You do not need to explain any more, I do understand what you posted. Your technique involves accellerating to 80mph in a 55-65mph zone, then decelerating to 65mph where you hold it.

As for me, I said I got 58.6mpg on my last tank, which was combinded city/highway 50/50, the EPA estimate for combined on a 2007 Prius is 55mpg, 58.6 is greater than 55. The 50-55mpg figure was for highway only and that beats the EPA most of the time since the EPA for highway is 51mpg.

And I did contribute to this thread. I said drive the speed limit with nothing fancy, and I should have added drive conservitively and you should get great FE, in my case better than the EPA sticker. By driving conservitively I get over 75mpg in city driving where the EPA says 60mpg, though I do not have a whole tank of citiy driving do document that.

I'm sorry that you take it as derision when someone points out that speeding is dangerous. I do not care if you speed, I was responding to the fact that the thread was about safe teqniques. You may not belive it but I am sorry if I offended you and I appoligize if even my sumary of your technique in my first paragraph here is incorrect.

Since you have said that you will not discuss this with me any more, I will also not reply to any more of your posts in this thread.

Stephen/scm2000,
Actually this "discussion" has been very useful because it demonstrates that it's impossible to agree on safe techniques that significantly improve FE. People have vastly different opinions on what is safe and on what constitutes a significant improvement in FE - and worse yet an individual's opinions in both areas may change with time and experience. I know mine have.
IMO the best approach is that used on cleanmpg dot com (is it OK to refer to them here?). They simply lay out a menu of different techniques for people to try. And emphasize that the methods should be tested in a safe, traffic-free location the first few times!! People can decide for themselves how safe the techniques are and how well each works on their particular vehicle for their particular driving program. Simple, no fuss.

John

2006 Insight MT
2003 Subaru Outback
1999 Honda VFR800

Hi,

Well I don't plan on cutting off the a/c anytime soon. I live in NM after all. But I have found that people are not esp discriminating where they turn this on. In fact, all during the summer have their a/cs at the highest point. Since we have cool mornings and evenings, I don't use the a/c. I keep the a/c at the lowest point possible. I have always done this, even before I was a hypermiler (born again). If you actually *think* about when you turn it on, you probably won't use it as much.


I will get new tires that i feel comfortable over-inflating slightly, but it won't be extreme. Maybe 2-3 psi more than required. This seems safe, and keeps them up and over the minimum and aware that keeping them low is bad all the way around and probably more dangerous. Most people don't think twice about letting them get too low.

I think hypermiling is fun. It is challenging in a way like playing a sport or doing Suduku. You get to know your car and your route and so forth. Where is the stop and how long is the light? etc.

I think I was a always a bit of one as i have always been a careful driver, going within the speed limit (as well as the a/c thing). The newer techniques just allow me to do certain things to help things along.
If I come to an incredibly long light (and I know which these are) I will turn the car off. And if I see a red light coming there is no reason for me to wait til the very last second to start stopping. I think your brakes will actually last longer this way.


If you want to get 39 miles per gallon on your hybrid, hey who wants to stop you. Except, I just am getting almost that on my Corolla with just the most limited techniques that would be characterized as safe careful driving. I will never do crazy things like drafting, etc. I actually dislike driving next to semis, regardless and will probably continue to hate it. And I don't want to suffer in my car going without the a/c after it has sat in the sun all day in 90 degree heat. I also sometimes go less than the speed limit on the highway. I think it is safe in certain cases, for instance if there is a slow lane with light traffic. No one cares. Sometimes the supposed slow lane doesn't really exist. I have also found this true, esp during rush hour. I would not take my chances. I would just go at a speed that keeps me within the range of other traffic. A lot of times people pass my in a rush and i end up seeing them down the street later on.

I think some of the techniques are a little extreme. I think like a sport some people get very much into it. I don't consider it sad, like I don't consider snowboarding or parachute jumping or scuba sad. If there is ego in it it is just like everything else known to humans.

I think the gauges in a hybrid have encouraged some techniques and i think that's why they got there. Why do you have a miles per gal or when the battery is more assisted if it is not to really use those gauges?? So yes, i actually think they *were* built for some moderate degree of hypermiling. Consider the gauges as biofeedback to correct and give you feedback on your driving behavior. I don't think they are really there to look cool. But the degree to which you use and understand them is up to you.

Greenhybrid is not mostly about hypermiling. That would be cleanmpg.com. Dont' go there or you'd get really ticked. I haven't read too much here on this subject. But I do know there are avid hypermilers here.


--des