Wormhole OR WOT actually takes longer - you decide

jijifer · Post by **jijifer** » Sun Nov 21, 2010 4:59 pm

So yesterday I scooted the 35miles to my shop to get my oil changed. No biggie except it was through one of two storms coming through So Cal in 24hrs. I was about 2500miles since my last oil change and I never let it go on that long but this was the first chance I had since 1800 miles.

I knew I'd be rained on for at least an hour twenty minutes - the FASTEST I had ever scooted that 35miles (lots and lots of lights). But figured with the wind and rain it maybe closer to 2 hours.

I put on my rain gear (amazon has a really decent rain suit for $30 - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001JA ... ss_product) and set out with 2hrs to get to the city.

It was windy the whole way and rainy in most parts. It was hard to assess what was just a wet sheen vs. a deep puddle and was made harder when the sky would open up and dump on me.

I left the house with 3/4 a tank, thinking I'd need to fuel up once I got into the city.

Now I took the route I always do. The fastest I've ever done it is in an hour and 20 mins and that's me WOT most of the way and going as fast as I think I can get it away the other parts. This usually uses a half of tank of gas.

I was totally shocked when I got to my shop in 1hr flat, never once hitting WOT and only using 1/4 of tank I was shocked. I was fighting the wind and it felt like I was going super slow yet I shaved 20mins off my best time AND used half the gas. Only 2 explanations: I went through a worm hole or WOT doesn't actually get you there faster. What do you think?

killbilly · Post by **killbilly** » Sun Nov 21, 2010 6:13 pm

What's the density of traffic lights on that route?

If you hit a lot of them green, you're driving at a more constant throttle and that definitely could have something to do with your efficiency.

charlie55 · Post by **charlie55** » Sun Nov 21, 2010 6:13 pm

According to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, it is impossible to determine simultaneously both the position and momentum of an electron or any other particle with any great degree of accuracy or certainty.

Since both your scooter and yourself are composed of electrons, it's possible that you were on the road to the shop, at the shop, and returning from the shop, all at the same time. Hence the disparity in travel time and fuel consumption.

This type of phenomenon is alluded to in Tull and Anderson's groundbreaking treatise, "Mother England Reverie":

"Talking to the gutter-stinking, winking in the same old way.
I tried to catch my eye but I looked the other way. "

JHScoot · Post by **JHScoot** » Sun Nov 21, 2010 6:15 pm

i vote wormhole

Stormswift · Post by **Stormswift** » Sun Nov 21, 2010 6:18 pm

Did you have to go through many lights? I find that on a busy day at commute hours it takes ma 10-15 minutes more to get to work. If I leave 5 minutes early and get through the "window" before traffic starts accumulating and intersections are totally clear and most of the lights are green I make it much faster. Sitting at the intersections you are still using up gas. The longer you sit the more gas is used up.

easy · Post by **easy** » Sun Nov 21, 2010 6:32 pm

bad weather less people on the roads

Post by **jrsjr** » Sun Nov 21, 2010 6:46 pm

Paradox: You may have run into The Scooter Paradox. The Buddy and the150 Blur are actually faster (and get better gas mileage) when you back off on the throttle, especially in a a headwind. I'm betting you were taking it easier than usual because of the lousy conditions and that's what happened.

BootScootin'FireFighter · Sun Nov 21, 2010 9:11 pm

you make great time when you are focused on the destination. Example, I was pretty far out of town and trying to get back before nightfall. It seemed like I made it back in almost half the time. Riding in the rain can be a lot of fun. As long as it's not cold and the initial slick is over. If you have good rain gear holding up or once you're soaked to the bone, then you don't think about it so much! I didn't know it rains in Southern California.

jijifer · Post by **jijifer** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 12:28 am

same route that I've ridden 100 times and the fastest ever before was 1hr 20mins. We can split lanes here so I'm never really contending with traffic but there weren't any traffic worries. slightly less than normal amount of cars. I even pulled over to take a few pictures when my speedo rolled over 18000

I definitely was going slower hence the savings in gas but holy smokes, how did I make it down there in an hour?! worm hole me thinks.[/img]

killbilly · Post by **killbilly** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 1:12 am

[quote="jijifer"

I definitely was going slower hence the savings in gas but holy smokes, how did I make it down there in an hour?! worm hole me thinks.[/quote]

Matrix must have changed something...

