Best Trip From Work Yet!!!

[YolandaTheHonda]

My drive from work is about as bad as it gets without being in the city itself. I have a 7.5 mile drive to work with 26 stoplights total. But 23 of those stop lights are in a distance of only 4.3 miles . By driving 30mph regardless of the speed limit (40-35) I was able to manage 43.7mpg. by whatever miracle I was able to get almost all green lights the whole way home and if it wasn't for the last 3 stop signs and some angry guy in an Audi in my neighborhood I would have averaged 44.5mpg. How do you find out the best balance between acceleration, instantaneous mpg, and not having the entire line of cars behind you not honk incessantly? This is only my fourth post so this very well may be the incorrect place for this post but it seemed like a success for me
-Scott

[digital rules]

Nice work Yolanda!!

Don't you just love it when you discover the person tailgaiting you lives right down the street

Will be traveling from DC to western NY this evening & hoping for a good tank. managed 48.7 to Norwich, NY 2 weeks ago & hoping to beat that today.

[YolandaTheHonda]

It actually turned out that the Audi was driving my neighbor home, leading to an awkward look from him for a second when we both got out of our cars.

Good luck with your trip tonight!

[Fat Charlie]

Welcome, and read the 100+ Hypermiling Tips. Brisker acceleration = less time spent accelerating, and higher engine loads are a more efficient use of the gas. What you "lose" in lower instant mpg numbers is made back and more by getting up to speed (and off the gas) sooner.

[YolandaTheHonda]

I've been reading that a quicker acceleration can have a more efficient use of the gas, but is there a certain load percentage/rpm range that above which your efficiency is decreasing and the gallons used for the acceleration is greater? if that makes any sense.

[Mustang Dave]

100% load without going into open loop enrichment, shifting at 2500 RPM on freeway on-ramps seems to work well for my Mustang. In town, I shift at 1500-3000 RPM with heavy right foot. YMMV.

[YolandaTheHonda]

Unfortunately Yolanda has been plagued with an AT, so even lifting the pedal at certain rpm ranges and engine loads I can't get her to shift until 2250rpm on level ground. I try to never top 3000rpm because I do have a VTEC engine that increases fuel sent after a certain rpm range is met. What throttle percentages do you typically run at during a normal acceleration from a light or stop sign?

[whatmaycome14]

I usually ignore the long line of cars behind me.

[YolandaTheHonda]

LOL, fair enough. I'm still too self conscious in my driving techniques to completely ignore everyone around me obviously becoming angry with me

[Mustang Dave]

I don't waste time accelerating. I'm the first one through the intersection when the light turns green. I estimate that I give it 80-90% throttle when accelerating. Generally, the only time I drive under the speed limit is when the speed limit is over 65 MPH (on the freeway where non-EMs can pass me and waste fuel that they complain costs too much ).