Cheap gas is temporary relief.

Gas prices are falling and the painful pump is no longer an issue. Because of the economic crisis, and the pending election, the price of gas has been slowly shrinking and so has sour sentiment.

Does this mean that happy speeders can breathe a sigh of relief? Not yet. Supply of oil remains finite and there will come a day when Americans won't be able to afford our current driving habit. The countries who hate us (dare I say- our "enemies") called for oil production to be reduced when OPEC met in September. Both Iran and Libya are for reducing oil output in order to increase oil prices. United Arab Emirates and Kuwait seem to be for delaying a decision, and Saudi Arabia has yet to take a stance. Source BBC NEWS on line "Output issues loom as OPEC meets" As oil prices threaten to plummet below 50$ a barrel, the members of OPEC will debate ways to slow the declining profits. In addition to falling prices, some say the demand for oil is at it's weakest since 1993 as more oil fields open up. Even at today's prices, Venezuela and Iran, two of OPEC's 13 members, may struggle to balance their budget because they rely on energy sales for more than half of their revenue, according to estimates compiled by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency. Source: Ghana Broadcasting Company on line "OPEC to meet early on declining oil price"

If you don't know who "happy speeder" is, read Choose to use less fuel before the Law changes and you have No Choice! . Choosing how and when to drive are liberties that fall at the bottom of my priority list when compared to others, but they do make the list. I am willing to use all available resources to make sure that I and others who value freedom have the choices guaranteed by our Constitution. Most of all, I am willing to use all available resources, including my money and my lead foot, to reduce the effect that our enemies can have on our freedoms. I am proud to be an American, and I am proud to exercise my freedoms as an American without advancing the cause of countries that want to make those freedoms obsolete. That is why I have a sticker on the back of my car that says... Slowing down a little...Saves a lot!

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Helpful Hints for avoiding a speeding ticket, part 2.

Happy Speeder shares real-life experience with strategies to keep fast driving from costing you money. Click here to read comments on first 5 tips on the blog "CNN.com shares..."

6. Watch for cutouts and modulate your speed accordingly- I can think of some stretches on familiar routes where the foliage is so thick, or the slope so steep, that I am sure there can be no trooper there with a radar gun. Not that I would speed anyway...

7. Don't speed when you are the only car on the road- Although true, this tip flies in the face of happyspeeder common sense and love of freedom. Shouldn't you feel more freedom speeding when you aren't risking the lives of others?

8. If it can be done legally, get a radar detector- I have never owned one, but I would love to know if there is a happyspeeder with a radar detector and a clean driving record out there.

9. If possible, drive a nondescript vehicle - A quick scan on the Internet reveals that most ham-n-egg opinionators poo-poo the theory that red cars are the most frequently ticketed, claiming instead that red cars receive tickets in direct proportion to the way their owner's drive them. Actually, there is some well executed scientific research indicating that viewing the color red causes specific psychological reactions in human beings. http://www.psych.rochester.edu/faculty/elliot/documents/2007_ElliotMaierMollerFriedmanMeinhardt_Color.pdf This link to the American Journal of Psychology goes to just one of several published studies on the subject. It is a well executed, double blind research study in which the scientists confirm their hypothesis that the color red in academic settings results in poor performance on tests. In addition to testing multiple sample studies in different countries with different controls, the researchers also used an EKG, and were able to measure the increase in right frontal-cortical (vs. left frontal for control colors) brain activity in response to the color red. Since red has such an effect on the human brain in academic settings, further research is needed before anyone can definitively rule out the theory that red cars receive more than their fair share of tickets.

10. Be aware that appearances count- Last but not least,if you do get pulled over BE NICE to the officer. They are much more likely to forgive an honest, law abiding, respectful citizen who "made a mistake"; than a rude,rebellious, smart-alec, putz who challenges their authority. Like the old saying goes; "you will catch more bees with honey than with vinegar!" - Can somebody tell me why anyone would be trying to catch bees in the first place?

Don't forget! You can actually insure savings by choosing to speed with fuel conservation in mind. If making money is more important to you than making time, read on at Happy Speeder.com.

The above commentary is based on the original article published July 23, 2008, entitled: "10 ways to avoid a speeding ticket" © 2008 AOL, LLC. All Rights Reserved.By Eric Peters on CNN.com/living

Happy Speeder does not condone, recommend, or support driving faster than the speed limit.

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CNN.com shares 5 ways to avoid a speeding ticket

Top ten ways to avoid a speeding ticket, first five: Cheap and easy, these suggestions might not save you gas, but they are intended to save you the cost of a speeding ticket. To me, the tips are aimed at interstate travelers, but you may see something different. I split the list for two manageable bits of travel commentary. Visit the original article here for the full story.

Drive within 5-10 mph of surrounding traffic I have been told by a reputable source that driving less than 10 mph over the speed limit is generally accepted due to the margin of error implicit in radar speed detection. To date, that theory has proven true for me, I would love to here from someone who has experienced otherwise -though.

Try to stay in the middle of the pack: Personally, I stay OUT of the pack. My mom always warned against travelling in "the pack" and I agree. Just notice how interstate wrecks usually occur: one car drifts over in to the other lane and the car behind him doesn't have time to navigate out of the way; or a sudden brake. Driving at least one car length for every 10 mph is a good rule to drive by.

