Would you drive further (and use more gas) in an attempt to have a higher mileage statistic?
Assuming you could travel to work one of two ways. Each way took approximately the same time.

• 25 miles on a highway and average 35 MPG (using ~7/10 gallon)
• 18 miles on local roads (with occasional traffic lights) and average 30 MPG (using 6/10 gallon)

Which route would you take?
Be honest in your reply.

This isn't meant to be a scientific analysis, but rather a tongue in cheek look at economizing.

 

There's no point in burning extra fuel to bump up the MPG, but 0.1 gallons is only $0.30 in Detroit right now so I'd look for the shorter drive. If burning extra gas got me home 10 minutes quicker (say 30 min. vs. 40 min.) I'd do it.

 

I second that. But I chose variety since I have about 10 ways I could get to work with various times and fuel uses and I like to take different routes. However, if I go to the gym, there three mains ways to get to the gym and only one way to get to work. Since it is 5:30 AM, I take the quickest.

 

I'd take the local roads (with occasional lights) and get 50 MPG!

Only in heavy stop-and-go should your city milage be lower. And 18 miles is well past the "warm-up" period!

 

It was supposed to be a hypothetical question

 

I would take the shorter route, assuming equal time. This amounts to 70 miles per week less wear and tear on the vehicle. It doesn't sound like much, but it is over 3500 miles in a year. All this is assuming your mileage above is one way, and not round trip.

 

Are we missing the point?
.1 gallon for the trip (one way) is .2 for the day.
.2 for the day x 242 working days = 48.4 gallons
48.4 gallons x 3.20/gal (this mornings pump price in KY) = $154.88

OK - in the "grand scheme" of things it's not a big deal, but if "everyone" with a hybrid did this sort of thinking and managing of their route our dependance on oil (foreign OR domestic -- it's still OIL) would be reduced.

I agree that the "quicker" route is more appealing. In KY it's not such a big problem as it is in larger (read: more congested) metropolitan communities, but drive time is drive time and I don't want to be on the road any more than I really require.

...just my .02

 

Right, we all want to spend less.
The main point of the poll is to make sure that we're not being "penny wise (good FE) and pound foolish (using more gas)"

 

I'd go for the traffic-reported quicker route. It's also more likely to get both better FE and less fuel used - being stuck in traffic, even with a hybrid, is still burning fuel to go nowhere.

 

In my case, the local road offers these advantages:

• shortest route - it by-passes two legs of the highway route
• less traffic - most folks jam up the highway and leave the secondary routes alone
• fewer accidents - about two to four times per year, I pass an accident on the highway on the access road. With only a single on-off lane, the access road continues to run smoothly
• calm traffic - secondary roads don't have the 'frantic' drivers and egotists

I have XM radio and enjoy listening to quality music and talk programs. I slide over to the slowest lanes and drive sensibly in a calm state of mind.

Bob Wilson