CBS{Cops: "Hypermiling" Often Risky, Illegal}

[Red]

Cops: "Hypermiling" Often Risky, Illegal, AAA Agrees; Master Hypermiler Clarifies Suggested Techniques, Tells Motorists To Steer Clear Of Dangerous Maneuvers - CBS News

Cops: "Hypermiling" Often Risky, Illegal
AAA Agrees; Master Hypermiler Clarifies Suggested Techniques, Tells Motorists To Steer Clear Of Dangerous Maneuvers

(CBS/AP) Police and automotive experts say over-the-top attempts by some drivers to boost their gas mileage could be endangering them and other motorists.

The AAA and Connecticut State Police are warning against extreme measures in "hypermiling," a practice in which unusual techniques are used to boost vehicles' mileage.

They include rolling through stop signs to avoid braking, turning off a car's engine or shifting into neutral to coast down hills, over-inflating tires to decrease rolling resistance against pavement, and other techniques.

One action that authorities say is particularly dangerous is called "drafting," tailgating big rigs in hopes of cutting wind resistance and being pulled along in a truck's wake.

"Every one of them is illegal," Connecticut State Police spokesman Trooper William Tate said of the "hypermiling" techniques.

"But more importantly, they're extremely dangerous. Every one of them is the cause of accidents," he said.

Most accidents on secondary roads are caused by drivers who don't obey traffic signals, such as stop signs or traffic lights, Tate said. Most highway crashes are caused by tailgating and unsafe lane changes, which are often related, he said.

"Following a tractor-trailer too closely, you don't have the ability to see beyond it as you would when following a passenger vehicle," Tate said. "You're risking your life, and the lives of motorists behind you."

On The Early Show last month, leading hypermiling advocate Wayne Gerdes extolled its virtues to, among others, CBS News correspondent Bianca Solorzano.

He stressed to Solorzano Monday that rolling through stop signs and driving right behind big rigs are NOT part of his way of hypermiling.

"What we recommend," he says, "is staying in the right hand lane, following the speed limits and, as cars go around you, they create a low pressure zone across the entire roadway, and that's called the traffic-side draft. And it does give you another 15 to 20 second boost as the lower pressure area you're coming through helps you along."

At times, says Solorzano, Gerdes does shut off his engine to coast downhill, but on his Web site, CleanMPG.com, he teaches that it's illegal in certain places. And he emphasizes that it's an advanced technique that needs to be practiced in a remote area, and that law enforcement officials continue to insist that shutting off your engine is a dangerous practice.

Police have been told to be on the lookout for hypermilers, Solorzano adds.

Fran Mayko, a spokeswoman for AAA Connecticut Motor Club, says "hypermiling" has been around for a while, but that it has drawn more attention as gas prices have jumped and drivers are seeking ways to boost their mileage.

This is the first time AAA has issued a warning about it, she said.

"These folks who are extremists, apparently they get 70, 80, 90 miles a gallon," she said.

She said drivers should stick to tried-and-true mileage boosters: keeping up with routine maintenance, ensuring tires are properly inflated, keeping unnecessary weight out of the car and driving at the posted speed limit.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, gas mileage typically decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. Every 5 mph that a driver goes above 60 mph is like paying an additional 30 cents per gallon of gas, according to the government.

AAA said the average price on Saturday for regular unleaded gas nationwide was $4.07 per gallon, up $1.10 from the same time last year.

Well, according to this article and the video that was posted, we are all going to die, kill everyone else on the road and get arrested at the same time. Oh joy. I am so glad that I will be pulled over and ticketed for doing the speed limit and coasting while some moron in an Subdivision does 90, rolls over and smashes a bunch of people and cars. Which has happened out here.

In referencing a comment someone else made earlier, in the past, before we had power assisted brakes, power steering, ABS, air bags etc apparently getting in a car was a death wish. Since after all, a car is totally uncontrollable when a computer or a pump isn't acting as nanny. Cause hey, when someone EOCs all that fancy tech just got downgraded to its 70s counterpart and no one is in control of their car then. Actually knowing how to drive your car? Thats just madness. I tell ya, when I have kids and its their time to learn to drive, they are going to taught in the most manual car I can find, or the Jeep. If you truly can't drive a car when its "manual" you can't really drive.

[SVOboy]

I'm just waiting for some "icon" *coughcough* to get a ticket for reckless driving or something like that,

[MazdaMatt]

Check the other thread about this, its already under discussion. Careful what you say, though... just because cars didn't have power brakes 30 years ago does not mean that you are safe without it now. Master cylinders have reduced piston sizes that are designed for power assist now. Yes, you can get 3 good assisted presses of the brake pedal after you shut off your engine, but that's not the same as not needing it. Same goes for power steering... the systems are no longer designed to be manual (shorter ratios, smaller steering wheels).

This isn't an all-out attack against you. It is a warning that many uneducated drivers are hearing about the things that you do and replicating them unsafely. Buuut... If you advocate driving 4ft behind a truck, you shouldn't have a licence.

