About 4 miles per gallon

[RandomFact314]

So this may show you, if you have not already noticed yourself, that traffic & going with the flow of traffic kills your mpg... I just started college 2 weeks ago & the traffic and everything else made my MPG go down a lot, I'm not used to only getting 28... These are my last 3 gas logs, the I didn't show more because the ones before that were with bigger tires... 28 is almost as bad as what I was getting before I started hypermiling

[FastPlastic]

I hear ya man. I live in a college town, and when they are gone it's awesome! I get across town at 5pm doing about 18-20mpg's. Now that they are back all the lights trip and no one knows how to drive, so I'm lucky if I can push 14-16mpg's. The worst are the students on foot. My commute takes me through some of the busiest parts of campus(only way around is about 2miles longer on a 5mile commute). They push the button to change the light then just walk right out in front of everyone. by the time they get across the light changes and all the cars have to wait about 15-20secs. It's killer on the MPG's.

65+ efficiency mods should include: "Don't live in a college town"

[RandomFact314]

Originally Posted by FastPlastic

I hear ya man. I live in a college town, and when they are gone it's awesome! I get across town at 5pm doing about 18-20mpg's. Now that they are back all the lights trip and no one knows how to drive, so I'm lucky if I can push 14-16mpg's. The worst are the students on foot. My commute takes me through some of the busiest parts of campus(only way around is about 2miles longer on a 5mile commute). They push the button to change the light then just walk right out in front of everyone. by the time they get across the light changes and all the cars have to wait about 15-20secs. It's killer on the MPG's.

65+ efficiency mods should include: "Don't live in a college town"

My mother said she knows a back way to go to my college driving through neighborhoods, I think that going 25 though a bunch of neighborhood probably would be better then waiting in all the traffic Im waiting in now...

The other day it literally took me 11 mins to find a parking spot on campus.. ugh

[PaleMelanesian]

I would try the longer route a few times, and calculate the time and fuel used. It might be faster and/or use less fuel to go around.

[FastPlastic]

Originally Posted by RandomFact314

My mother said she knows a back way to go to my college driving through neighborhoods, I think that going 25 though a bunch of neighborhood probably would be better then waiting in all the traffic Im waiting in now...

The other day it literally took me 11 mins to find a parking spot on campus.. ugh

The back roads can be better then the congested traffic. But you have to take in to account the slower speeds and more stop signs you end up finding. My cherokee gets 19mpg's at 25mph as opposed to 23mpg's at 35mph(closer to the sweet spot). So it's best if you can find a route that has the fewest turns and stops. I've tried two different routes so far through town and found I got almost exactly the same results as taking my normal route.

Originally Posted by PaleMelanesian

I would try the longer route a few times, and calculate the time and fuel used. It might be faster and/or use less fuel to go around.

I've done the math on a couple of my other trips across town and found I can't venture more then about 1mile out of my way before it's not worth it. So I've been doing a lot more sitting with the engine off at lights then normal to compensate for the extra traffic.

[cfg83]

RandomFact314 -

The traffic near UCLA is a disaster. I used to drive in 1/2 way, park, and bus in the other 1/2 way. Got some rest and avoided the traffic jams.

Next semester/quarter, is it possible to arrange your classes so that you drive off-peak? Sometimes you can pile your classes onto fewer days so that you don't have to drive to school every day, but that also means you may have more exams on the same day.

CarloSW2

[MazdaMatt]

Well, i have a solution... i've never heard of a college town that didn't have a good bus system.

[vinny1989]

Originally Posted by MazdaMatt

Well, i have a solution... i've never heard of a college town that didn't have a good bus system.

You havent been to the UK?

Our public transport is slow, always late, over crowded and over priced.

Case in point: Its cheaper for me to buy a car (inc tax, insurance, fuel etc) to get to uni, than going by train..

[Johnny Mullet]

Suzuki Swift for the win!

[Bicycle Bob]

Bicycles win the commuting races downtown, and save a lot of time and expense for parking. Have they disappeared from the halls of learning?