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-   -   Psychological Ways of Saving Fuel (https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/psychological-ways-saving-fuel-2273.html)

Wayneburg 05-11-2008 07:48 PM

Psychological Ways of Saving Fuel
 
I'm making a list of psychological ways of saving fuel.

Stickers
-Hypermiler Student Driver
What do you usually do when you see a Student Driver car on the road with you? Well, I usually give them plenty of room and would probably dismiss any of their irregular road maneuvers to being a student driver.

One factor that seems to have a big impact on fuel saving techniques is other drivers' perceptions of you and your driving techniques. From what I've read, one of the big reasons some fuel saving techniques, such as pulse & glide or simply driving much slower than the rest of traffic, are not employed is what other drivers think of the hypermiler.

What would happen if your car had stickers that read:
_______________________
STUDENT DRIVER
Hypermiler Driving School
1-800-60MPGplus
1-800-606-7475

This car makes frequent stops
_______________________

Other drivers on the road with you would probably do the same thing you or I would do if we saw a student driver on the road. They would dismiss all of your 'driving techniques' as you being a student driver. This would allow the hypermiler to use his/her fuel saving techniques without the fear of enraging their fellow motorists.

This is one of those "thinking outside of the box" kind of ideas that I usually get flamed for. So I'm ready for it. Just make sure whatever fuel you're using to flame me is used in a fuel efficient manner.

-Tell Them What Speed You Roll At
Do what user DifferentPointofView does. He put a sticker on his bumper that reads: http://forum.ecomodder.com/emgarage-...5a3a5e30dc.jpg
He says people pass him without any problems. Plus the sticker keeps him honest.

-Let Everyone Know
Post your best miles per gallon on the outside of your car. Hopefully someone will ask you how you are able to get such good fuel savings and you can turn someone else onto hypermiling.

Post Your Goals
-Your Best and Worst
Post your best and worst miles per gallon records on your dash. This will hopefully accomplish two things. It will keep that goal constantly within your vision and it might cause your passenger(s) to ask you what the numbers mean. You'll tell them your goals and they will probably want you to meet those goals. Hopefully they will want to enter into a friendly hypermiling competition with you.

-Motivational Posters
Put motivational posters on your dash or behind your sun visors.
http://www.ezbiodiesel.com/Noose%20presave.jpg

Use Your Stereo To Save Fuel
-Slow the beat down
Listen to slow paced music. Hopefully this will keep you driving slower. It doesn't have to be classical or opera. There are slow songs in every genre of music.

-Take your mind to another clime
When it's hot outside listen to an audiobook that has a story set in the cold. You will be mentally taken to someplace cold and hopefully use the air conditioner less. Conversely, listen to stories set in the heat when it's cold outside.

Teach your passengers
Teach your passengers about hypermiling. Hopefully they will use some of your teachings in their own cars.

Can you think of other psychological ways of saving fuel? This can be ways that effect other drivers psychologically or yourself.

thebrad 05-11-2008 07:54 PM

Student Driver badging or driving with your hazards on could prove useful, but avoiding carpooling is just foolish.

MetroMPG 05-11-2008 08:02 PM

I used to teach defensive driving to new drivers, so had one of those honking "student drivers" signs on the roof.

I can tell you it wasn't a surefire way to get a break from other drivers. You'd think it would. But a lot of people are just plain reptilian when they get behind the wheel.

Wayneburg 05-11-2008 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thebrad (Post 24952)
avoiding carpooling is just foolish.

Good point. I wasn't thinking of it as carpooling when I started up this list. I'm editing the list after your astute observation.

DifferentPointofView 05-11-2008 09:38 PM

Or, you could do what I did, and make one of these:

http://forum.ecomodder.com/emgarage-...5a3a5e30dc.jpg

So far, I've had no problems with people anymore. once they read the sticker, they just pass nice and smooth, no flooring it or anything. :thumbup:

Also, makes you not want to speed because you'd be a hypocrite for putting it on but your speeding.. That's what It's doing to me anyway.

I'm gonna make a sticker to put on the drivers side of the bumper that says Pass Here with an <- sign. :D

MetroMPG 05-11-2008 09:51 PM

I like it.

Wayneburg 05-11-2008 09:53 PM

that's some good stuff DifferentPointofView!!

May I include your sticker in the list?

Wayneburg 05-11-2008 10:07 PM

I added three more to the list.
-Post your best and worst miles per gallon
-Let Everyone Know
-Motivational Posters

DifferentPointofView 05-11-2008 10:13 PM

yea, it's fine. If anyone would like one before the school year gets out, I'd send you one if I can find some stamps and you send me your location in PM. Be quick though, 9 days till I get out.

ihatejoefitz 05-11-2008 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DifferentPointofView (Post 24998)

I like it!