[SVOboy]

Originally Posted by MazdaMatt

Check the other thread about this, its already under discussion. Careful what you say, though... just because cars didn't have power brakes 30 years ago does not mean that you are safe without it now. Master cylinders have reduced piston sizes that are designed for power assist now. Yes, you can get 3 good assisted presses of the brake pedal after you shut off your engine, but that's not the same as not needing it. Same goes for power steering... the systems are no longer designed to be manual (shorter ratios, smaller steering wheels).

This isn't an all-out attack against you. It is a warning that many uneducated drivers are hearing about the things that you do and replicating them unsafely. Buuut... If you advocate driving 4ft behind a truck, you shouldn't have a licence.

You've hit on the most important point, and I'm going to blame the media for this problem.

People like us, who are interested and knowledgeable know the issues with EOC and can handle them, but when the news have a 1:30 long bit on hypermiling and mention EOC, there are going to be hapless people who run out and try it.

I notice the same thing with biking. Gas is expensive now, so people bike more. However, most of them are people who know nothing about biking, so when I went to the store at 11pm last night I had to avoid three people on bikes with dark clothes, no lighting, and no helmets. *shrug*

[MazdaMatt]

That's scary. Lemmings.

[Blue07CivicEX]

You'll find the same issue with any sort of in-expensive transit. People are buying motorcycles and getting their license with a weekend class or people that got their license 20 years ago and just ran out and bought a bike to commute with. They don't know how to ride safely and are a threat to everyone on the road, I demand a news article and a state police interview about that damnit!


I just hate the fact the news media causes a problem then goes back and yells at people for causing a problem... I mean... don't do a report on it if you think it's going to influence people to do stupid things but that is common sense and we know anybody working in the news business doesn't care about common sense only the next big story!

[Red]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

I'm just waiting for some "icon" *coughcough* to get a ticket for reckless driving or something like that,

All in good time

Originally Posted by MazdaMatt

Check the other thread about this, its already under discussion. Careful what you say, though... just because cars didn't have power brakes 30 years ago does not mean that you are safe without it now. Master cylinders have reduced piston sizes that are designed for power assist now. Yes, you can get 3 good assisted presses of the brake pedal after you shut off your engine, but that's not the same as not needing it. Same goes for power steering... the systems are no longer designed to be manual (shorter ratios, smaller steering wheels).

This isn't an all-out attack against you. It is a warning that many uneducated drivers are hearing about the things that you do and replicating them unsafely. Buuut... If you advocate driving 4ft behind a truck, you shouldn't have a licence.

No no, I don't see it as an attack, I just see it as annoying. The off road community has had similar attacks for some time now. I just get annoyed at the uneducated (the media) blasting on about topics which they know very little on. They pick the points with the highest drama factor and just run with it, ruining it for the rest of us. Normal calls for off roading is that we are a bunch of beer swilling, shotgun blasting red necks out to destroy all thats green and fuzzy, where most of us adhere to the tenants of TreadLightly, drive only on designated trails, and take care of any messes we make. Same deal with hypermiling.

eh with mechanics I'm slightly biased. I've driven the Heep in various situations where things no longer had functional assist. Yes its harder to steer, yes its harder to brake, but its not impossible and with enough sense you are not a death sled. Then again most of the systems were designed in the stone age, cars could be another story. My Insight is the first car I've ever owned.

Sorry about the double thread though, must have missed it.

[MazdaMatt]

As a race enthusiast, i know exactly how you feel as an offroad enthusiast with regard to media attention. I have a few offroading friends too (fun stuff ) and they have expressed your point in the past as well. If these guys dump oil due to a destroyed pan or block, they dig up the whole area of ground around it and take it out of the forest with them, no harm done, but media expresses otherwise. There are always yahoos out to ruin everybody's fun because they are stupid.

[AnDoireman]

It's only a matter of time now, before they start branding efficient drivers "terrorists" and "communists", judging by this news report.

[azraelswrd]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

I notice the same thing with biking. Gas is expensive now, so people bike more. However, most of them are people who know nothing about biking, so when I went to the store at 11pm last night I had to avoid three people on bikes with dark clothes, no lighting, and no helmets. *shrug*

Exactly what I've been seeing too.... total morons on bikes and I've nearly avoided pasting 2 on separate occassions (one on a country backroad with ZERO STREET LIGHTS and the second in the city who apparently decided traffic lights did not pertain to him).

Seriously, what happened to mandatory lights? I know helmets are "encouraged and not enforced" in most places but you would think lights would not be so optional.

I'm driving like an armadillo in winter now because... in the country... who is really going to complain? Shot my MPG up to 38. Media is blowing up the extreme techniques and using "shock and awe" reporting to scare people to their side.

If it can be safely done, and its not illegal to your region or state... go for it. What's next in the campaign? Someone going to say I can't put painters tape over my fog lights, I need to drive over 70mph all the time because everyone else is or I can't make rear skirts? Sheesh.... just leave me alone in the slow lane with the big rigs. I do draft them but you'd never tell by looking.

...I'm in the silver doorstop about 5-7 seconds behind him with no traffic behind me. Yeah I'm being SOOOOOO risky there. Wait, I might not be able to stop going at my blistering 55mph in a 55mph zone!!!!