Driving with either a) air conditioning on; or, b) windows rolled down

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From an environment perspective, which is worse? Obviously AC = CFCs released into the air, and do not forget that it uses extra gasoline; however, windows down = increased drag => lower fuel efficiency.*

I figure that the added noxiousness of CFCs pushes AC into the worst of two evils.

*At what point/speed does this additional drag become a significant factor? 30, 40, 50 etc mph?

― Leee O'Gaddy (Leee), Sunday, 11 April 2004 22:03 (twenty-two years ago)

b) is way more fun

― s1ocki (slutsky), Sunday, 11 April 2004 22:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Unless it's all hot air.

― Aja (aja), Sunday, 11 April 2004 22:09 (twenty-two years ago)

A/C also lowers fuel efficiency (and the power loss v. drag is about equal, according to my gearhead/racer friends).

I prefer B when I can, more fun and you can turn music up really loud and annoy the elderly when driving alone.

A is necessary from May until the end of September, though.

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Sunday, 11 April 2004 22:10 (twenty-two years ago)

I prefer B when I can, more fun and you can turn music up really loud and annoy the elderly when driving alone.

OMG! You'd never believe what I heard on Saturday when I went to Guitar Center to get a new amp. This guy in his late 30s early 40s what blasting this music from the 1930s with both his windows rolled down. He also cut in front of someone!

― Aja (aja), Sunday, 11 April 2004 22:13 (twenty-two years ago)

B messes up my hair.

― Jordan (Jordan), Sunday, 11 April 2004 22:14 (twenty-two years ago)

whatever, frankie avalon!

― s1ocki (slutsky), Sunday, 11 April 2004 22:18 (twenty-two years ago)

Consider: http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_393.html

― ...in bed. (Chris Piuma), Sunday, 11 April 2004 23:23 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't know about the CFC thing. Air conditioning is designed to be a closed system. The freon stays within, doesn't it?

Unless it's like my car and it all leaked out because it's so damned old, rendering the AC button as totally useless.

When I sell this car, it will be a winter month, for sure, when folks are less likely to care about that sort of thing.

But don't whack me. The AC hasn't worked since I've owned it.

― jim wentworth (wench), Monday, 12 April 2004 02:37 (twenty-two years ago)

Dude, you live in california. Do as I do - roll down the windows and feel the heat.

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Monday, 12 April 2004 02:46 (twenty-two years ago)

(I was talking to Leee, obviously)

― @d@ml (nordicskilla), Monday, 12 April 2004 02:47 (twenty-two years ago)

I got that.

― jim wentworth (wench), Monday, 12 April 2004 02:57 (twenty-two years ago)

CA=windows down

― Orbit (Orbit), Monday, 12 April 2004 03:18 (twenty-two years ago)

There is absolutely no way I can survive down here from about mid-April to mid-October without doing (a.), especially if it's a cloudless day outside and the sun is beating down with all its might. I think there are maybe three months total locally where we can do (b.) and actually enjoy it, though there are those days when I have to do (a.) during a time period when I don't have to have the air conditioning on at home.

And I seriously doubt I can impress someone by blasting the music I'm listening to. Not that I really care; I play music for my own personal enjoyment and that's it.

― Many Coloured Halo (Dee the Lurker), Monday, 12 April 2004 03:21 (twenty-two years ago)

The coolant in new (as in the last 10 years) ac systems isn't freon anymore.

How often do you replace the coolant in a new car? Never? Oh, then it's not being released into the air.

These things are irrelevant anyway. AC rules. Otherwise, you can't hear the music. Music matters!

― Skottie, Monday, 12 April 2004 04:40 (twenty-two years ago)

I drove to Phoenix in the summer with this girl who just would not put on the A/C because she wanted to save gas (not an environmentalist, just cheap. though she threw away money on frivilous things, so maybe she was just a mentalist). I told her driving at high speeds with the windows down was worse for gas mileage---I had no idea if it was or not, but goddamn it was hot up in that bitch---and she basically just said 'oh that's nice. doot da-doo duh-doo' while continuing to never put on the A/C. Even when we got to Phoenix and it was 110°. I bet if I had just killed her, a sympathetic jury would've let me off.

― oops (Oops), Monday, 12 April 2004 04:57 (twenty-two years ago)

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