Find a 'rabbit': In other words, assume a reasonable distance behind a fellow speeder, in hopes that a radar would lock on the line leader first. Much to my chagrin, I am forced to report the fallacy of this tip. I have been in the middle of three happy speeding cars pulled over. The cop asked if we were acquaintances, traveling together. "NO", but I did think there was safety in numbers. Apparently, not to a diligent traffic cop. To this day, if I am driving near a car being directed to pull over, I avoid eye contact with the patrolman so he can't wave me over as well.

Don't change lanes frequently, tailgate,or drive aggressively: Not only do you increase your risk of causing an accident, when you drive like that, you waste gas (see prior blog Save fuel or 7 minutes).

Avoid the fast lane: All I know is you're damned if you do and damned if you don't. Avoiding the fast lane means driving on the right where the congestion is greater, and cars are entering and exiting the highway, so you would think being farther from on/off ramps would be safer. Also, when you are in the fast lane, you don't have to watch your left side mirror... but you had better watch in your rear-view mirror for the "AngrySpeeder". Even driving 75mph is often not fast enough, and "AngrySpeeder" will let you know how much you have inconvenienced him when he passes you after honking, flashing his lights and tailgating dangerously close to get your attention. I'll save further thoughts on this topic for another blog, like this one. See: A Civil Car is Cheap.

To summarize, I must state emphatically that though I love the thrill of speed (see blog SPEED), and I support your freedom to choose your speed(see blog CHOOSE), you are responsible for your own car, driving, speeding, and tickets ( see former speedaholic learns to slow down), ...God knows ...I have paid for my fair share.

Happy Speeder does not condone, recommend, or support driving faster than the speed limit. All Rights Reserved.

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Why I bought a 2004 Honda Odyssey

For more tips on saving money while driving, visit Happy Speeder

Waiting in the bay at a service station is not my idea of a good time. Grant it, these guys can change your oil quicker than you can clean out your glove box, but I can think of 10 places I'd rather be. Growing up, my handy Dad would change the oil in my car, often on a Saturday morning while I slept(Thanks Dad!), so I never developed the patience for car maintenance; nor the appreciation of it's importance.

I drove a Chevy Venture Van for 5 years, and got the oil changed as infrequently as possible. The Valvoline guys were dubious but courteous when I claimed "I must have had my oil changed- sometime this year!" since the window cling on my windshield had not been updated. I persisted, "Surely, sometime in the last 12 months, I had an oil change. How much harm could it cause anyway, No way did I go 12,000 miles without an oil change!"... or did I? ( Selective memory is a very handy thing).

A few years later, heading out of town for Father's Day-visiting, my van stalled on HWY 285. Luckily, there was little traffic, and I was able to steer to the right and get off the road. Luckily, I had a cell phone because I was not near a commercial area with helpful corner stores. Luckily, I did not have to hike up to the next off-ramp while pushing my toddler in a stroller and my 9 year old by my side, desperately seeking a pay phone, in July, in Atlanta.

I started researching new vehicles on the Internet as soon as the mechanic called and said the motor was frozen or something. (Apparently, if there isn't good oil flow, gunk builds up and something quits working, leaving the other somethings to over work, which isn't good when you are asking the engine to drive 75 mph in the July Heat). Of all the cars I test drove, the Honda was the only minivan that could accelerate as fast as I thought necessary, it had some punch. (I do love to punch it! - for more on the love of speed, read Speed.) Five years later, this van runs like new and has it's maintenance records in order. I have become more diligent since the price of gas has gone up. Saving money on gas by keeping my engine well-lubed is worth the time to sit in the service bay. I am grateful for the price increase. Would I have ever been truly happy tending to mundane tasks, if I did not have the perspective of the alternative, plus the benefit of cost-savings at the pump? Luckily, my dad didn't raise no dummy... one blown engine is enough for me!

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New cars crash more than older cars

I did not make this up! Check out the whole list of surprising facts taken from the new book: Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do (and What It Says About Us) by Tom Vanderbilt

Here he summarizes "Some things about driving that may surprise you."

I have to add one factoid of my own: Drivers who accelerate slow from a green light are going to get to the next red light just after those who floor it! For more on this, see my blog Is that car driving slow on purpose?

Do people in new cars feel invincible in their new "ride"? Do people who drive older cars tend to put less emphasis on achievement - and are therefore not as competitive? Do older cars offer some inherent protective mechanism due to their heavier construction? Slowing down saves a lot of money, gas, and pollution, but it doesn't save any time. However, as it states in the above link "some things..."; aggressive driving doesn't save time either. Don't get mad -be a Happy Speeder; invest in your decision to drive smarter and save fuel.

For more tricks to save gas while driving as fast as you can, visit my website: Happy Speeder

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Is that car driving slow on purpose?

How do you know if the slow car in front of you is coasting or choking? During my commute today, as I conscientiously managed an appropriate distance between myself and others, I was startled by a very slow moving vehicle ahead of me. What is this guy doing?! (my immediate thought is always a "guy?!" while my husband usually says "lady!?"...). Is he stalled or wrecked? As I passed him, I realized that he was coasting!

OK, if my initial assumption is that there is surely something wrong with that slow-moving vehicle - I can only imagine what the Non- happy-speeder thinks when he happens to find himself behind me. This experience reminded me why I started this blog. If that coasting car had a sign that alerted me to his happy speeding state, my reaction would have been to coast along behind him. Instead, I wasted gas by changing lanes to go a little faster,to brake harder, and to end up one car ahead of him at the next jam. When will I ever learn...

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