I'm writing a story about hypermiling for Driving.ca; want to be a part of it?
 

I've perused this website before for advice on my own 1989 Suzuki Swift GTi and I've talked three of my friends into buying Geo Metros. I also took some of the quick hypermiling tips listed on this page to get my '99 Suburban to 23.8 mpg over my last long trip. I know many people here do way more than that but it saved me a lot of money!

I'm writing a story for Postmedia/Driving and it will run on Driving.ca. I want to educate people about hypermiling techniques they can use and dispel some of the myths about hypermiling.

I'd also like to showcase some of your success stories and show the benefits that people can achieve with any car.

There's lots of information on the site but I'd really like to get a chance to talk to one of you on the phone for a bit and get some information.

PM me with your number and I'd be happy to call you. Feel free to ask any questions about the article, points you'd like to see covered and I'll do my best to help you out.

I think using the word "hypermiling" is almost counterproductive (requring that myths be dispelled) if your goal is public education about efficient driving techniques.

But I'll bite!

Call it "Situational Eco-Driving".

regards
Mech

PM sent

...and that's three days with no reply.

Hey thanks for the help but the article is now complete and will be up on the website shortly. I'll post a link as soon as it's live.

-Cletus

Lol.

elhigh - I may have beat you to the punch and wore out our intrepid writer. Sorry!

I'm curious to read the final piece. Each writer's spin is always a bit of a surprise.

(The last driving.ca writer who referred to us -- not as the result of an interview, mind you -- produced a somewhat sensationalistic anti-efficiency drive-by. Ecoweenies is one of that writer's favourite terms.)

Cletus' writing history with driving.ca is solid. It even reveals a few EcoModder themes: frugality + efficiency + fun.

Clayton Seams | Driving

I'm not offended. I told him straight up I wouldn't talk on the phone and that may have been a show stopper.

I hate my phone. Hate, hate, hate.

I am glad there was communication. I thought this was a

-"Hey! Let me learn and share with others by your knowledge!"
-"Okay, let's do it!
-Chirp chirp chirp
-"Hello?"

Actually that scathing opinion piece is the reason I'm writing this story. I felt ecomodding was pretty damn cool and often suffered from a bad reputation. My article puts some myths to bed and also lists some fuel efficient driving tips.

It should be live early next week. And elhigh, sorry to leave you hanging!

Well, that's interesting.

Maybe it's a generational thing: crusty old guy vs. the new guys. :D

Article is up @ Debunking the myths of hypermiling | Driving
Let me know what you think! I'm also covering the Beijing Auto Show soon so let me know what kind of things you'd like to see covered. Fuel efficient cars not for sale in NA? General Chinese car weirdness? I'm here to cover things for the enthusiast so let me know!

Personally, I have never considered ecomodders and hypermilers the same. In my opinion, an ecomodder modifies a car to the way it should have come from the factory (optimizing aerodynamics), while a hypermiler uses specific driving techniques to maximize fuel.

I also wouldn't say they were mutually exclusive, but building a grille block and safe pulsing and gliding are two different things.

Specifically on the article: The title is a bit misleading. I was expecting some myths on hypermiling, not generalizations. I know you mentioned drafting, and lower speeds, but it wasn't formed and counterpointed like I was expecting.

Made the link live.

I think it's a good article. Haven't dived into the comments yet, but I suspect they'll be interesting too.

On the last point of racers vs. ecomodders, you might be surprised at how much crossover there is on this forum. Lots of people here apply their mechanical & driving skills to race on the weekend, and then turn around to apply another set of mechanical & driving skills to save fuel in their daily drivers! More than a few skills are transferrable between the two pursuits, too.

It would save an astounding amount of fuel if even 10% of the US population would read, understand, and employ just the most basic practices. In the process they would prolong the life of their cars and possibly save their own lives as well as the lives of innocent passengers.

I get so tired of the same stupidity I see on roads. I can only assume that many of those drivers are amazingly lucky. At 63, in my life time somewhere around 2,000,000 people have died on US highways alone. With few exceptions every single one of those deaths was totally avoidable, not to mention the mulitple millions of injuries, or the medical costs of all of those combined. I think that is more deaths, since 1950, than the total of every conflict in US history.

Why is it that the average driver is involved in a serious accident every 4-5 years, while a UPS driver can deliver packages for 40 years and never get in an accident?

