Tuesday 26 August 2008
Fuels Rush In
I don't drive a car, never have done and have never particularly wanted to (I exclude, of course, the odd spin in the Stanley Steamer with Fry). So, as far as I'm concerned, the price of petrol is a matter of complete indifference. However, in the light of today's report of a drive to Greece fuelled entirely by used cooking oil cadged from restaurants, and this one about a car that does 2,000 miles on a tankful (at pretty impressive speeds) - not to mention the endless possibilities of the steam car - it would seem reasonable to conclude that the boffins could quite easily deliver us from heavy dependence on petrol pretty soon. Or maybe I'm missing something - an altogether more sinister narrative to do with Big Oil, the Saudis etc. The oil guys are always a right bunch of bastards in TV dramas (not the Saudis, of course - that would never do)...
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I, too, have wondered why the devout environmentalists never bring up the matter of steam cars. The technology already exists and I believe it would reduce the amount of gasoline consumption needed for driving cars by something like 90 percent. A corresponding drop in emissions would result as well. I can well see why the oil companies might not like this, but why are the GreenPeaceniks silent? Like you, Nige, I do not drive.
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear it, Frank. There are too few of us pedestrians, especially (I fancy) in your country.
ReplyDeleteMy college beau designed a solar car that went 70 mph and was infinitely rechargeable (this was Florida). An oil co. bought the patent and deep-sixed it forever. 1979 that was.
ReplyDeletePeople are apparently working on it, my friend the Viking starts a job messing about with non-oil-based fuels soon, in squeaky-clean Canada. Being very clever and very un-PC, you may be sure he will accidentally on purpose destroy Canada.
ReplyDeleteYes, Nige, on the driving issue, I am a very peculiar American.
ReplyDelete