The Zeko and the "Less Ten" in the text...
— Below is the text that was originally shared among the first “Less Ten” in its edited version thanks to your contributions. Thanks again to all of you for your help and advice.
Sorry for those who were hoping for a recipe to get 10 years younger, this short text is not about a miracle method to get back to your 20s…It is just a scientific and citizen reflection on a simple way to take action on the climate and the purchasing power by becoming a “Less Ten”. Enjoy your reading…
To kill the suspense, what is a "Less Ten"?
Well, it is a motorist who, without waiting for a change in regulations (“Help yourself and the sky will help you…”) reduces his speed by 10 km/h on roads where the limit in France is currently higher than 90 km/h.
You will tell us why we should not exercise our right to drive at 130 km/h and limit ourselves to 120 km/h on the highway? We will first answer “Why not because we also have the right to drive slower…?
Hard science confirmed by tests shows that the higher the speed, the higher the consumption. It is quite intuitive but in practice the air friction that opposes the movement of the vehicle increases not in a linear way with the speed but as a function of the square of the speed. In other words, 2 times faster means 4 times more friction (and also a 4 times longer braking distance, but we’ll come back to that later…). And, of course, consumption follows this trend in a stubborn way…it explodes.
Without clobbering you with figures, on the freeway, 10 km/h less is a saving of three to five liters of fuel over 500 km (6 to 10 €) and 12 kg less CO2 in the atmosphere. That’s about 15% better for our budget (€) and for the climate (CO2)…
And to immediately reach this 15% gain, you just have to accept to lift your foot off the gas pedal or to adjust your cruise control on some stretches…and for the time being, I promise, no little lines to read at the bottom of the page to cash in on this 15%.
To kill the suspense, what is a "Less Ten"?
Well, it is a motorist who, without waiting for a change in regulations (“Help yourself and the sky will help you…”) reduces his speed by 10 km/h on roads where the limit in France is currently higher than 90 km/h.
You will tell me why not exercise our right to drive at 130 km/h and limit ourselves to 120 km/h on the highway? I would first answer “Why not because we also have the right to drive slower…?
Hard science confirmed by tests shows that the higher the speed, the higher the consumption. This is quite intuitive, but in practice the air friction that opposes the movement of the vehicle increases not linearly with the speed but as a function of the square of the speed. In other words, 2 times faster means 4 times more friction (and also a 4 times longer braking distance, but we’ll come back to that later…). And, of course, consumption follows this trend in a stubborn way…it explodes.
Without clobbering you with figures, on the freeway, 10 km/h less is a saving of three to five liters of fuel over 500 km (6 to 10 €) and 12 kg less CO2 in the atmosphere. That’s about 15% better for our budget (€) and for the climate (CO2)…
And to immediately reach this 15% gain, you just have to accept to lift your foot off the gas pedal or to adjust your cruise control on some stretches…and for the time being, I promise, no little lines to read at the bottom of the page to cash in on this 15%.
Less 10 on the pedal...and you crush your budget and the planet a little less
And to immediately reach this 15% gain,you just have to accept to lift your foot off the gas pedal or to adjust your cruise control on some stretches…and for the time being, I promise, no little lines to read at the bottom of the page before cashing in on this 15%. You lift your foot…the euros stay in your pocket and the CO2 in the tank.
And if we look at our watch...
The difference in travel time is only a few minutes. No great mathematics for that. For 100 km, driving at 120 km/h and not 130 km/h will make you arrive with a little less than 4 minutes delay. That’s the time of a song per day on a Grenoble/Chambery round trip (with a hair’s breadth, there are 100 km of highway on this round trip). And if you think that these minutes are essential, by refusing this saving, you will spend every year 2 to 3 times more at the pump…which will cut your “time saving” and will depress you a little more each time…
And if we look at our wallet...
And for the economists, 15% less consumption over 100 km is about 0.9 liters or 1.7 €, all for a little less than 4 minutes scraped on the journey …that puts us all the same the minute at a good 0.40 € is for a film of 1h40 in the cinema, the session at 40 € … excluding popcorn!!!
And on the road safety side...
Slower means less energy in motion and therefore shorter braking distances for less impact intensity…and therefore better for our safety. Of course, some associations of motorists will contest this point (and yet physics is stubborn…) but we will let each person judge the relevance or not of this argument because it does not call into question the two gains previously mentioned…And by the way, let’s just remember the debates on the wearing of seat belts…and the fact that many countries already apply lower speed limits than ours, and yet… “they drive”.
Finally, as a matter of reality, our society has put the car at the center of its functioning and it remains to date the only alternative for many citizens who are in no way to blame. Changes are underway but they will take time. You can’t transform your thermal vehicle into an electric one by snapping your fingers, or make the tramway pass in front of your farm…but you can reduce your consumption by lifting your foot off the gas pedal immediately.
Doing without a car is not possible for everyone, but slowing down a little is…
If it's good, why isn't it already in place?
At this point, you will ask us: “Why hasn’t the legislator already implemented measures to reduce speed, which are good for the budget and for the environment? The purpose of this little text is in no way to debate the functioning of our institutions but we just assume that as very often the “noise made by the opponents of a reform” is superior to the “weak reaction of those who are neutral or in favor of this same reform”.
And here we address those who are for (or are becoming…): it is not necessary to wait for a reform from above to become a “Less 10“. It’s a simple decision with immediate effect that’s up to you…you can decide to start on your next trip.
Finally, a concrete answer to the question "What can I do at my level to limit my impact and protect my purchasing power?"
Finally, a last light on the subject. To sometimes lead discussions around the climate challenge, we often have at the end legitimate questions on the theme“…okay, but what can I do at my level…I can’t do without my car?”. Books have been written on the subject and it is not the purpose of this sharing to list all the positive actions but a simple answer on our modes of transportation can be : “…try to reduce your shorter trips and drop your speed by 10 km/h on the longer ones…in short BECOME A LESSER TEN!!!”
