Please Help Me Solve This Mystery

[Nobody]

When I drive my truck to ODU and back it takes me 38 minutes each way, and it's exactly 40 miles round-trip. When my wife drives there, she goes the exact same way. The odometer reads exactly 40 miles, but it takes her about 42 minutes each way.

Here's where my mystery comes in.......
When she goes there and back, it uses nearly half a tank of gas. When I got there and back, I use just under 1/8 of a tank. What gives? How is this possible, and what can I tell her to change about her driving habits to conserve gas?

 

[Lanky Livingston]

My guess is that she uses the brakes too much. Its a common problem in Houston, people LOVE to hit the breaks here for no reason. Someone is merging into my lane 3 miles ahead of me? SLAM THE BRAKES!!!!! My exit is coming up in 4 miles and I need to get over? SLAM THE BRAKES!!!! I'm coming up to a hill in the road and I can't see what's on the other side? SLAM THE BRAKES!!!! A curve in the highway? SLAM THE BRAKES!!!

If its a manual you should teach her how to downshift (if she doesn't know already), and if its an automatic, just tell her not to brake so much. If you have a safe following distance, you don't need to brake that often.

 

[Goaldeje]

Ex, are you driving when the tank is full? I've noticed with my van (a 2006 Town and Country) when it is full, it takes an inordinate amount of time for the fuel gauge to drop below Full. Then once it starts dropping, it goes pretty even, but it's almost like sometimes the gas tank is full, and sometimes it is REALLY full.

 

[Lanky Livingston]

Ex, are you driving when the tank is full? I've noticed with my van (a 2006 Town and Country) when it is full, it takes an inordinate amount of time for the fuel gauge to drop below Full. Then once it starts dropping, it goes pretty even, but it's almost like sometimes the gas tank is full, and sometimes it is REALLY full.

This could also be the problem. The fuel-gauge definitely moves faster as the tank gets emptier.

 

[Henry]

Is she a liberal?

 

[Nobody]

Love the answers

She drives like a grandma most of the time, so I don't think it's a lead foot issue, although I admit I've never been brave enough to ride with her as the driver on the interstate.

She doesn't hit the brakes a lot, but when she does she REALLY mashes them for absolutely no logical reason.

She claims she's a conservative, but I've suspected her of being a closet liberal for years, and tease her all the time about it. If anything, I think she's a left leaning moderate, but she hates most people on the left so much she just pretends to be a republican. Besides, this is way off topic Henry, go stand in the corner for your disruption.