'Hypermiling' Is Dangerous, Says AAA - GreenHybrid

haroldo · #1 (**permalink**) 07-11-2008, 01:41 PM

From a thread over at another forum...

Quote:

'Hypermiling' Is Dangerous, Says AAA
Extreme fuel-saving measures can put motorists at risk

June 30, 2008

As record-high fuel prices continue to stress household budgets, many motorists are trying to stretch the envelope when it comes to wringing every possible mile out of a gallon of gas. It's called "hypermiling," and AAA says it's usually not a very good idea.

"The goals of hypermiling are positive, such as eliminating aggressive driving and saving energy," said Marshall L. Doney, AAA Automotive vice president. "Unfortunately some motorists have taken their desire to improve fuel economy to extremes with techniques that put themselves, as well as their fellow motorists, in danger."

Examples of dangerous hypermiling techniques include cutting off the vehicle's engine or putting it in neutral to coast on a roadway, tailgating or drafting larger vehicles, rolling through stop signs and driving at erratic and unsafe speeds.

"These practices can put motorists in a treacherous situation where they could lose power steering and brakes or be unable to react to quickly changing traffic conditions," Doney said.

Not only that, many "hypermiling techniques are against the law. On the other hand, smooth and easy acceleration and braking, maintaining a steady speed, using cruise control and looking ahead to anticipate changing traffic conditions are both safe and reasonably effective," he said.

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/remark,20773858

CJO2007CamryHyb · #2 (**permalink**) 07-12-2008, 02:39 PM

Hypermiling can be dangerous, if you're using extreme measures to achieve the improved fuel economy. As in most techniques or "tricks" common sense needs to be used. I'm not sure why anyone would put themselves and others around them on the road in danger to get better fuel economy??

Brawn · #3 (**permalink**) 07-12-2008, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haroldo

On the other hand, smooth and easy acceleration and braking, maintaining a steady speed, using cruise control and looking ahead to anticipate changing traffic conditions are both safe and reasonably effective," he said.

This is what I've been doing for the last 2 years. I've only heard of hypermiling 2 weeks ago. Like CJO says, I don't see anyone putting themselves or anyone else in danger for just a little fuel savings. Sometimes we're going to have to stop or slow down more than we'd like. It's all part of sharing the road with others. Just have to have common sence and common courtesy and we will all get along just fine.

msantos · #4 (**permalink**) 07-12-2008, 06:20 PM

There's only one legitimate and safe brand of hypermiling, and that is what we promote at CleanMPG. The people who in exchange for fuel economy or convenience violate the law are not hypermilers.

They are law breakers and what they do, is at least as wrong as those who regularly chose to exceed the speed limit and drive aggressively... and we all know how many of these folks there are on our roads today, don't we?

The AAA was not only ignorant about the governing principles of hypermiling but they also yet to address the epidemic FE waste on our roadways including the tens of thousands of accidents caused by speeding and aggressive drivers.

What ignorance and what a waste.

<<EDIT>>

Here's the press release rebuttal to AAA's claims;
http://www.cleanmpg.com/cmps_index.php?page=AAA

Cheers;

MSantos

Delta Flyer · #5 (**permalink**) 07-15-2008, 06:45 PM

Daily 46 are killed by speeders, 35 more by drunks or people on drugs, 8 or so distracted drivers...with this hype of the "hypermiling terror" in the media, see anything wrong with this picture? We should be reading of frequent hypermiling-caused accidents if you were to believe them...and they are cherry-picking illegitmite practices such as semi drafting and rolling stops

Dang · #6 (**permalink**) 07-15-2008, 10:14 PM

Ya know, it makes me wonder if it's really guys trying to maximize fuel economy that are the source of these articles, or the "anti-hybrid" crowd that are trying to make it seem like something dangerous. Any one that desperate to improve fuel economy would know putting the car in neutral doesn't save fuel, it increases consumption, because in gear coasting the engine is in fuel cutoff mode, while at idle it has to use some fuel to keep the engine running. Likewise, turning the car off at a light will use more fuel as well (not the TCH), because the car will go into open loop mode when started which results in lower fuel economy.

Sure, tailgating and driving through stop signs is dangerous, no question. I found the replies to that article really funny, like "my Ford Explorer gets it's best fuel economy at 80mph" (yeah right...) or "it's dangerous to go less than 10mph over the speed limit".
Speed if you want, but don't pretend your doing it to improve safety!

Cheers!

Dang