You might have to read it yourself to believe it, but UPS traffic managers have determined that waiting for left turns is a waste of time, gas, and consequently, money too.
As a result, they have re-routed their brown trucks to favor right hand turns instead. Crazy, but apparently, it works.
Someplace there must be a very active Nitrogen Advocacy Association because only a coordinated effort could be so successful at duping unsuspecting drivers into paying for gas that’s nearly identical to the air we breathe for free.
I’m talking about the emerging practice of selling nitrogen for use in passenger tires on the premise that it protects the tire and doesn’t leak as readily. (We’ve discussed this once before.) The consensus is that nitrogen is not worth paying for. Why? Regular old air is about 70% nitrogen and since tire installers are only topping up tires with nitrogen (as opposed to completely deflating it of its ambient air first), only a rodent living inside your tire would notice the difference. Conclusion: Save the $20!
That’s the motto of WeAddUp.com, an organization that gently reminds us regular people of the little things they can do to help the planet. And one of those “somethings” that people can do? Inflate their tires!
Take a moment and head over to their website and see if you’re willing to commit to a little harmless conservation.
I just learned that 4GreenTires is a runner up for Keen Footwear’s Stand For contest! We are so excited!
See the press release and the submission.
“Stand” by for more news!
First they brought us the air bag, now the Scandanavians bring us techniques to preserve the bag of air that we live in though “Eco-Driving.” Simply defined, Ecodriving “describes techniques that drivers can use to optimize their automobile fuel economy.” And in order to get your drivers license in Scandanavia, you need to demonstrate these skills.
No surprise then, that tire pressure is part of the Golden Rules of EcoDriving
Check out the article in the Canadian Globe and Mail
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080215.A2ECODRIVING15/TPStory/TPInternational/Europe/
When Michelin Tires pioneered the tagline, There’s a lot riding on your tires they probably weren’t thinking of 16 Fighter jet tires. Apparently neither was a certain mechanic, who let one of his plane’s tires go unmaintained, leading to the crash and destruction of the of the plane. (The pilot ejected and lived.) The take home? Fill up your tires to get home.
In an interesting twist of eco-reporting, autoblog tells us that Speed Bumps are Bad for the Environment. The piece says that the frequent slowing down and speeding up reduces drivers’ MPG and puts more CO2 into the environment.
Though that might be true, what makes more sense to you - keeping your tires filled up or removing all speed bumps (and the safety they provide?)
We’ve sent a lot of gauges all over the US and Canada. Today we got the first reported mailing disaster from a would-be participant in Rhode Island.
Check out the gauge! I wish I could see what it did to the post office’s sorting machine too.
Let’s say you don’t care about the environment or your car’s CO2 emissions. Let’s further assume that you enjoy buying foreign oil and don’t mind buying more of it than you need.
I have yet another reason why you should want to get a gauge and check your tires: it’ll help prevent hydroplaning. That’s the curious name applied to the scary thing your tires do when they hit water and decide to ride above it instead of remaining attached to the ground.) If it’s ever happened to you, you know what it’s like to feel like you’re driving a boat that only loosely responds to your commands.
It turns out that your chance of hydroplaning goes up considerably if your tires are soft. Thanks to Nancy Evans for sharing some related math with us:
“The square root of your tire pressure, times 9, is the speed at which your car will start to hydroplane when the water on the road is as deep as the tread of your tires.
Example: tire pressure = 36 pounds, square root of which is 6. 6 x 9 = 54 mph = hydroplaning in heavy rain or when you hit a puddle, especially if your tire treads are low.”
In that same example, drop your tire pressure down to 25 (not unusual) and those tires turn into spinning boat hulls at only 45 miles an hour. Yikes!
Imagine my surprise to see this car in a California parking lot. I mean, this driver is ALL about her tires! Whew!
(For those of you wondering, my college did not have fraternities or sororities.)