Interesting time test I did on hypermiling vs "normal" driving.

[MARTINSR]

I came to this site about three months ago and have learned a lot about on how to squeeze a few more MPG out of my 95 Taurus SHO. I thought I had a pretty good handle on the basics, but learned that I knew nothing until coming here.

I have ran thru a number of tanks using different techniques and recording the results and have came up with some interesting stuff. Not saying that everyone will get the same results but for me, it has been pretty eye opening.

Let me say that my daily "commute" is 5.47 miles, with an average of 12 stop lights. One way being a number of right turns where I don't have to stop and wait. The speed limit is about 40 most of it. I drive around town a little, same sort of trips, five miles or so each.

While doing some pretty serious hypermiling, coasting in neutral, strategic parking, no warm up, seriously paying attention planning out up coming sig lights like a friggin Eagle hunting mice.
Going thru a few tanks I averaged 19.8 MPG and 275 miles to the tank.

While practicing all the same techniques minus the super serious stuff like neutral coasting and driving like an Eagle relaxing a little more I still acheaved 19.6 or so with the same 275 miles per tank so effectively the same mph. Pretty interesting.

I also drove with the average driver on the road techniques of accelerating to stop lights, trying to beat them, driving like I used to and like most people do over the speed limit. With these techniques I got about 15.5 MPG and 255 miles to my tank.

So right off the bat I gained FOUR miles to the gallon simply not driving like a nut! And this wasn't driving like a total a-hole, that would even show a bigger difference. But simply driving like your average driver, amazing. So basically hypermiling I drive to work for four days costing me nothing compared to not hypermiling.

The most amazing findings is the travel time. While driving a co-worker somewhere and having him beaching at me because I was driving slow I couldn't convince him that I am not taking longer to get there. Others are speeding only to stop at stop lights. I have always said "You can't drive faster than traffic" and "You can't drive faster than stop lights".

Sooooo, I did a time test on my commute to work. I simply recorded the time that was on the clock in the car as I drove off from my home to drive to work to stopping in the parking place once I got there, then back driving home the same thing. I did it this for the tank of gas hypermiling and then driving "normal". This would be jack rabbit starts, driving over the speed limit and trying to beat as many stop lights as I can.
I averaged it out and driving "Normal" saved me 12 second. Yep, 13.4 minutes as opposed to 13.6 hypermiling. We are talking driving under the speedlimit and leaving a LOT of room between me and the car ahead of me to short break and stuff like that so I can keep the car rolling at stop lights. It is a very slow off the line start then coasting (in gear) usually from one light (green) to the next (anticipating or seeing red). That 12 seconds cost me 4MPG!

It is totally calmed me! I will be in a big hurry I don't even sweat it, I just take it easy and drive at or below the speed limit knowing I have no control over when I get there.

Check it out, if you have a regular route, time yourself and see so you are ready when someone gives you a hard time. I laugh at the fools who drive around me hauling ars to sit beside me at the next light.

Brian

[busypaws]

Good job. My commute is almost the same 5.5 miles 22 stop lights. There are 2 left turns home (EOC most of time into left turn lane) and only one on the way to work. If you have a scanguage look at tank average speed. My normal average speed for a 2 month 450 mile tank is 22MPH. I wonder what it would be like if I drove normal.

Now that you have the hypermilling down. Start ECO-Modding and get another 5-10 MPGs.

With commutes like ours it is all about weight. Highway commutes its all about aero. So start throwing stuff out of the car. I've dropped 185 lbs - (AC, P/S, Passenger seat, back seat, glove box, passenger airbag, spare tire/jack, smaller/lighter wheels/tires. ...)

[Laurentiu]

5.5 miles, 22 stop lights?

I also have a shortish commute..used to be around 6 miles, now since I recently moved it's a bit more, 9.5 miles..I was just working out my average speed and I would roughly estimate it at 17-18MPH...I haven't exactly counted the traffic lights but I think there's around 12-14 + 3 speedbumps. The biggest problem driving here in Cyprus is the size of the roads (very narrow in some places), the fact that some pedestrians/tourists don't seem to see the difference between motor road -pavement as well as some of the most horrific drivers I've encountered. Driving in the States is pretty sweet, at least outside the major cities and subsequent gridlocks Also can't really pull too slowly from a traffic light as other drivers start hooting, giving you the "look"
It's such a relief to be on the highway although I don't get to drive much, when I did I manage to pull around 56MPG and I was driving a bit too fast for good FE (115-120km/h ~75mph) and mind you my car has only 45HP so it works really hard at that speed

Anyway, to cut a long story short, I know from experience it's hard to squeeze MPG out of short trips

[MetroMPG]

Good story, MARTINSR.

