Hi CGameProgrammer:
___So where are you driving 80 + mph, side streets?

___I wonder why my experience across much of central and southern CA. varies so much with yours. I also loved the part about the 18-wheelers traveling over 80 +. I don’t care about the one or two but all? You are dreaming. Have you read any on what UPS is limiting their drivers to as of late? When you do, either UPS does not deliver in CA. or maybe you are stretching the truth a bit? I tend to think the latter. As for safety, 80 + in an accident is as close to instant death as one can imagine. Maybe most accidents don’t happen on the highway in CA.? My time there going 60 – 65 in the far right lane with the OTR drivers, minivans loaded with families, economy cars, and economy minded drivers was a rather pleasant experience actually.

___You did. “A motorcycle is what a hypermiler should ride.”. According to what you have posted about your Jetta hitting 26, you are hypermiling in it as well. I wonder how your Jetta gets 26 at 90 +? Do you have instrumentation that shows your instantaneous FE or are you stretching the truth again?

___Really? I do not even own a hybrid. So what is your beef against them? You received what appears to be a ridiculously low FE number by driving one off the lot at 90 + and they you are complaining to us about it? You need to adjust your outlook. I don’t care what you drive but driving foolishly at 80 + is not just your business, it is also the business of the family of 6 driving the Odyssey in lane next to you, or the young teen driver with little experience driving the Corolla heading off the highway without turn signals etc. 80 + is not only above every speed limit in the entire US but is unsafe no matter how you try to defend it. Then you are telling me how I think? Are you a psychologist? All I see is a lot of hot air about items you know nothing about. Maybe you should learn about the HCH before telling all of us how it’s mileage sucks. On a percentage of member’s basis, it has the largest representative amount of vehicles exceeding the EPA City/Highway combined. The HCH’s mileage must really suck to do that?

___You are the individual that posted the HCH’s mileage sucks. Why don’t you ask any HCH driver here if they have ever received just 22 mpg from one over any segment? The response will be that you are the problem, not the HCH. Does the HCH’s mileage “Suck” as you said earlier or does your driving habits “Suck”? Even you know the answer to that question

___Since you are supposedly already achieving 26 mpg from your current car at 80 +, why are you looking at any other that will not get 26 mpg at 80 +?

___No, not the Prius. With that, I guess you will find out the hard way …

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

 

I got mid to high twenties driving a Vette at the speeds you are talking about, maybe you should get a Vette.

 

They should be banned because they only hold 2 people and pollute to much...lol Kevin

 

San Diego. Its highways are rarely congested.

I don't know, none of the 80mph trucks were UPS trucks. Why are you bringing up UPS?

I was not referring to myself.

I have never stretched the truth; you're the one bringing up totally irrelevant or incorrect things. When I was doing the aforementioned 90mph I-5 drive, I went 340 miles before refueling and pumped 13 gallons. Do the math. And no, your calculator is not stretching the truth.

Except the Insight you got rid of only a few months ago. You are stretching the truth by claiming you don't own a hybrid. It's technically true, but only technically.

Please read before you make these ridiculous accusations. It is hardly "off the lot" if it had 13000 miles. I mentioned many times that it was a rental.

Yeah and it's those people and dodge and weave around slower traffic, making it dangerous. In any case I fail to see how me driving the same speed as many other people creates a dangerous situation.

Yeah it's 5mph above the 75mph speed limit many areas have, and 10mph above the speed limit of I-5 on the stretch I mentioned.

Please stop stretching the truth. I never said the mileage sucked. I said it sucked in the circumstances in which I drove it. I am 100% certain that everybody's stated 50mpg figures are totally accurate. Stop insulting me and acting childish by implying I am not. But I am also 100% certain that my own mileage figures are also accurate, even though you act like I am lying. The car is able to be driven conservatively but it is not able to be driven at faster speeds. The Prius is and even most other cars get good mileage at highway speeds. Honda itself states that during high-speed cruising the engine is driving the car alone. It is no wonder then that the 78hp engine struggles. As other more rational people have mentioned, yes, this is typical for a hybrid and during high-speed cruising they're basically like regular cars. But they are very efficient regular cars... alot of engineering goes into the engines, and the 2006 Civic's engine looks promising to me. Since my observations of actual reality suggest a more powerful engine would perform better on the highway, I look forward to its release.

You mean ask a site full primarily of hyper-milers? Don't you realize you're ignoring the overwhelming majority of HCH owners? In 2003 alone, nearly 22,000 HCHs were registered. How many members are on this site?

So whatever car I happen to own is somehow the most fuel-efficient car I can find? Why do I doubt that? Especially since I have seen firsthand that there are far more efficient cars, including the HCH if you even bothered reading my later comments. But I see you have not.

 

I'm not a moderator here (not even close), but I hope maybe things can cool off.

• CGameProgrammer, I've have been in California enough to know there are highways people drive at warp speed and others driver are going the speed limit. I've recently been in Northern California and Oregon, but also have been in LA and The Bay in the past.
• I seriously think cruising at 65-70mph is not going to get you roadkilled. Many an evening on Hwy 190 (George Bush Tollway) I have given in to Autobahn conditions and "shown" drivers they can't pass me by. In other words, I have struggled with just ignoring drivers that blast by me. This is probably much of the reason the pack speed is often 75mph on some highways. Going 65-70 will not deliver maximum fuel economy, but a reasonable compromise with highway traffic - not hypermiling.
• Congress is not going to be able to repeal Newton's First Law of Motion. The increased changes in momentium and wind resistance at 80mph makes decent fuel economy challenging.
• It took me several months to understand the nuiances of my Insight, with a substantial increase in fuel economy. For me to claim I understand hybrids with just a week of experience, is kind of like me saying a week's vacation in London gives me an understanding of what the Londoner is thinking.
• Hypermilers are a minority. So are people that are active, at an ideal weight, put only healthy stuff in their mouths. So are people that save enough money for a good retirement and have no debt outside of home payments....

May I suggest just step back from this thread, revaluate the type of driving you are willing to do, the car that best fits that style, and the cost that driving style incurrs?

 

hmm...how does "Delta Flyer the wise" sound for a title.

I hate to think this forum will end up like Edmunds. This forum has, up till now, been a peaceful place for information and inspiration. Please, lets keep it this way.

"The only dumb thoughts are the ones that are not brought to light."

I realize that I am protective of HCH and get upset when people badmouth (or not impressed) them. Everyone has different tastes and different lifestyles...such is life.

 

I'm going to lock this thread since it seems there is no more to add to it. Both sides have had their say.