I'll tell you why. It's called situational awareness, combined with terminal disaster anticipation. There is a much higher level of anticipation involved in driving for best economy, far beyond what is legally required. I have had hundreds of opportunities to become involved in accidents without breaking any law or being charged with any form of neglect. Other drivers stupid mistakes that would have caused an accident had I not had my situational awareness antenna fully extended and fully operational.

regards
Mech

Yup, ecodriving is safer driving.
 

Old Mech, you're going to have to school me on "terminal disaster anticipation".

I'm guessing it means playing the "what if?" game, but I've been wrong before.

Yes, most "accidents" could have been prevented by the situational awareness of one of the parties involved. Seems like it's ME most of the time. :rolleyes:

In my perspective sitiational awareness is extending your sphere of anticipation beyond, some might say far beyond, what is normally considered appropriate.

Termial disaster anticipation requires years of experience in practicing situational awareness. After a point experience combines with mental awareness and very intense observation of every vehicle in your sphere of situational awareness. Looking for things like tires that are low on air, bulges that preceed a blowout, drivers who act without any predictable pattern, IE the oddballs who demonstrate they are distracted or just totally oblivious to their surroundings, sleepy, drugged, drunk. They usually leave subtle clues to their condition or actions.

It's much like a game of chess, how many moves can you stay ahead of your opponent? Careful observation of combinations of the opponents movements that allow you to predict their actions and trap his pieces becasue he is unaware of his predictibility or unaware of your longer term strategy.

It's not just scanning with your eyes, it's always quickly responding to movements in your peripheral vision of things that are not realated to other drivers and traffic.

How long does it take to react to a falling tree? How quickly can you recognize the tree is actually falling?

Every animal on the side of the road, if they are looking at your headlights, their eyes glow and give you a little more time to be proactive, possibly making an emergency manoeuver possible before you hit that animal. Having the memory capability to remember the times when you survived a very close call and what made it possible.

Having the ability to react in microseconds to the oncoming driver who is coming into your lane and to have your escape routes preplanned. Some would call it paranoia. I call it self preservation. Don't think for a second that I am anything special in that regard It's a process that evolves over decades and requires youto understand and accept the limitations of age and make adjustments to your habits to compensate for the gradual deterioration of your senses.

I have been saved from my own stupidity by a bolt of lightning. Driving under the influence in a storm, I had passed out, crossed the oncoming lane of traffic and was very very close to driving off an overpass on the left side and plunging 40 feet to my death. Awakened by that bolt of lightening I had to slide sideways in the wet grass going 60 MPH and then reverse the slide to miss the concrete guard rail and GET BACK INTO THE ONCOMING LANE OF TRAFFIC, PRAYING THAT THERE WAS NO ONE THERE.

I was yong, stupid, arrogant, invincible and dead. That single act of nature saved my sorry arse, 40 years ago. Every day since that day has been a blessing, a gift from some greater being than myself whose awesome purpose in saving my life maybe even yet to be fullfilled.

regards
Mech

Treat everybody else as if they're trying to kill you, because they (subconscientiously) probably are.

In some cases even unconscious.

reagrds
Mech

Situational awareness is the meat and potatoes of hypermiling. This morning's commute, usual place for bad snarls, I let a big gap open ahead of me over a half-mile early. By the time I got there, I coasted through at about 30mph. And so, too, did the people behind me, even the impatient ones banging on their steering wheels yelling, "Close the gap! Move up! Hurry up!"

Net time gained: 0. Net time lost: 0
Brakes ridden: almost 0. Goosing the throttle for fits and starts: also 0. And isn't that the point?

Subconscientiously is correct. If they were more conscientious, they would have probably succeeded by now.

Some positive comments being added to the article over at driving.ca. It's a Facebook comment system though.

Debunking the myths of hypermiling | Driving

Whew!
 

Had to use the TDA today. Coming home on my bike I turn right at Jefferson off of Denbigh Blvd in 3rd gear heading west. Accelerate to just over the limit and get in the left (of 3 each way) lane. About half a mile later a Dodge truck with a trailer wtih an Aluminum wheel repair sign who was in the right lane comes over into the middle lane with his drivers door next to my bike. I expected that with the right lane exits and cars pulling out in the road.

