How do we educate our own ...

[trikkonceptz]

This is my rant regarding ecomodding, I say rant because many of my friends, coworkers, etc, think I'm a leppar because I drive slow. And say anyone can get better mileage if they slow down ??? THAT"S MY POINT !!!

-Yet the general masses want to drive at autobaun speed, then wait at a bank teller idling, to get money to wait at the Mcdonalds drive through, only to red light race home and still get 40+mpg.

I see it here all the time, people would rather build ginormous kamms, change their wheels, gut their interiors and block their grilles before slowing down, it simply makes no sense.

I wish we could make it manditory to have fuel logs on this site. The first being the tank you filled just after finding us, then subsequent tanks showing progress my slowing down and proper tire inflation. Then add some driving techniques. Now when you see this graph plateau it's time to start modding your car, as these mods do not represent major improvements in FE rather than refinements to help you achieve a specific goal.

Like dieting, the food you eat will not make you drop weight, its your COMMITMENT to changing your eating habits and excersize that will show the greatest improvements.

Why are we so stubborn to change? Feel better, now knock me off my soapbox ...

[Fast38]

When I first got my Metro I started a fuel log before I found this site. I was getting around 44 mpg. Most of my driving is on the highway going to and from work at 65 mph. Then I read the hypermilling tips and now I get an avg of 50 mpg and I do not go over 55mph.

[Frank Lee]

Friends and coworkers already have their minds made up. You can present the God honest truth with facts and figures to back it up, and it doesn't matter one bit to them UNLESS they are seeking to change. Don't worry about what they think of hypermiling. But by the same token, if they complain about fuel costs tell 'em to shut their stupid pieholes.

[trebuchet03]

Originally Posted by trikkonceptz

I see it here all the time, people would rather build ginormous kamms, change their wheels, gut their interiors and block their grilles before slowing down, it simply makes no sense.

I'm not sure if I should sympathize or take insult on this.....

Do you think I don't get my fair share of jabs and prodding for my driving style? The analytical testing for my Kamm has always been 55mph..... Not 70 (max speed limit in FL) or 80 or some other asinine speed... I will probably test at higher speeds nearer to the end to make sure I won't cause nasty steering conditions.

I wish we could make it mandatory to have fuel logs on this site. The first being the tank you filled just after finding us, then subsequent tanks showing progress my slowing down and proper tire inflation. Then add some driving techniques. Now when you see this graph plateau it's time to start modding your car, as these mods do not represent major improvements in FE rather than refinements to help you achieve a specific goal.

Lately, I rarely do a full fuel up... I fuel up based on market trends and my own self rationing. Rather than shoot for purely max mpg, I shoot for a period of time without fueling up. Sometimes I make my goals, other times I don't. But it requires not only a change in driving technique, but a change in driving lifestyle. That is, not driving when unnecessary on top of attempting to max fuel economy when driving.

And on the subject of kettles and their blackness - even you started fiddling before plateauing according to the notes in your fuel log.

That, and I, as a designer, feel that doing nothing (or ranting about others doing) until you plateau from driving style is innovation/design censorship.

I like the dieting analogy... But, I feel your analysis is short sighted. No, you don't just change what you eat. But changing habits (driving style) while ignoring what it is your eating (the vehicle itself) isn't going to be as beneficial as changing both habit and food.

Healthy habits - stop eating in excess
Healthy diet - stop accepting pure crap as food
Exercise - testing physical limits

Healthy Driving Habits - stop driving so fast
Healthy Diet - don't accept poor design
Exercise - test, everything (challenge yourself)



So I say all that and accept that it is not within my power, your power, any of our powers combined to change people. It's just not going to happen and any attempt to will likely result in a reaffirmation that their excess is just fine. They need to change themselves, first. Changing what they drive - now that's easy

[tasdrouille]

People have to be forced to conserve. That's how it has been and how it will always be. As an ecomodder/hypermiler, being someone who's different from the mass, you have to accept that and be done with it. Grow a thick skin and go on with your own business. You can only spread the word to those with open ears. When they'll face no other choice, they'll listen.

[jamesqf]

I think you're missing the point. I don't particularly want to slow down (not that I'm one of the world's fastest drivers, at least on freeways & other boring straight roads), I want a car that gets 100 mpg (or better, or equivalent KWh/mile) when I drive it at whatever speed I happen to want to drive. Sure, we could all drive something like Neil Young's Linc-Volt at 30 mph. or we could use the same amount of energy to drive a Tesla at 80 or so, and have a lot more fun.

[Frank Lee]

"Sure, we could all drive something like Neil Young's Linc-Volt at 30 mph. or we could use the same amount of energy to drive a Tesla at 80 or so"

At $109,000 a pop, I don't think so.

[robbiewt]

I see fast driving as a problem caused by poor time management. For example, my dad feels that everything within the county is just a 15 minute drive away. This often leads to very fast and aggressive driving. And he is not enjoying it one bit.

I have yet to perfect my time management. All to often I get to class way too early. And that gets boring.

[diesel_john]

i have always enjoyed driving. And i found out that the slower i go the longer i get to drive for the same money.
i have noticed a big pickup in the pace of traffic since the price here is $1.58a gallon.

PS. I have driven I-4 across Fl. and it is exciting. I have never saw such a large number of drivers in one place, that are all late for a tee time.

[Christ]

I love how everyone all day around here has the "late-for-something" driving style.. even at the times that noone is on the road, you still have some idiot tailing you waiting for the next passing zone.

I personally am not the slowest driver out there, but I do tend to take it easy anymore... I used to do 80+ even on backroads, dirt roads, whatever I was driving on. Lucky I"m not dead, honestly.

I've never had a problem talking to people about conserving fuel, or suggesting ways they could get better gas mileage... but in my hobbies, it's kind of counter-intuitive, since I'm talking to performance enthusiasts, mostly. They WANT to go fast, and don't really care what it takes, energy wise.

Then there are the people that are normally pretty conscious, but they have alot of "just this one time" moments...

Or, like my wife's mom, "It's only $30... it's not that big of a deal." Except when "It's only $30", 5 times a month. That's another $150 a month... don't ask me to pay your bills next week, OK?

I don't have a problem with the way anyone wants to do anything, honestly, my issue comes in when they start complaining about things, but doing nothing about it. OBVIOUSLY, we can't directly control the gas prices... but we can (sort of) control how much we spend on it.

I can't think of how many people I've laughed at (literally, in their face) for complaining about gas prices, then talking about how fast they were going on the way to work that day... or how they only had 1 minute to clock in when they got there, etc.