Terence,

Pulse and Glide will go you the maximum efficiency, but I don't think very many would suggest it for everyday driving. There aren't too many areas where you could vary your speed between 30 and 42 mph without at least ticking off drivers or more likely being a danger on the road.

I personally feel it's an interesting concept, but not something that could be used for everyday driving.

 

I actually find it quite useful in everyday driving. Not constantly, mind you, but enough still to routinely manage individual trips in the 70 MPG range. For example, some of my regular travel routes are 4- and 6-lane suburban streets with 35 & 45 MPH limits. I stay in the right lane and P&G as much as possible and as dictated by traffic and stoplight timing. As long as traffic volume allows faster trafffic behind me to easily change lanes and pass, I'll pulse up to no more than 40 MPH. I'll then glide down to 27-28 or so. I also watch the lights and traffic well ahead of me, and I try to time my pulses and glides so I can start gliding well in advance of an expected slowdown. As traffic increases, I may increase both the upper and lower speeds. That may carry the pulse past the 42 MPH threshold where the next glide is partially ICE-on mode, but it still helps.

BTW, I've recently chosen some of these routes over freeway routes so I can P&G.

I also regularly travel some semi-rural two lane roads with 45 & 55 MPH limits. They're ideal for P&G, as long as I can see clearly some distance behind and verify no one's rapidly approaching.

I agree that one shouldn't impede traffic and create a safety hazard. I don't want to incite anyone prone to road rage, and of course I want to stay safe. If all three travel lanes are moving at 45+ MPH in rush hour, I keep up. I certainly stay close to the flow on freeways. I don't slow to the mid-20s just past a blind curve on a 55 MPH two-lane road. But in all these cases I still anticipate slowdowns and glide as much as possible as I approach them.