Gasholes
Aww…Mommy Greenest over at The Green Guide had something nasty happen to her recently. After coming out of a fundraiser at her kids’ future school (yeh, I guess people really do do things like that) she found a magnet stuck to her SUV that said “gas hole.” :(
Now that’s just counter productive, people. You can not act like an idiot and create real change (unless it’s done to spite your efforts … that’s what we really need.)
Not to mention the fact that this woman IS doing a whole heck of a lot. To wit:
Yes, I drive a Toyota Highlander. Mock away, green America. But like Billy Joel says, glass houses…. Before you waggle your gas hole magnet at me, first know that I drive it about ten miles a week, so I think it evens out to be about as much of a gas guzzler as a hybrid. Also, we are a one-car family; my husband commutes by train so we sold our second car a few years ago.
This Robin Hood of snarky eco-graffiti wouldn’t know those things. Or that the back of my albeit too-big car is loaded with canvas bags, and reusable water bottles are stashed in the drink holders, and the front seat is a mess of library books and hand-me-down coats, and we drive the car home to a house lit almost entirely by compact fluorescent bulbs even though they don’t dim, and we recycle so much I’ve lost many square feet in my kitchen.
Goes back to the idea of making the choices that are good for the planet while still working for us.
I never want anyone to feel bad reading this blog. The point is getting the facts about what’s available, how to impact what’s available, and how to improve emissions and fuel economy in the cars you’re driving now. Please let me know if you think I haven’t been doing that.
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8 opinions for Gasholes
Douglas Karr
May 2, 2008 at 6:34 pm
Gashole is still kind of funny, though! I think I might have smiled if I found it on my car.
vicki
May 3, 2008 at 12:27 am
Gashole…that is funny..lol..I often laugh at myself and am slightly embarrassed after I present my cloth reusable shopping bags (which checkers seem to despise, btw) and eleven gallons of refilled water bottles, to have the baggers then load everything up in my Hummer. I always wonder what they really think? Now I know!
Hilary
May 4, 2008 at 3:26 pm
I’d probably think the sticker was funny if someone stuck it to their own car, but I guess I’m too defensive when it comes to my personal space. If you put something on my car, house, whatever, it’d better be nice. :p
Mamoru
May 5, 2008 at 7:42 am
While I’ve never gotten the sticker. :-) I currently drive a 1989 Cadillac Eldarodo. 18 to 25 for me.
Being 6′8″ (Long legged), and a retail worker, I don’t have many choices so I do the best I can. I’m looking at Chevy Impala fleet 2000+ 3.4lit as my next car. I’m hoping for 25/32. Put nitrogen in the tires, add a washable air filter, and I should get it.
Back to topic.
I had a Pirius owner come up to me, in a polite way about being a gas hog. I asked if I could see the inteior of the car. Thinking they had a convert they showed me the interior. Having never seen the inside of one I knew I would have problems like the Dodge Neon. (I could fit, but not touch the gas petal) What I saw flabbergasted me. I had no chance in hell of fitting in that car with the seat all the way back.
“Very nice interior.” I said looking at the interior.
“Is the seat all the way back?” I looked over at said owner and he said yes.
“Do you honestly think I could even begin to fit into the car?”
It was sort of funny watching him look at me and then the car, and then me again.
He told me no. I then told him the gas consumption I actually had, and problems I had in the past with different cars that did not fit me properly. Like leg cramps after a 25 mile trip, and damage to legs should I be in a front end accident. I have no desire to have my femur dislocated, shoved through me hip bones and into the seat.
Now to get one of those stickers for myself and another that say you betcha. :-)
Like Hilary’s Mom, I do what I can to offset the car. Know the situation.
Mamoru
Hilary
May 6, 2008 at 5:06 pm
My mom, as in the mom I’ve been talking about and not my actual mother. lol I’m afraid she’s a bit older. :p
The Prius was the first really popular hybrid, but there are models available today that fit the big-or-tall (man OR woman lol). The Camry, Saturn Aura, Nissan Altima, an older Accord, etc. I guess I really need to brush up on my basics pages. ;)
Thanks for stopping by.
Mamoru
May 8, 2008 at 12:53 pm
It is a very interesting site, and I’ll from time to time. Thanks for putting in the time.
Sadly I just can’t afford any of the above mentioned cars. (yet) I’ll just eco mod (ecomodders.com) the next car I get and do the best I can. (If I can just get a 20% boost I’ll be happy with hopefully 30mpg. 2 simple mods that should not look too bad.) I don’t want to be saddled with repressive debt vs. income ratio just to have a gas friendly car, or be upside down in a loan.
Both are just silly for lifestyle choices. I just wish the (cough, cough) local public transit would run more than just afternoon business hours, or could be safe enough to ride a bike.
Well, next time.
Hil
May 8, 2008 at 1:31 pm
EcoModders is awesome. I think that’s where I found out about the Geo that was converted to electric … using parts of a forklift. lol Amazing what the human brain comes up with.
Mamoru
May 9, 2008 at 11:11 am
Ya, if they weren’t alway down with maintenance delays.
As to what the human brain can come up with.
Necessity, curiosity, and might I add laziness are the mother of invention.
I particularly like the rear tire skirts, being the easiest conversion. The front tire skirts are taking things way to far. I think deflectors would be a good compromise. While not keep all the air out off the tire well, it would knock a good bit away
I’m not sure about the front fender skirt. The last thing I could afford is an overheating car.
Did you see the pizza pan hubcaps on the caprice? With the rear tire skirts, front fender skirt, pizza pan hubcaps, that ???? mod over the rear windshield, and warm air (which I don’t understand.) He was claiming over 56 mpg. Of course he took things to far disconnecting the altanator and adding batteries. Too risky if you ask me. Even if he archived 66+ mpg.
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