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 1:40 am

It's a seldom-discussed scooter-specific phenomenon. Generally starts happening around 17,999 or so miles.

BuddyRaton · Post by **BuddyRaton** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 3:10 am

Schrödinger's cat killed Heisenburg

ilektron · Post by **ilektron** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 3:21 am

Was this around the day light savings time switch?

michelle_7728 · Post by **michelle_7728** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 3:57 am

Maybe it wasn't as late in the day as you thought when you took off...?

Congrats on getting to 18,000--Here's to another 18,000!

Are all these miles just since March of 2009?

Post by **Lostmycage** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 4:28 am

BuddyRaton wrote:Schrödinger's cat killed Heisenburg

Are you certain about that?

Post by **ericalm** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 5:30 am

Lostmycage wrote:
BuddyRaton wrote:Schrödinger's cat killed Heisenburg
Are you certain about that?

Heisenberg is both alive and not alive.

Post by **Lostmycage** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 5:59 am

ericalm wrote:
Lostmycage wrote:
BuddyRaton wrote:Schrödinger's cat killed Heisenburg
Are you certain about that?
Heisenberg is both alive and not alive.

Well, that depends on the cat. But I'm not completely certain about any of it... especially the cat. Is it a lead cat? It seems that would change things a bit.

Wheelz · Post by **Wheelz** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 4:58 pm

all i know is, I keep putting my cat in the a box and when i open the box again, all I have is a very pissed off cat.

trackpete · Post by **trackpete** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 6:39 pm

Maybe your speedo broke and you were really riding at 55MPH? ;x Or you got lost in the rain and took a previously unknown shortcut?

I think most likely is michelle_7728's hypothesis, that you confused yourself about the time you left (I've been known to do this on occasion). Check the timestamp on any photos you have, maybe you have a pre-trip and post-trip photo?

jijifer · Post by **jijifer** » Mon Nov 22, 2010 8:18 pm

michelle_7728 wrote:Maybe it wasn't as late in the day as you thought when you took off...?

Congrats on getting to 18,000--Here's to another 18,000!

Are all these miles just since March of 2009?

I bought the scooter used in late Feb 2009. I will have to hit 19340 to have scooted 18000 all by myself. The scooter has done 18000 since 10/18/2008 when she was registered.

In fact, I didn't even head downstairs to my scooter until 9:07am that morning so there was warm up, wipe down, get my headphones set, secure my ipod and get my helmet on. Normally I'd leave at 9:30am for an 11:00am but since it was rainy and windy I gave myself more time. I mentally beat myself for not giving myself the full two hours for dilly dallying but though eh- it shouldn't take 2hrs.

I didn't look when I finally took off and the phone didn't say what time I took the picture of my speedo.

I pulled up to the shop and it looked dark and no scooters were out. I looked down my clock said 10:05am. I thought well, maybe the shop is opening late. As I pulled up, this guy came out and I was struggling to get my gloves off, my ipod out and turned down so I could hear what he was saying.

That's when i realized my alarm was going off and that it was broken so I couldn't get it to stop.

There was some confusion at the shop. They had me down for Friday when I can only ever be there on Saturday and there was no mechanic. One of the sales guys offered to do it but I had to take care of the alarm. It was going off like every 10secs for 15secs and it was SOOOOO loud! That took a while of no mechanic, what can we do. I asked the other sales guy to look up xena and see what he could find. He couldn't find anything. I called my friend wayne to have him email anything he could find and I posted here. Wayne emailed me 10:24am the video. Approximately 20mins had passed since my arrival.

Wormhole, I tell you. or maybe my scooter was going faster than indicated or supersonically trying to outrun the alarm that I couldn't hear with my headphones on!