Please keep in mind that this a driver who's previous "Normal" was 85-90MPH and aggressively tailgating.

I've read in many places that we hyper milers are "Not normal".

Myself, even in casual conversation about my MPG will mention that I'm not driving "Normally".
Truly many of us are doing extra ordinary and rather odd things.

1. I think to some degree a persons actions when done for a long time become strangely "normal" to them and the table turns. In my case I see the 85-90MPH Left lane drivers and now consider them as "abnormal". “Dangerous”.

2. I noticed in my commute many more vehicles are driving for what they believe to be a more efficient manner. More drivers are using cruise control, driving slower etc. While this is no doubt a good trend, I wonder if this is becoming more "normal"? Despite the fact that price/gal in the Atlanta area has dropped about 6 cents lately, I still notice more are driving conservatively. (Sometimes ticks me off because they do the wrong things)

3. If these drivers took the time to look further than tips like provided by the EPA (To more informative web sites like greenhybrid) would they be driving more like a hyper miler? xcel, lakedue and other non-hybrid achievements come to mind.

4. Does that mean that we who are striving for better things and challenges are becoming more "normal"?

5. Am I delusional?

 

To the extent that more people are buying hybrids and other vehicles that provide feedback to the driver which have the effect on some of changing driving habits, yes, slowly but surely, we are becoming normal. Or at the very least, the norm is shifting in our direction.

As for the question of being dilusional.... Well I am too close to the subject as the question would surely apply to me also. I must recuse myself from answering.

 

In my case I see the 85-90MPH Left lane drivers and now consider them as "abnormal". “Dangerous”.

I agree that fast driving can be considered dangerous, although I am finding that my efforts to maximise FE are also becoming increasingly so.

Jumping lights (just changing to red), taking corners too fast and trying not to stop at junctions - all in the name of keeping momentum to save a measly fraction of a mpg are bad habits I seem to be developing.

 

ditto stoner. same habits forming here. Having that FE gauge is a blessing and a curse... I too am a reformed 'get to 75mph asap' guy, and get VERY upset now when I can't build a buffer, or the intersection doesn't clear quickly enough for me to coast through in the name of not having to accelerate as much/staying in neutral longer. Road rage on the opposite end of the spectrum? Maybe its kind of like politics- fringe is fringe-similar behavior on both extremes.

Speed doesn't kill; speed difference kills. (ok- speed certainly makes it harder to be safe, but in and of itself...) Unexpectedly coming up on someone driving the load at 50mph, even in the right lane, when you are at 65 is just as dangerous as being overtaken by someone doing 80 and weaving/'gating just behind you while you are at 65. Worse, for insurance purposes, since you would probably be at fault. Fortunately it's easier to see who's in front of you rather than behind.

On my commute, I have found more people willing to hang out behind me in the right lane at 60-65, driving a little of the load sometimes. This just since May. So yes, I anecdotally can add that there may be some shift to 'better' driving habits...until $2.30/gal becomes not so shocking anymore.

 

I wish my digital camera was not locked in the glove compartment when this happened.

Saturday at around 7 pm, a Surban driver had his left foot proped up on his dashboard! How on earth is he going to break?!

For lack of a better word, I've been seeing more anti hyper-milers - drivers that attempt to pay as little attention to driving as possible.

 

It' is very simple, with his left foot in the air, he uses his right foot for the break.
The benefit is that he takes his foot off the acellerator first. One of the worst things you can do is use your left foot to apply the break while you have your right foot on the gas pedal.

 

"Knee-jerk" reaction on my part.

 

Hi Hot_Georgia_2004:

___Neat thread!

___It doesn’t matter what others think. Those others you are speaking of are the ones receiving a 27 lmpg from their non-hybrid Corolla’s and Civic’s rated for 34 combined vs. our 45 - 60 + (hybrid’s and non-hybrid’s alike), 23 lmpg from their Camry’s and Accord’s rated for 29 combined vs. our 47 + (one non-hybrid anyway ), and a pathetic 12 - 17 lmpg from their Explorer’s, Escape’s, 4Runner’s, and Pilot’s rated for 16, 18, 19, and 20 combined vs. our 25 - 33 + … Hypermilers can only lead by example and with that, it is our responsibility to keep pushing the envelope. When someone asks what we receive, we ask in what? They say a hybrid (not the SUV’s), we say 65 - 110 +. Then we should consider estimating what they might receive in their own automobile with just 6 months worth of practice and change. I am way to close to the subject of course but this Country’s situation simply must improve. Our Country cannot afford the pitiful excuse for real world fuel economy most actually receive although there is really not much we can do except for pushing and posting tank over tanks for the world to see, understand, and incorporate the techniques and setup into their own driving habits and automobiles … The new found results will speak for itself mightily afterwards.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net

 

I don't think I've ever used my left foot to brake in any car - manual or automatic - that I've owned. It just feels unnatural.

Anyway, I agree that anything taken to the extreme will result in reduced safety. Speeding is a method of trying to take time savings to an extreme, typically. The guy who says "Maybe I can get to work in 21 minutes instead of 25 minutes." Of course, your aspiring hypermiler could be driving distracted because they're juggling between closely watching the instant MPG gauge, tachometer for shift points, looking way down the road to see what's coming up, coasting as much as possible even possibly coasting with the engine manually shut off at high speeds, rolling through neighborhood stopsigns, tailgating in the name of drafting, and so on. All in the name of "Maybe I can get to work with 60mpg instead of 50mpg."

I think normal is the folks in the middle who aren't really speeding, but aren't paying any special attention to their technique, but rather pay that attention to a general awareness of what's around them, rather than what the car is doing fuel efficiency-wise.

 

Hi AZCivic:

___I could not disagree more with your comment about a Hypermiler’s awareness. A hypermiler is more aware of his or her surroundings then any normal driver will ever be because he or she is looking for an edge let alone 10 cars behind, 3 cars to the side, cars just in front, ½ mile ahead, lights, signs, obstacles, and barriers. That looking for an edge also makes him or her far more aware of a traffic problem then any non-hypermiler imho. This is my personal experience. All except when I am in a close in draft looking between the box and the trailer frame and watching the cars along the side anyway … Yours mileage may vary.

___Good Luck

___Wayne R. Gerdes
___Waynegerdes@earthlink.net