I must be losing my mind. Some people need to grow up!

[PA32R]

Originally Posted by wagonman76

Something else I have heard quite a bit in recent years is 1 second for every 10 mph, which I think makes more sense.

Really? At 50 m.p.h. that's 367 feet. That's a football field including both end zones. Seems a little ... conservative. You'd need binoculars to see when the guy in front passed a marker to start the timing.

[The Atomic Ass]

Originally Posted by 1337

You're my hero.

I am everyone's hero. Even my own.

[cfg83]

Originally Posted by PA32R

Really? At 50 m.p.h. that's 367 feet. That's a football field including both end zones. Seems a little ... conservative. You'd need binoculars to see when the guy in front passed a marker to start the timing.

I agree. The "2 second rule" was designed to be independent of speed :

Two-second rule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The two-second rule is useful as it works at any speed. It is equivalent to one vehicle-length for every 8 km/h (5 mph) of the current speed, but drivers can find it difficult to estimate the correct distance from the car in front, let alone to remember the stopping distances that are required for a given speed, or to compute the linear equation on the fly. The two-second rule gets around these problems, and provides a simple and common-sense way of improving road safety.

I usually use the 3 second version because that gives me an additional safety buffer :

Maintain a Safe Following Distance (The 3 Second Rule) - Smart Motorist

CarloSW2

[theunchosen]

I modify the rule depending on the vehicle I am following. Sports cars can break harder and faster than me so I give them a little over 2 seconds(because the increased breaking power with the possible lighter weight(most aren't but hey) could cause a collision even if I braked immediately). Semis. . .yeah they can't break anywhere near as fast as I can. I stay about a half second depending on speed. Officially the rule still in TN is 2 car lengths(which at 60 mph puts you pretty close, but semis as stated can't break very fast(24 feet opposed to my 36).

[bgd73]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

It's a difficult issue, with arguments on both sides. You should be able to do the speed limit without fear of dying in any lane. Sometimes I have to take a left lane exit or something, and find myself going 20 mph over the limit just to not get rear ended before the exit comes up. This isn't safe for anyone.

Sure, freeways are for moving people around safely and efficiently, but overly aggressive drivers, in any lane, defeat that purpose.

It's a fine debate, let's just keep it civil

That is my #1 attack in ecomodding. An engine absolutely has to be with modern traffic, including 15 inch wheels at least a 100mph rating on tires, and a car that sustains peacefully in the 80s at a minimum 5 miles.
The closest hypermiler yet has been the real boxer engined cars, and it is extincted. A battle is not the whole war...I stay hopeful. I would drive the hypermiler of today, nut it is quite frightening, especially being around and travelling in rigs for many many miles and seeing many horrifying scenarios..in split seconds on this very subject.
Just today, getting on a rural part of I-95 (maine). the old sube has an open pipe (again) but getting to the point, I was creeping up casually to a toyota prius. dangling plastic fairings, intentional, by toyota, little tiny wheels and wiggling hubcaps. I noticed it was speeding up slightly as I went into left lane. I simply climbed into the 80s and went by..and thought..even with an open pipe my round trip is over 40mpg, gnarly rally tread on 15 inch wheels to boot. It is sickening to think of these facts, and furthermore encounter it, with a 23 year old car....
Damn I could rant forever...until the battle is won. Stay safe, have car that can go 100.

[LeanBurninating]

wow what a can of worms!

Well I didnt read the WHOLE thread, just like the first 8 pages or so.

My personal contribution, maybe you will get a kick out of this picture, this is my car a few months ago:



The outcome, as you probably could guess, I decided that this sign was overall not effective. In some cases I am suspicious that it actually encouraged more tailgating. I am thinking about making one that says "hazardous materials" or "highly explosive" or something... ya.. I'm a punk. Its ok. You can say it.

I drive slow. And I like to hypermile. But I also like to drive fast. Really fast. Dangerously fast!! Truth is, speeding doesnt really buy you any time on your way to work. Maybe two minutes. Unless you REALLY speed! Okay okay Im kind of joking. My point is that the people who speed, if they end up stuck on your bumper, its their fault. I know because I have done my share of speeding and I have experience with race driving. They didnt make the right timing decisions and everything, if you were a semi going that speed they would not care. And the other people that tailgate, they are totally checked out. I have very little respect or courtesy for people who drive on auto pilot. Im not going to speed up for them. They won't even notice. They are mindless reactors.

Think of it this way, some times I am cruising in the right lane, and its just me and hardly anyone else in sight.. and someone is tailgating me. So... I move over to the left, and they speed up and pass. They didnt even notice I was there. There brain says hey dont hit that car, but they will never remember what kind of car it was, what color, nothing. They don't even know how fast they are going or what cruising speed they want to maintain. They dont really care either. They are just going from A to B and they would rather not pay attention to the trip.

Im not going to accommodate their inability to pay attention.

But on the other end of the argument, at some point you are becoming a hazard. There is a line to be drawn.

Valid points from everyone.

[Chuck.]

I stick to my initial statement that most hypermiling discussions are anything but discussions, but venting by people that hate hypermiling. They don't understand it, speed and feel threatened by it, or both. Just like the one that started this thread - he can't get the EPA and obviously is speeding - also had problems with the Fusion hybrid getting 1447miles on a tank at 81mpg. That figures....I stay well out of the fast lane and make motion with my emergencies to pass, yet I will occasionally be tailgated by a large pickup wanting to pick on a "gay hybrid" - what a man!

Anyone notice not only that most of the hypermiler haters not only speed, but rant on this issue to the exclusion of other kinds of driving that really kills? The texting trolley driver in Boston that sent 49 to the hospital? The San Antonio bus driver texting for six minutes before he rammed a woman - giving her neck and back injuries? The female biker in Illinois last week snuffed out by a woman busy with her lipstick? A hundred to 110 Americans die daily on the roads - not any of them by hypermiling.

[gem]

Wow ... intense post...

There are many great points ...

It's all about rights and being courteous, the former is used too much by the selfish and the latter is rarely used at all any more.

Your rights end where mine begin and vice versa. The roads are equally for all. Hypermilers have the right to use the minimum LEGAL limit and others have the right to use the maximum LEGAL speed. NO ONE has the right to go under minimum and NO ONE has the right to go over. Each cause a safety issue with the latter being the most dangerous and may even merit citizen intervention to protect society.

If a hypermiler's LEGAL minimum speed is prohibiting someone's LEGAL maximum speed it courteous to assist them to pass. Hit the right lane if safely possible in multi-lanes ... hug the right or even hug the shoulder if safely possible. Anything safe... if not possible then ok.

In turn, the maximum LEGAL speed driver needs the courtesy of not tailgating or engaging in road rage scenarios and passing safely at the first chance.