PoliTalker
Diversity Makes Greatness
I experimented with what is known as hyper-miling to save fuel, the environment, and money. Once, I did a nearly 400 mile trip in 7.5 hours in a mid size sedan with a 4cyl engine. It was rated to get 21 city / 31 hwy. I did have a tail wind that day. I also drove 55-60, stayed behind trucks and other 'follow vehicles' where ever possible (at a safe distance the effect is still there) That day, the weather was nice, so no AC needed. Just crack the windows a little. I set my best record. 44 mpg. Still had gas in the tank after the trip. That represented a nearly 600 mile range on one tank of gas.
I regularly got 35-36 mpg in that vehicle, just because of the way I drove it.
There are further savings to hyper-miling.
Because the technique for city driving is to learn the route, select the best route for timing stoplights, it is often possible to time it so that one never even stops at a light. Adjust speed so that when approaching a light, the traffic waiting there begins to move as the light turns green. The goal is to reduce using the brakes to a bare minimum. This saves brakes and tires.
When driving smarter for fuel savings, your tires and brakes appear to last forever. Easily double the life of hard driving.
Saving money on fuel, saving the environment, and saving bunches of money on tires and brakes.
It's also a lot easier on the car, resulting in fewer repair bills. Turns out, the fuel burned during the life of a vehicle might be a bigger cost than buying and maintaining the vehicle. Especially if running used cars.
Just turn on NPR, learn some really good information about how to be a good citizen, expand your mind, and save for the future while doing it.
And guess what. Cars last a lot longer in general when driven easy. I've had a few that made it 1/4 million miles. Very few repairs.
And driving easy is a lot less stressful. No getting angry at slow drivers. No close calls almost hitting people. No road rage. Arrive in a better frame of mind, feeling good, comfortable in the knowledge of how much money you're saving.
I regularly got 35-36 mpg in that vehicle, just because of the way I drove it.
There are further savings to hyper-miling.
Because the technique for city driving is to learn the route, select the best route for timing stoplights, it is often possible to time it so that one never even stops at a light. Adjust speed so that when approaching a light, the traffic waiting there begins to move as the light turns green. The goal is to reduce using the brakes to a bare minimum. This saves brakes and tires.
When driving smarter for fuel savings, your tires and brakes appear to last forever. Easily double the life of hard driving.
Saving money on fuel, saving the environment, and saving bunches of money on tires and brakes.
It's also a lot easier on the car, resulting in fewer repair bills. Turns out, the fuel burned during the life of a vehicle might be a bigger cost than buying and maintaining the vehicle. Especially if running used cars.
Just turn on NPR, learn some really good information about how to be a good citizen, expand your mind, and save for the future while doing it.
And guess what. Cars last a lot longer in general when driven easy. I've had a few that made it 1/4 million miles. Very few repairs.
And driving easy is a lot less stressful. No getting angry at slow drivers. No close calls almost hitting people. No road rage. Arrive in a better frame of mind, feeling good, comfortable in the knowledge of how much money you're saving.
