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Old 12-23-2007, 02:12 PM   #7 (permalink)
MetroMPG
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Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
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Blackfly - '98 Metro
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Quote:
Originally Posted by newtonsfirstlaw View Post
but if you gamble and lose, you pay even more
There's the key point.

If you throw in another pulse, and the light does in fact change to red, you're forced to brake (or run it, if you're igo ) - and probably brake pretty hard. Gas in --> brake dust out = FE nightmare.

If you keep gliding and the light does in fact change to red, you're far better off than if you had pulsed & braked (since in this scenario, I mentioned you would pretty much coast to a stop at the intersection anyway).

I really did face this situation a few drives back. As it turned out, the light *didn't* change to red on the approach, so I ended up re-applying power just as I got to the intersection (having almost coasted down to zero).

It's a completely bizarre, non-intuitive tactic to use. Green means go, right? Yet there I was, coasting nearly to a stop facing of a green light (NOTE! Not affecting any other drivers.) But if max mpg is the goal, only a predictable green means go.
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