The only thing between me and superb fuel economy...
 

I've often been of the opinion that most drivers typically suck, after a successful couple months of hypermiling that fact has become even more prevalent. The problem is that so many drivers are totally ignorant to what is going on. For starters they see the road as simply a route for them to get from 'a' to 'b' and could care less how exactly that is accomplished. With this frame of mind all thought to other drivers, basic courtesies, and common sense are totally thrown out, not to mention the slightest concern for their fuel economy. The problem I have arises when these drivers are in proximity to me. In heavy traffic when I am boxed in and grandma shearer pulls out in front of me only to stop and signal she's turning left, needless to say it's puts a hefty dent in my mpg average for that trip. Maybe one day the message of better fuel economy = less fuel dependence will spread...I mean as for now most police officers see it as totally ludicrous. Am I the only one to have been pulled over for slow driving? And recently with this holiday shopping starting to surge I've been getting plenty of impatient drivers planted behind my smoothly accelerating ways...and they usually don't get it. I need a large bumper graphic which states "Thanks for honking, I'm saving you money too." Either way I suppose I can only keep my habits up to snuff.

Gotta face the fact that intelligent drivers are a tiny minority.

My niece who texts while she drives is the average driver.

haha, ya i know those people, it's kinda like how everyone was a child once, everyone was an irresponsible driver once

The thing is, most people won't get this. Which is terrible. We are SUPPOSEDLY the most advanced civilisation yet we see the most moronic things happen every day. We truly are getting dumber and quickly at that.
Everywhere i look i see education cutbacks (among others). I don't see military cutbacks much.

My two cents.

ollie

well I think that has a lot to do with the fact that people don't take the time to think. If I live in a country ruled by the people, and people would exercise there brains then things like this would be commonplace, as it were I don't see that happening any time soon. Although in people's defense, they also don't get hypermiling and other sensible things because they don't see an immediate return for themselves. Not only would they be saving themselves money, but they would also be decreasing the amount of fuel needed to keep the world going, and if everyone did that then it could actually change something...what am I saying?

Take solace in the fact that SOMEONE is at least trying. Things always take time to catch, and there hasn't been such a large demand for such a long period of time in many many years.

If trends continue the way they are, people will start to see the light.

Brings an old phrase to mind:
"You won't turn around until you get to the end of the road."
My father used to say that to me... basically means I'm stubborn, and will see something through until I am 100% sure nothing will come of it.

This isn't just a "me" thing.. it's pretty common, actually. People will stick with whatever they "know" works for them until it doesn't work anymore.

I had hoped the 'real time' trip and mileage computers put onto some of the well equiped newer cars would help with driver education... from my informal observations and talking with people who have them in their cars, I can't see any evidence they help.

On the other side of the argument, when gas prices were about $4/gal here, I saw a noticable reduction in average speeds on the freeways, and fewer impatient drivers.

I guess that statement might categorize the impatient ones as the lower-income ones too... those who either couldn't afford to drive as often, or couldn't afford to drive like idiots.

I, too, have noticed this reduction, even now around here, since people are still trying to catch up from the high fuel prices, now that they're saving money on fuel, they're trying to catch up with other bills.

When deciding on a location for my mpguino, I wanted it in a location where I would not have to look far from the road to monitor and improve my mileage. All the cars Ive seen with mpg displays have them in ridiculous places like down by the shifter, up on the roof, etc. If they were in a more useful place, they might get used just a little more.

Cars, Ive noticed nothing except a reduction of local traffic when it was $4.50 a gallon here. Nearly everybody still charged down the road like wild animals. But 18 wheelers did slow down quite a bit on the freeway. Now in the last couple weeks, especially this last weekend, 18 wheelers are flying down the freeway again, well over their 60 mph speed limit, plus its all winter now too which makes it more dangerous. Guess $3/gal diesel must be considered cheap to them.

They get paid by distance, not time (most cases). So in their mind, the faster they're going, the more money they're making.

