he use for the same acceleration the I got?

What a waste.

It's so crazy how drivers drive. I live in a pretty dense city, and people go so fast when they get a green light, even if they'll have to stop in a block or two for another red.

It's a total waste of energy: if you really want to figure out how much energy is wasted in that scenario, when a car speeds up and then has to come to a stop, you can calculate its kinetic energy as 1/2 m*v^2, where m is mass and v is velocity, and throw in an efficiency factor of ~25% overall from fuel tank to wheels.

The scary part is, I sometimes find myself as a cyclist doing the same thing: accelerating hard and then braking, just to "keep up" with traffic, since I always ride in traffic, taking the lane. Very bad habit, because I know I could take it easier and still hit the upcoming light before it turns green.

And the truly sad thing is that the rest of the SUV was probably empty... so the majority of the energy used was just to move the vehicle, not the one passenger (the driver).

Watching folks drive is enough to make you crazy as they accelerate all the way to the point of putting on the brakes. (my wife keeps wondering why she goes through brakes so quickly). I at least borrow from my cycling experience and try to coast as much as possible...

The REALLY sad part is that the driver is probably financed that POS, is upside down in his loan, living paycheck to paycheck and is obese.

This morning I was going home from a hard ride on a four lane road, two in my direction. I'm in the right lane as I approach a red light, and a behemoth SUV is in the left lane next to me. We both slow down next to each other as we appraoch a red at the next intersection.

Then, the light turns green and we both accelerate. I'm not going all out, I just get out of the saddle for a few pedal strokes and sit back down, accelerate from about 12-18 mph. The SUV next to me accelerates as hard as he can, because of course he has to beat the cyclist (who isn't even trying) and sounds like an 18 wheeler trying to get up a hill. He had to be using at least 200 horsepower to get the same acceleration I was getting without even trying hard. I easily keep up with him for a bit and then pulled in back of him because I was turning left.

How much energy did he use for the same acceleration the I got?

What a waste.

I probably use more gas than that guy when I lay down two big black strips of rubber with my classic muscle car. Athough undoubtably I am having a lot more fun than the guy in the SUV. So much more fun that often I take it out just to drive it around, with no particular destination in mind.

I bet my classic muscle car can empty an 18 gallon tank of premium faster than yours can :p And I assure you, it will make that SUV look fuel efficient. Very rarely do I have any real destination when that car comes out, mostly the only destination is repeated trips to the gas station to relieve this planet of more fossil fuels.

Jeff

And, no doubt, he spends a lot of time complaining about fuel prices.

Meanwhile the smug cyclist posts about his victory over the big, bad SUV.

Did you know that NHRA Top Fuel dragsters and funny cars use between 10 and 12 gallons of fuel for a complete pass including the burnout, backup to the starting line, and quarter-mile run, and under full throttle a dragster engine consumes 1.5 gallons of fuel per second, the same rate of fuel consumption as a fully loaded 747?

Awesome...

The numbers below show the amount of total vehicle weight that is actually useful load as opposed to pure vehicle weight. That is, vehicles are intended to haul people and cargo. Because it takes energy to move mass, the percentages below help show us how much of that energy is actually being used to haul people and cargo as oppsed to vehicle weight alone.
3.95%
Hummer H2

6.74%
Honda Accord

14.84%
1989 Geo Metro

82.50%
Steel road bicycle

84.12%
Xtracycle-equipped bicycle

100%
Jogging/walking Naked

Swiped from The Practical Pedal (http://practicalpedal.com/index.php) Winter 2008 (http://practicalpedal.com/winter2008/) issue.

Aaron:)

Did you know that NHRA Top Fuel dragsters and funny cars use between 10 and 12 gallons of fuel for a complete pass including the burnout, backup to the starting line, and quarter-mile run, and under full throttle a dragster engine consumes 1.5 gallons of fuel per second, the same rate of fuel consumption as a fully loaded 747?

Awesome...

Oh but you are forgetting about an insane amount of fun that goes long with it.

Not to mention the little birdies that get sucked into the engine, and the snail darters that get mushed under those huge tires.

Oh, and I believe top fuel drivers are required to introduce random petroleum products into swamps and jungles at a 1:1 ratio :D

The numbers below show the amount of total vehicle weight that is actually useful load as opposed to pure vehicle weight. That is, vehicles are intended to haul people and cargo. Because it takes energy to move mass, the percentages below help show us how much of that energy is actually being used to haul people and cargo as oppsed to vehicle weight alone.
3.95%
Hummer H2

6.74%
Honda Accord

14.84%
1989 Geo Metro

82.50%
Steel road bicycle

84.12%
Xtracycle-equipped bicycle

100%
Jogging/walking Naked

Swiped from The Practical Pedal (http://practicalpedal.com/index.php) Winter 2008 (http://practicalpedal.com/winter2008/) issue.

Aaron:)

That's it, we all have to jog naked. Well, just the ladies. Well, just specific ladies, selected by me :D

I bet my classic muscle car can empty an 18 gallon tank of premium faster than yours can :p And I assure you, it will make that SUV look fuel efficient. Very rarely do I have any real destination when that car comes out, mostly the only destination is repeated trips to the gas station to relieve this planet of more fossil fuels.

Jeff

creating more plant food! good for you!

The REALLY sad part is that the driver is probably financed that POS, is upside down in his loan, living paycheck to paycheck and is obese.you must be one of those sandy vagina tree hugging fixie riders with the spandex pants and clip on shoes who likes to condescend on other bike riders because their bike isn't Hip.

Meanwhile the smug cyclist posts about his victory over the big, bad SUV.

What is your major malfunction? Where did I say I beat him? I said I wasn't even trying and was able to keep up with him at the same time that HE apparently thought I was trying to race him and floored it. I let him go by and got in BACK of him.

Read before you rant, Dobber boy.

The REALLY sad part is that the driver is probably financed that POS, is upside down in his loan, living paycheck to paycheck and is obese.


you must be one of those sandy vagina tree hugging fixie riders with the spandex pants and clip on shoes who likes to condescend on other bike riders because their bike isn't Hip.

Not only that, but the sad part is that gosmsgo is probably this, financed that, and is this way on his loan, living that way, and has some kind of physical attributes.

And my crystal ball is better than his!:lol:

Am I right on, or what?