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Old 11-09-2008, 08:23 AM   #9 (permalink)
Tango Charlie
Deadly Efficient
 
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Goshen, Indiana
Posts: 1,234

Olivia - '03 Pontiac Vibe base
90 day: 36.01 mpg (US)

R2-D2 - '00 Honda Insight
90 day: 58.81 mpg (US)
Thanks: 134
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You're on the right track, Cd. But it may help you hone your driving technique to realize that the hit on your mileage has already been taken before you hit the brake pedal. Think of it as an indicator of your skill in judging your needed acceleration, or your ability to judge conditions ahead of you. I am constantly griping at myself for coming up on stop signs above 20 mph. To me, it indicates that I left my foot in the accelerator too long to get there.
If you need to come to a stop, the acceleration back up to speed is required, anyway. Where you have the opportunity to increase your efficiency is how you came up to the stop.
Remember the first law of thermodynamics. Turn that energy in the gas tank into forward momentum ONLY. Don't let any go to waste being converted into heat through the brakes.
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