The most frustrating thing about dittoheadism (not to be confused with intelligent Conservativism), is that it takes no energy, research, or intelligence to mass-produce steaming bull-feces piles of fantastical proportions every Monday morning. While composing thoughtful accurate responses to their nonsense requires research, fact-checking, and a modicum of intelligence.
So last week, when Barack Obama suggested we properly inflate our tires as a means of experiencing immediate relief from high gas prices, John McCain responded with ridicule. Inflate our tires? That’s just silly! Obama is obviously caving in to pressure from the tire gauge industry, which has donated $7,000 to his campaign, for him to make the outrageous suggestion that there are personal actions we can take to defend ourselves against escalating energy prices instead of capitulating to the oil industry so they can take care of everything for us.
In suggesting the American people inflate their tires, Barack Obama is giving us something we can do right now to fend off high gas prices by 3.3 percent. That’s 3.3 percent savings RIGHT NOW. McCain’s plan to drill offshore for oil will save American’s $0.02 a gallon 10 years from now.
What do we do in the meantime? McCain doesn’t have any plan for that at all, and that’s the hypocrisy of his laughing at Obama’s energy plan.
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Anyone who understands basic physics understands why properly inflated tires improve gas mileage:
- “You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4 percent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires.” fueleconomy.gov (website maintained by the EPA AND DOE), Tips to Improve Your Gas Mileage
- “Keeping your car’s tire pressure at the optimal level is a small and easy eco-tip that would help save a lot of precious oil if everybody did it. The principle is simple: an under-inflated tire adds rolling resistance, so the engine has to work harder to move the car. Best way to understand it is to imagine pedaling on a bicycle that has almost flat tires. So it’s easy to see why we strongly recommend that you buy an inexpensive tire gauge and make sure to check once in a while if your tires are at the recommended pressure.” Discovery Channel, Treehugger, Proper Tire Pressure For Better Mileage, June, 18, 2005
- “Fuel efficiency goes down one percent for every three-PSI of under-inflation, so driving on weak wheels will cost you at the pump as well. I’ve tried to check my pressure every few months, and have observed a difference in my MPG after I reinflate my tires.” Wired Magazine, Pressure on to Check Tires, October 27, 2006
- “Operating tires at lower than recommended operating pressure further degrades a vehicle’s fuel economy, “Scientific American, Why is the fuel economy of an automobile worse in the winter than in the summer?, April 19, 2004
- “There are a number of driving hacks which allow hypermilers to increase their milage, ranging from over-inflating tires to extreme drafting behind large vehicles. It’s incredible, really, to think that by changing your driving habits, you can get better mileage in a standard car than is typically advertised for a hybrid!” Hackzine, Hypermiling: Hack Your Mileage, Mar 6, 2007
- Mother Jones, This Guy Can Get 59 MPG in a Plain Old Accord, February 2007
By the time I post this, the raving dittohead cacophony machine will have moved on to its next deception, so no one will read it. : (
Further Reading:
McCain Blows Hot Air on Tire Inflation
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