Having returned from a long day trip, the tutor shares some reflections about driving.

I’m not much of a driver, yet sometimes I have to be. Yesterday my son had a dance competition in Victoria, which I’d say is about 320km south of here. Unfortunately, we couldn’t all go as a family because of my wife’s work. Typically, my wife is the driver; yesterday, however, it had to be me.

We drove down in the morning, then started back for home about thirteen hours later, finally arriving in our driveway at half past midnight. We are very lucky the trip went smoothly.

What made returning the same day possible is the new highway between Nanaimo and Campbell River, on which the speed limit is now 120km/h much of the way. The speed itself is probably safe enough under optimal conditions. However, the potential increase in fuel consumption from that speed, versus the more common 90km/h, might interest a driver.

I recall hearing that past 80km/h, most of a car’s fuel consumption is spent fighting air resistance. In such a context, air resistance (aka air drag) can increase by the square of the speed. To put the idea in simple terms, the comparison between driving at 120km/h versus 90km/h could be

(120/90)^2=(4/3)^2=16/9=178% fuel usage

A typical household driver may not be aware of the effect of speed on fuel consumption, but truckers more commonly do know of it.

Driving is such a complex topic, intrinsic to daily life for so many, it warrants future posts.

To all our cohorts from the dance companies: I hope you returned home safely last night:)

Source:

Serway, Raymond A. Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics.    Toronto: Saunders College Publishing, 1986.

Jack of Oracle Tutoring by Jack and Diane, Campbell River, BC.