I DIDN'T EXPECT HIM TO KEEP COMING INTO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now I am in trouble, I move over close to the 4 inch concrete curb, still at 45 MPH, as the distance between him and the curb drops to 3 feet, clutch in coasting. If I touch the brakes I am in sand that has been dumped on the road all winter. As I slow down and he gets closer, my speed drops off and he slowly passes me. Touch the brakes and you are down under the trailer wheels, likely dead.

I stayed cool and relatively calm. I could not control what he did, only my reaction to his 3 lane change, all the way into the left hand only turn lane. When I passed him making his turn, I still don't think he saw me. If so he was trying to kill me in a company truck. I did give him a single digit salute to his lack of awareness of his surroundings. I had been in that lane for .5 mile and was thinking ahead about the 12 traffic lights ahead and if I could time them perfectly. Still managed to do that even with heavy Friday traffic.

I picked him up in my peripheral vision, just ahead of the point where my full face shield meets the helmet itself. It gave me that little edge but the TDA saved my arse. Could have become a statistic today.

I'm home, not a scratch.

reagrds
Mech

The TDA made me aware of the sand. I never looked back or paid much attention to him. I focused completely on how close I could get to the curb and it was inches at 60 feet a second. I knew I couldn't touch the brakes, coasting was my only option.

regards
Mech

He probably didn't see you, although he should have. I'm not defending him, but let's face it, motorcycles are not as easy to see as cars. That makes them inherently higher in risk.

My wife's cousin, who was a very careful older biker, was killed on his bike. A van making a left turn into a parking lot turned directly into his path without signalling. He had the right of way on a two lane highway. There was no way he could anticipate it or stop in time. He broadsided the van which was unavoidable, and he died of internal injuries.

You might consider giving up the bike due to the higher risk from the actions of other drivers. As with all driving, you can be the most defensive and aware driver on earth, and still become a traffic fatality, just from being on the road with those who didn't see you.

BTW, having a very loud horn is a better defense than giving the finger after the fact. ;)

I sold off all my motorcycles a couple years ago, I wasn't using them enough.

Last summer one of nephews got rear ended on his bike while stopped at a stop light. Short trip home from 2nd job on Sunday and didn't bother with the helmet. Smashed his skull, almost removed one ear (deaf in it now) punctured lung and more. Lady in expedition blamed a soda bottle got under the brake and she couldn't stop. He'll never be the same. Helmet on he would have still got hurt, but would be 100% recovered today.

I don't want to be critical of your wife's cousins, but that is the one of most common way motorcyclist are whipped out so you need to always be aware of that.

If Old Mech was on a 1000 a twist of the throttle, slight swerve away and he may have got out of danger quicker. But most 1000s get the worst FE than his Fiesta.

Double-edged sarcasms about two-wheelers (bicycles and motorcycles):

• BICYCLES are self-propelled unintentional "hood ornaments."

• MOTORCYCLES are motor-propelled unintentional "hood ornaments."

A twist of the throttle, a stab on the brakes, would have put me on the pavement and run over by his trailer=dead. The 2-3 feet I had to work with were covered in sand from the whole winters speading all over the road. Pretty sure already mentioned.

Blow the horn and he hits the brakes. He is moving over to a left turn lane and I am falling behind him coasting. The TDA was running at max. Nothing I could have done would have made it better. Acclerating would have been suicide.

Divided six lane highway with a left turn short exit lane 45 MPH limit. HE CAME FROM THE MOST RIGHT LANE ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT TURN LANE ALL IN ONE MOVE, LIKE I WAS INVISIBLE. HE WAS PULLING OVER WITH ME PRECISELY BESIDE HIS DOOR AND THAT IS WHERE I PULLED IN THE CLUTCH AND GOT AS CLOSE TO THE CURB AS I COULD WITHOUT HITTING THE 4 INCH RAISED CONCRETE EDGE.

Posted that in the first post. I did not look at him, didn't think about him hitting me, just about maintaining control and not hitting the curb and I was inches from it at 45 MPH IN SAND!

It was the only way out.

regards
Mech

Why the ALL CAPS? No need to explain yourself again, or be defensive about it.

You did what you had to do, and luckily you survived. You even got to brag about it here. :)

That's not my point. My point is that you can do everything right while driving a bike and still end up injured or dead. Because on a motorcycle there is virtually nothing between you and the impact of the crash - even tho it's usually caused by the other driver. :(

On a 1000 a twist of the throttle IN SAND puts you on yer arse.