[99LeCouch]

Good test!

Longer trips do take less time going faster. But, there's an opportunity cost somewhere. Like hearing your favorite radio show or getting in an accident going around a "slower" person...

[MARTINSR]

I think my whole family has learned something, even my little kids. Nothing like some good common sense and study to learn something. I have laughed at the dumb arses who drive past you to sit at a stop light (I once was one of them) but this test REALLY proves it. It's like I say, out on the highway, sure driving 70 mph over 400 miles is going to get you there a hell of a lot faster than driving 55 mph over that same 400 miles. But in town, OR in traffic, there is little to no difference.

I do know that my 65 Skylark would get about 18 MPH on a regular trip I used to take up to Oregon (about 400 miles) driving 70 or so. One time I wanted to see what is the best mileage I could get and I drafted behind semis at 55 and got 24 MPH!!!! But it took an hour and a half longer!

I used to spend a lot of time driving in a sales job I had. I remember watching people pass me on a slow moving freeway only to have them sit beside me at the next slow down. Once I had a guy pass me going like hell, he was hauling ars. He passed me, then the changed lanes passing another car, then another then another. I watched as he changed lanes 13 times, THIRTEEN TIMES in about two miles. When he exited the freeway I counted, he was 20 seconds ahead of me!

Now mind you, I learned this while driving like an ars myself! I would take some death defying feat to pass someone, using all my HP (I have owned some pretty fast cars) and driving ability (been to a racing school even) only to be too embarrassed to look at them as they pull up next to me at the stop light! I started looking around and paying attention and found that I wasn't going any faster than the cars I had just passed. So I turned it around and started watching others who passed me, sure as poop stinks, they didn't go any faster than me in the traffic!

Nope, if only we could tell this to people, maybe make a sign for the back of our cars?

"Do a test, time yourself driving to work taking your time and then driving like a fool, you will be surprised". Problem is, a lot of people will remember the one time they caught all the lights and made it there five minutes faster and think THAT is the norm when going fast.

We humans have a short memory! I call it being a "prisoner of hope"

Brian

[Arragonis]

Superb - in my tips for speed driving thread I described a round trip of 600+ miles I did recently. I did the maths this weekend and worked out the trip down didn't take any more time than it did the last time I did it - also in a rush and not ED. The trip back took an extra 30 mins or so but some of that could be down to traffic and roadworks, but lets allow it to stand.

However usually I would have to fill up at around 400 miles so this was costing me a tank and a third. This time I didn't fill up at all. A tank costs me a roughly 53 GBP at today's prices so that 30 mins actually saved me around 17 quid (17.66), which works out at 34 quid an hour - not a bad rate.

I spent that extra 17 quid this weekend though to make up for being away for a couple of days from my son - we bought the Fifa world cup Wii game with it and played a few games. It was excellent dad/son time paid for by ED.

I know where I would rather spend my money

And of course this effect is amplified by the fact this was a business trip and so I get a mileage rate which pays me back the cost x 3

Mind you I won this afternoon's game vs Germany on that one unlike the real team. My son (Scottish) happily played as the Germans...

[bestclimb]

hypermiling costs me about 2 miles per hour avrage over my 20ish mile comute. only have a couple stop lights to contend with depending on the route, and they are all right turn, and red 65% of the time.

[wagonman76]

I would rather just take it easy. I've lost track of all the times I've avoided a deer or whatever by going slower and having more time to react.

Hypermiling always takes me longer because I avoid routes with stoplights whenever possible. But time=money is true only when the work is available. So I work with what I've got. I've figured that compared to what I used to get, it's about the same as not having to buy gas for over 2 months of the year.

[MARTINSR]

Originally Posted by wagonman76

I would rather just take it easy. I've lost track of all the times I've avoided a deer or whatever by going slower and having more time to react.

Hypermiling always takes me longer because I avoid routes with stoplights whenever possible. But time=money is true only when the work is available. So I work with what I've got. I've figured that compared to what I used to get, it's about the same as not having to buy gas for over 2 months of the year.

It is amazing how you can watch people doing stupid things in front of you when you are sitting back taking your time.

Brian