Unpredictable. Unfocused. Just like life.

One possible energy saving suggestion is to bring back the 55 mile-per-hour speed limit. While the limit was much touted in the reduction of energy usage years ago, the chart accompanying the article doesn't show a specific positive correlation. It doesn't explain the drop and subsequent flattening around 1979. The chart also does not account for the increase in the number of cars on the road as a reason for increased gasoline consumption in later years.

On a personal note, my car constantly calculates fuel consumption, and on my commute I have noticed that I get the best fuel economy when I drive at a sustained speed of between 60 and 70 miles per hour, which is approximately with the flow of the freeway on which I drive everyday. Of course my consumption rises drastically during stop-and-go driving experienced on shorter in-city trips.

While slowing traffic may decrease fuel usage somewhat, it seems that the desire to drive Hummers to the supermarket is a far greater problem. It isn't clear that tax incentives will wean Americans from these monsters, but they do seem to be leading some customers to more hybrid and diesel. Perhaps automobile manufacturers need a push to provide more hybrids to eliminate the long waiting lists.