100+ hypermiling / ecodriving tips & tactics

[Lazarus]

Some of the comments are pretty funny on the diggs page.

I just read through the whole damn thing, and every bit of it was more painful than the last. These people are lunatics. Basically everything they offer would save a completely negligible amount of fuel, except for those rediculous "tactics" that excacerbate the traffic problem and prevent normal people from driving like normal people. I mean, looking for roads shielded from the wind? These people aren't in fifth grade anymore, surely they must realize that just because something "theoretically" works doesn't make it in the least bit practical. And they basically missed two crucial factors: an efficient car (not a hybrid) and a manual transimission.

[Dan.]

Originally Posted by guitarterry

I cant even figure out what timing your exit is talking about. Sounds like your talking about leaving the parking lot, not parking. It does sound good though. Make sure your lane is empty before you exit your parking spot.

Easiest to give an example. There is a restaurant I frequent in a large mall parking lot. There is an exit in a section of the parking lot that is always empty. After I eat and I want to leave, head towards that section of parking lot. One well timed pulse can get me down the hill and out of the parking lot and too the light around the corner. Sometimes when I make it down the hill to the exit the traffic is such that I don't have to perform one orbit in order to let traffic clear so I can make my exit.

In that case orbit is good. If I'm lucky I don't have to orbit and I can take the exit, go to the light and make the corner (if green). If I'm not lucky I have to orbit waiting for traffic to clear at the end of the hill so I can exit. The exit is blind so I never know till I'm at the bottom of the hill if there is traffic or not. Orbit is the only answer.

Now I will concede that orbit on the way into a parking lot is a numbers game. But on the way out, it can make sense.

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[njlou]

A friend of mine broke his ankle years ago and it has never been right. The result is that his foot is not steady on the gas but rather goes in/out giving a somewhat jerky ride. It drives me crazy and his driving is not particularly economically oriented. BUT-
He is able to get very good mileage from some large cars/trucks. For some reason maybe this creates a (mini) 'Pulse and Glide' scenario?? Is this possible that this is the key to improved mileage??

[dremd]

Originally Posted by njlou

A friend of mine broke his ankle years ago and it has never been right. The result is that his foot is not steady on the gas but rather goes in/out giving a somewhat jerky ride. It drives me crazy and his driving is not particularly economically oriented. BUT-
He is able to get very good mileage from some large cars/trucks. For some reason maybe this creates a (mini) 'Pulse and Glide' scenario?? Is this possible that this is the key to improved mileage??

That's how my dad has always driven, drives me nuts, still.

His may be smaller pulses than my dad, his are to the point that an automatic is downshifting at the end of the pulse.

[Dan.]

I wrote this up for my Saturday Hybrid Club meet.

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dxc3879_13g2mmd5cx

The page formatting is a bit off on the google docs, the PDF is a bit better.

Rats... can't attach it... Too big.

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[MetroMPG]

Thanks for posting that, Dan. I'm glad you were able to make use of it for your group.

Schultz - I think it's what you were after to print out for work?

There's more to be done to the tips list (including adding 3 more tips today - 2 of yours, Dan). The ultimate goal is to have a printer-friendly version that's linked to the table which stores the tips so it's always current.

[mr_beyer]

My dad used to "drive straight" He would pick a point in the distance then drive to it. Kept down the amount of wandering in his lane he did. Cut down the mileage from the wandering too.

Myself, I have found the least practiced maintenance on a vehicle is on your transmission. By getting a transmission flush (not a transmission filter replacement) on an older pickup, I got 2.8 mpg better.

My question is: does anyone recommend setting your cruise control and then using foot control to over rule the cruise control in mountain driving?

['93 Corolla]

Hi all - first post. I've been lurking on and off since an article on Hypermiling ran in Mother Jones last year (?).

I loved the list. One thing I thought was missing was making sure you don't use snow tires when you don't need them. Out here in Colorado the memory of "that one storm when I slipped" probably costs as much in gas as... I don't know... as all the extra roof racks?

Anyway. I consider myself more of a newbie than a hypermiler. My top 10:
- Keep a driving journal. For at least a couple weeks record the starting and ending odometer of every trip you take.
- Take opportunities to avoid driving. Schedule your errand driving days. Call a friend for a ride or offer a ride.
- Drive less than the speed limit.
- Adopt a mantra that helps you drive slower. Mine is "no need to speed."
- Drive with the windows up when you're at 45+ mph.
- Drive a 90% car. People tend to shop for a car they can do 100% of their driving in, so they're driving a "get to the mountains in heavy snow with entertainment for the kids" and "Take the bikes and haul the boat to the reservoir" car for their commute and errands.
- Compute your commute. The Federal reimbursement rate for business driving is $.50/mile. If you apply that to your commute, how much is it costing?
- Pretend your car is in the shop for a week. Maybe drop it off at a friendly shop and tell them you're out of town. Watch your creativity bloom.
- Skip the lights. When you have a choice of routes, take the one with the fewest stoplights.

[metroschultz]

Yes that will do nicely guys, thank you.
I must find a way to cut it down though.
I am sure they (The admins) won't let me put 17 pages up on the comunity bulletin board.
I'll have to pick my favorite 25 or so and re-edit (?) the list.
or maybe the 25 I think thes people will actually use.
Or maybe the 25 I used first.
Or maybe I'm thinking this out tooo much.
S.

[SpartyBrutus]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

I agree that tip amounts to a numbers game, but I think it has educational value.

Actually, gliding to a parking spot that gets you to (1) face out, (2) near the exit and/or (3) parked at higher elevation is often worth it.....