Wayneburg 05-11-2008 10:25 PM

Added DifferentPointofView's sticker to the list.

RH77 05-11-2008 11:26 PM

When I'm having a frustrating day on the highway, I can turn the hypermiling over to a cruise-control mod that limits the throttle.

Instant DWL without having to think about it, and no speed overrun. Matter over mind.

I rarely use it -- just when I'm really tired of driving or lack true concentration for monitoring all the parameters.

RH77

tasdrouille 05-12-2008 08:02 AM

Stickers are a great idea. Music too. 30s Jazz à la Django Reinhardt did the trick for me. It's soo much easier driving 50 with the kind of music that makes you feel like your on an happy sunny sunday morning drive.

MetroMPG 05-12-2008 08:13 AM

Music is a good driving-related tip ... adding it to the hypermiling / ecodriving master list.

Wayneburg 05-12-2008 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MetroMPG (Post 25105)
Music is a good driving-related tip ... adding it to the hypermiling / ecodriving master list.

Cool. I'm honored to have helped add to the master list.

cfg83 05-12-2008 02:33 PM

Wayneburg -

Great sticker. I have "40+ Total MPG", but I should add "UCan2" to tell people that I am trying to help them (not rub it in their noses).

CarloSW2

ebacherville 05-12-2008 03:28 PM

I think a sticker that says "By driving under 55 I save $3245 per year in gas." people understand cash really well. Problem is at the way things are going you'd need to replace the sticker every 3 days!

maybe a scrolling led light board is in order.. it would be really cool to be able to pipe your actual real time millage into a LED screen on the back of the car.. Especially when FASing!!!

dremd 05-12-2008 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebacherville (Post 25236)
maybe a scrolling led light board is in order.. it would be really cool to be able to pipe your actual real time millage into a LED screen on the back of the car.. Especially when FASing!!!

If anybody figures that one out I'll buy one for sure.

cfg83 05-12-2008 03:49 PM

dremd -

Quote:

Originally Posted by dremd (Post 25237)
If anybody figures that one out I'll buy one for sure.

Last year before X-Mas, Pep Boys had their $40 scrollable LED board on sale for $20. Shoulda got it when I had the chance.

CarloSW2

dremd 05-12-2008 04:18 PM

I own one, I want real time mpg (scangague mirrored to back window)

DifferentPointofView 05-12-2008 11:31 PM

Quote:

If anybody figures that one out I'll buy one for sure.
There's a guy on EM that drives an insight with an LED scrolling thing in his rear window.

Oh, and if anyone wants any sticker made, tell me soon, cause I've got One week left to make them. :thumbup:

Shawn D. 06-06-2008 08:29 AM

I know I'm late to the discussion (and I don't care for it when folks drag up old threads, but this one ain't too old at < 1 month), but...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayneburg (Post 24951)
From what I've read, one of the big reasons some fuel saving techniques, such as pulse & glide or simply driving much slower than the rest of traffic, are not employed is what other drivers think of the hypermiler.

IMO, using such techniques in traffic is dangerous, and dare I say it, anti-social. Many folks think that "speed kills," but what is more dangerous is speed differential. What if a good proportion of the traffic stream were trying to use pulse & glide? Not only would it not be possible (how would you possibly coordinate that?), it would be dangerous and would probably make everyone's efficiency worse. While I will drive below the limit on secondary roads when there's no other traffic around, doing so in traffic is dangerous simply due to physics, not to mention road rage.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayneburg (Post 24951)
Other drivers on the road with you would probably do the same thing you or I would do if we saw a student driver on the road. They would dismiss all of your 'driving techniques' as you being a student driver. This would allow the hypermiler to use his/her fuel saving techniques without the fear of enraging their fellow motorists.

Quote:

Originally Posted by thebrad (Post 24952)
Student Driver badging or driving with your hazards on could prove useful...

What if everyone did those things, though? IMO, this is akin to pathogens developing drug resistance due to over-use of worthwhile and otherwise helpful drugs. I don't think one should use such things if the situation really doesn't apply.

ebacherville 06-06-2008 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dremd (Post 25257)
I own one, I want real time mpg (scangague mirrored to back window)

I so would love to see that.. like those scrolling led billboards in the back window...

Im gettting XX MPG... you can get better MPG by driving slower too... do you really want to get to that red light faster?....


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