2002-06-26 When we talk about fuel consumption, we are naive to believe, that people actually take the time and calculate their consumption each time they refuel their cars and compare it to previous values or to the published reports for their vehicles model and year. It is obvious from the statements below, copied from the two articles posted, that this does not happen.
In the second paragraph, submitted by Allen Taylor, he explains his method for converting litres per hundred kilometres to mpg. Now, folks, I'd be willing to be that Allen is one of the few that does it. Can you imagine the average math illiterate citizen remembering the conversion factor, let alone which way to calculate it? And that after figuring the fuel consumption in litres per hundred kilometres. Since Transport Canada was deluged with comments from consumers for a return of mpg. Why? So, they can look what the number one time, memorise it and if the need ever comes up, they can parrot it anytime it is asked. These people don't bother to calculate it in any way, shape or form. Here is a challenge for some of the Canadian members of this list: The next time you are in public, stop a stranger on the street and ask him/her: I just purchased 50 litres of gas after driving 500 km. I need to know what my fuel consumption is. You and I know that would be 10 L/100 km. See if the person you asks gives you that figure. Or ask them how many mpg that is. If they tell you how to figure it, then you know they may in fact calculate their own. If they tell you they don't know or don't even know how to figure it out, then you know they never bother. If you ask them what their vehicle gets, and they throw out a number, then ask them how they know this is they can't calculate it. Chances are they will tell you they heard it somewhere, such as from the salesman they bought the car from. So, it really doesn't matter if they publish the data in mpg, or L/100 km or even km/L, nobody except for an extreme few will ever bother to calculate. They prefer mpg, because it tickles their ear. > Not surprisingly, ever since the rollout of L/100 km, Transport Canada has > received nothing but negative feedback from consumers -- a point reiterated > in focus groups conducted by the department. Thus, back in 1987, the > government decided to compromise, providing fuel consumption ratings in both > L/100 km and mpg. > - "Your pleas for yet another change in the vehicle fuel consumption values would only confuse consumers further. Wouldn't it be simpler to leave things as they are and do as I have been doing since 1962 -- convert using the simple formula: 282.5 divided by litres per 100 km = mpg. Or, 282.5/mpg = litres per 100 km." Allan Taylor John
