My brother's thoughts on ecomodding/hypermiling

[JohnnyGrey]

Now if you really want a legislative change that will affect gasoline consumption, simply require that all cars have real-time fuel consumption displays. Let people see their real fuel economy, instead of shoving dogma down their throats.

I agree with you. I fully support anyone's right to go faster than 55mph. It's their car and their gas. I choose to hypermile, but I would not force it on anyone. A fuel economy gauge would do wonders in eliminating a lot of ignorance ie: SUV drivers who think they hit peak FE at 80mph. Really, I''m not making that up.

[PA32R]

Originally Posted by NoCO2

.... <snip> This, obviously doesn't work if your only going 20mph because 1 car length is just flat out too close, but, 3-4 car lengths still gives a pretty decent FE gain <snip> ...

The nature of drafting (about which I've blogged quite a bit) is such that drafting at 20 m.p.h. is pretty worthless anyway. The faster you're going, the more it helps, BUT if it's too fast, the relative gain in drag reduction is more than offset by the loss in fuel economy due to the speed regardless of the drafting.

In my LR3 which I drive at 55 m.p.h., using data from the scan gauge and some experimentation, I calculated that if I have to exceed 59 m.p.h., my fuel economy is reduced. Finding candidate drafting vehicles is very difficult. I'm able to find one well under 5% of the time I'm on the freeway.

[dcb]

Originally Posted by PA32R

Finding candidate drafting vehicles is very difficult.

a land rover IS a candidate drafting vehicle in my book But I wouldn't be happy with such a large vehicle tailgating me, or any vehicle for that matter, it is a bit like dangling a weight over someones head. I don't know them to know if they are actually paying enough attention or have the skill set to drive that close. Rule #1, assume everyone else isn't paying attention.

[PA32R]

Originally Posted by dcb

a land rover IS a candidate drafting vehicle in my book But I wouldn't be happy with such a large vehicle tailgating me, or any vehicle for that matter, it is a bit like dangling a weight over someones head.

It IS a candidate and has, in fact, been elected. I've been drafted by smaller vehicles.

I guess the guy in front of me doesn't know the degree of caution I exercise, but he's in zero danger of getting hit. Being a math nerd, I've timed my reaction, added a safety factor, searched the maximum deceleration of a large truck and of my LR3, and run the numbers for a safe distance.

Anyway, as I said, it's quite rare that I can find a truck to draft.

[jamesqf]

You know what's funny about drafting & the way some truckers object? Look at the distance between their front bumper and the vehicle ahead: it's about the same distance that I'd be behind them.