If fuel comes from the driver's pocket, however, and he's making $0.90 CPM (non-veteran drivers), Driving 60 MPH average, he's making $0.90*60 = $54/hour. At 70MPH, he's making $0.90*70 = $63/hour, for a difference of $63-$54 = $9/hour.

If he loses 1mpg at 70, opposed to 60, assuming 4mpg loaded @ 70, that's 17.5gph of fuel, 17.5*$3=$52.5/hour in fuel costs.

5mpg @ 60 = 12gph*$3=$36/hour in fuel costs, for a difference of $6.50/hour in fuel costs.

Total leftover, after fuel @ 70mph = $63-$52.5=$11.50/hour profit
@ 60MPH $54-$36 = $18.00/hour profit

Obviously, the results of this are skewed by estimation, but for the sake of the situation, it will work.

You have to understand that they might be faced with both time constraints and a misconception that faster = more money, as well.

In the case where fuel is subsidized, or where the company provides it, they're DEFINITELY making more money the faster they drive.

Generally I'd have to agree with everything that has been said. My primary thought is that the only person I can really control to any extent, is me. Secondarily, after having had a number of close calls with people driving aggressively, I have concluded that the best thing for me to do, as quickly as possible is to disassociate myself from those folks and whatever issue or cause it is that causes them to feel they have to drive as aggressively as they do.

I believe the risk of them creating a problem which involves me is far greater if I do anything besides get them out of the way, in front of me, so that I can control my circumstance, instead of letting them control it.

On the trip computer topic, I noticed that most new cars only have an "average" mileage option. Having an instant mileage readout would definitely help--especially if it is displayed separately, so it's always on. (Again, with most new cars, you have to choose between MPG, miles to empty, temperature and other readings, and MPG usually isn't the option chosen.)

As far as other drivers, I've recently learned to keep an eye out when hypermiling, lest I be the polar opposite jackass. For instance, I was in the right lane and approaching a truck that was doing about 45. I was doing 55. When I was prepared to pull out to pass, I noticed a guy in the next lane approaching at about 65. Rather than pull out and make him apply his brakes, I slowed a little to let him pass before pulling out and gently increasing from 50 back to 55. I might have cost myself .005 gallons in my Saturn doing that, but by not making him brake, wait, signal, pull over and accelerate again, I probably saved his pickup .05 gallons.

Very true; that is an excellent way to approach it.

I believe the vast majority of folks view fuel as simply another expenditure... If they can afford it, then they will use it. Not until it has a major impact on their budget will they consider alternatives, which is why on the whole nothing happens when the cost of fuel is low (and here I mean the $$ cost at the pump, not the greater cost that the extraction, transportation, and use of fuel has on the environment). I don't believe it has to do with people "not thinking", but rather with people's priorities. There simply is not enough incentive for a person to conserve fuel when it consumes less than 5% of the family budget.

This forum (along with others) is one tool to combat the lack of interest and information... Our actions are another tool. I think what would be helpful for those that are hypermiling is to have a bumper sticker that says something to the effect of "You are behind a HyperMiler. I drive like I ride my bicycle: SLOWLY!" :p

Many people won't be burdened to drive slower though, and might view that statement as though it's saying: "The only way you'll save money is to drive slowly.", never actually taking the aero aspect into consideration.

Many people also fail horribly at time management, and don't realize that there are several thing they're doing during the day that not only waste fuel, but waste time, (sometimes, taking the "most direct route", when it involves red lights, stop signs, and more traffic.)

Simple education, I think, would be more rewarding by and large than something that seems to mock the way that others drive. Remember, EVERYONE is a GOOD driver... in their own mind. When you mock people, or they feel that they've been mocked, they tend to shut down to any suggestion at all.

Not most are idiots, but it sure seems like it. Even the law abiding ones don't think. A lot of them will continue at the speed limit even when the light is red and in plain view...then you have the ones on the hiway that start slowing down a football field before a green light and get caught by it turning red while my little Geo will go on past them as they start slowing and I still have a green light when I get there.