61) Parking tactics: orbit to bleed momentum

[Gregte]

Originally Posted by Will

The counter point to that is I know there are some people here that are mostly interested in putting up the big numbers, and are not really that worried about gas consumption. I say if big MPG numbers is someone's hobby more power to them.!!!

More power to them but at the expense of the planet.

I think that ideally we should all be trying to burn less fuel, not roll up big MPG numbers to show off.

[wagonman76]

Thanks for clearing this up, I had been wondering about this tip myself. I wouldnt bother even with the engine off since Id rather just park and go. And if I did try circling the lot, Id be more likely than not to end up stopping anyway for someone backing out, someone walking in front of me, etc... in which case Id need to use more gas to get into a spot.

And Im for saving fuel as well by using what Ive got, not getting the numbers up just for show. If I wanted to do that, Id go drive downstate and back every day. Or heck, put the car up on jackstands and drive with basically no load and wind resistance. Same here too, I can go a different way to work that gets a tad better mpg, but is 20% longer so its not worth it unless Ive gotta go that way anyway.

[TrikeKid]

Originally Posted by PaleMelanesian

I do a modified version of this when I come to work. I EOC into the lot and up (face-in) to the highest parking spot. Then I roll backwards out and around and swing in reverse to my spot about 6 places down the row. Face-out and potential parked, and no fuel burned reversing into the spot.

I do similar parking here at the house, I drive straight in behind one of my dad's antique rigs which is on a hill, next to the driveway, nose up close to it and park. This way, when I leave, all I have to do is pop it back out of gear and release the brake, cut the wheel hard left so I swing back up the hill then coast down the 100-150 feet without ever starting the truck. Before I started actually thinking about it, I would start the truck before I got moving at all (which I'll admit, does make steering those 33's MUCH easier), roll half the driveway, and let it sit there and high idle while I opened the upper gate. Then I'd roll through the gate (still high idle), stop again and close that gate, go open the lower gate, roll out into the turn around, close the lower gate, then I'd finally actually get going somewhere. Yeah, it doesn't mean anything real world mpg wise, but does mean something to the wallet, and that's why I'm trying to get better fuel economy to begin with.