Lower gas prices by driving slower

To the editor:

Regarding gas prices: I have been checking my fuel economy on a couple of vehicles and have come up with some interesting findings. At 70 mph, I get 12 mpg, but the same vehicle at 55 mph gets 17 mpg. The second vehicle at 70 mph gets about 35 mpg, while at 55 it gets 50 mpg. Common sense tells me that if I drive slower, I use less gas and save more money. If I am using less gas, then my demand is less, leaving the oil companies with a surplus. With a supply-and-demand situation, when the demand is up, the price follows. But when you have an abundance of product, prices will be lowered. My conclusion: Drive 55 for one month (August sounds good, so everyone is doing this at the same time) and keep tabs on how much money you save.

Multiply that by 12 for a year's worth of savings. Then sit back to enjoy all the extra cash that's in your pockets instead of some multibillion-dollar oil company's. I think it is time to send a message to the oil companies that the cost is too high and needs to come down. Maybe by slowing down we can send a message to their wallets. I am sure that will get their attention.

TOM LICHTENEGGER, Jackson