I'm writing a story about hypermiling for Driving.ca; want to be a part of it?

[user removed]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

Treat everybody else as if they're trying to kill you, because they (subconscientiously) probably are.

In some cases even unconscious.

reagrds
Mech

[elhigh]

Situational awareness is the meat and potatoes of hypermiling. This morning's commute, usual place for bad snarls, I let a big gap open ahead of me over a half-mile early. By the time I got there, I coasted through at about 30mph. And so, too, did the people behind me, even the impatient ones banging on their steering wheels yelling, "Close the gap! Move up! Hurry up!"

Net time gained: 0. Net time lost: 0
Brakes ridden: almost 0. Goosing the throttle for fits and starts: also 0. And isn't that the point?

[Fat Charlie]

Subconscientiously is correct. If they were more conscientious, they would have probably succeeded by now.

[MetroMPG]

Some positive comments being added to the article over at driving.ca. It's a Facebook comment system though.

Debunking the myths of hypermiling | Driving

[user removed]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Old Mech, you're going to have to school me on "terminal disaster anticipation".

I'm guessing it means playing the "what if?" game, but I've been wrong before.

Had to use the TDA today. Coming home on my bike I turn right at Jefferson off of Denbigh Blvd in 3rd gear heading west. Accelerate to just over the limit and get in the left (of 3 each way) lane. About half a mile later a Dodge truck with a trailer wtih an Aluminum wheel repair sign who was in the right lane comes over into the middle lane with his drivers door next to my bike. I expected that with the right lane exits and cars pulling out in the road.

I DIDN'T EXPECT HIM TO KEEP COMING INTO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now I am in trouble, I move over close to the 4 inch concrete curb, still at 45 MPH, as the distance between him and the curb drops to 3 feet, clutch in coasting. If I touch the brakes I am in sand that has been dumped on the road all winter. As I slow down and he gets closer, my speed drops off and he slowly passes me. Touch the brakes and you are down under the trailer wheels, likely dead.

I stayed cool and relatively calm. I could not control what he did, only my reaction to his 3 lane change, all the way into the left hand only turn lane. When I passed him making his turn, I still don't think he saw me. If so he was trying to kill me in a company truck. I did give him a single digit salute to his lack of awareness of his surroundings. I had been in that lane for .5 mile and was thinking ahead about the 12 traffic lights ahead and if I could time them perfectly. Still managed to do that even with heavy Friday traffic.

I picked him up in my peripheral vision, just ahead of the point where my full face shield meets the helmet itself. It gave me that little edge but the TDA saved my arse. Could have become a statistic today.

I'm home, not a scratch.

reagrds
Mech

[user removed]

The TDA made me aware of the sand. I never looked back or paid much attention to him. I focused completely on how close I could get to the curb and it was inches at 60 feet a second. I knew I couldn't touch the brakes, coasting was my only option.

regards
Mech

[XYZ]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

When I passed him making his turn, I still don't think he saw me. If so he was trying to kill me in a company truck. I did give him a single digit salute to his lack of awareness of his surroundings.

He probably didn't see you, although he should have. I'm not defending him, but let's face it, motorcycles are not as easy to see as cars. That makes them inherently higher in risk.

My wife's cousin, who was a very careful older biker, was killed on his bike. A van making a left turn into a parking lot turned directly into his path without signalling. He had the right of way on a two lane highway. There was no way he could anticipate it or stop in time. He broadsided the van which was unavoidable, and he died of internal injuries.

You might consider giving up the bike due to the higher risk from the actions of other drivers. As with all driving, you can be the most defensive and aware driver on earth, and still become a traffic fatality, just from being on the road with those who didn't see you.

BTW, having a very loud horn is a better defense than giving the finger after the fact.

[roosterk0031]

I sold off all my motorcycles a couple years ago, I wasn't using them enough.

Last summer one of nephews got rear ended on his bike while stopped at a stop light. Short trip home from 2nd job on Sunday and didn't bother with the helmet. Smashed his skull, almost removed one ear (deaf in it now) punctured lung and more. Lady in expedition blamed a soda bottle got under the brake and she couldn't stop. He'll never be the same. Helmet on he would have still got hurt, but would be 100% recovered today.

I don't want to be critical of your wife's cousins, but that is the one of most common way motorcyclist are whipped out so you need to always be aware of that.

If Old Mech was on a 1000 a twist of the throttle, slight swerve away and he may have got out of danger quicker. But most 1000s get the worst FE than his Fiesta.

[gone-ot]

Double-edged sarcasms about two-wheelers (bicycles and motorcycles):

• BICYCLES are self-propelled unintentional "hood ornaments."

• MOTORCYCLES are motor-propelled unintentional "hood ornaments."

[user removed]

A twist of the throttle, a stab on the brakes, would have put me on the pavement and run over by his trailer=dead. The 2-3 feet I had to work with were covered in sand from the whole winters speading all over the road. Pretty sure already mentioned.

Blow the horn and he hits the brakes. He is moving over to a left turn lane and I am falling behind him coasting. The TDA was running at max. Nothing I could have done would have made it better. Acclerating would have been suicide.

Divided six lane highway with a left turn short exit lane 45 MPH limit. HE CAME FROM THE MOST RIGHT LANE ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT TURN LANE ALL IN ONE MOVE, LIKE I WAS INVISIBLE. HE WAS PULLING OVER WITH ME PRECISELY BESIDE HIS DOOR AND THAT IS WHERE I PULLED IN THE CLUTCH AND GOT AS CLOSE TO THE CURB AS I COULD WITHOUT HITTING THE 4 INCH RAISED CONCRETE EDGE.

Posted that in the first post. I did not look at him, didn't think about him hitting me, just about maintaining control and not hitting the curb and I was inches from it at 45 MPH IN SAND!

It was the only way out.

regards
Mech