Those interesting drivers are still out there!

[YukonCornelius]

I was an absolute terror on the road from 16-22. Words can't explain it. I would have made an amazing getaway driver.

The mentality of the ecomodder is similar to a reckless driver. You are in your car and you're going to do whatever the hell you want in it. Ecomodders have no issue holding up traffic, going below the speed limit, accelerating slowly, driving with engine off or disconnected power steering (most would think that is crazy and dangerous), sailing through turns and down hills on skinny overinflated tires. The thought process is similar I think. I've definitely been on both sides of the coin.

[user removed]

Are you serious?

regards
Mech

[ps2fixer]

Originally Posted by Old Mechanic

Are you serious?

regards
Mech

LOL that was what I was thinking too! I think even though we might hinder traffic some... the overall safty of nearly everything we do is safer than being a reckless driver (note, he didn't say careless, but reckless!)

From Wiki:

Reckless driving is often defined as a mental state in which the driver displays a wanton disregard for the rules of the road; the driver often misjudges common driving procedures, often causing accidents and other damages. Reckless driving has been studied by psychologists[1] who found that reckless drivers score high in risk-taking personality traits. However, no one cause can be assigned to this state. There are some states, such as Virginia, where mental state is not considered, but rather a set of specific violations can be deemed reckless. Excessive speed by itself is sufficient for a reckless driving conviction in some jurisdictions (e.g., Virginia).

Has anyone here on ecomodder ever been in a wreck because of your ecomodding ways?

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Lbar

The mentality of the ecomodder is similar to a reckless driver. You are in your car and you're going to do whatever the hell you want in it. Ecomodders have no issue holding up traffic, going below the speed limit, accelerating slowly, driving with engine off or disconnected power steering (most would think that is crazy and dangerous), sailing through turns and down hills on skinny overinflated tires.

I think you're confusing ecomodders with hypermilers. Granted there's probably quite a bit of overlap (as many people do both), but it's still not at all the same thing.

But let's think about some of your claims, just for exercise. Now I personally DO have an issue with holding up traffic, and so will keep right (except to pass) on multi-lane roads, and pull over & use turnouts on mountain roads, something I see few others do when I'm the one wanting to go faster.

I accelerate faster from lights &c than say 9 out of 10 other people, despite not hot-rodding and mostly driving a car with a little 1000 cc engine.

I do often drive with the engine off. In fact, the car (Honda Insight) is designed to do it automatically. What exactly is dangerous about this? Same for disconnected power steering. I am not a little old lady. I have no problem tossing around loads of hay, or firewood logs, so why shouldn't I be able to turn a steering wheel without mechanical assistance?

As for sailing through the turns, that's what makes driving fun. Maybe you're only able to drive in straight lines, but other people can. And maybe if you didn't drive around on squishy underinflated tires, your car would handle better in the turns :-)

[YukonCornelius]

Originally Posted by ps2fixer

LOL that was what I was thinking too! I think even though we might hinder traffic some... the overall safty of nearly everything we do is safer than being a reckless driver (note, he didn't say careless, but reckless!)

From Wiki:


Has anyone here on ecomodder ever been in a wreck because of your ecomodding ways?

Obviously their is a difference in the safety between the two driving styles. If you thought I was trying to insinuate that the danger level is comparable you missed the point entirely. Most people get in their car and obey the laws within reason and around other cars generally go with the flow. Reckless drivers and ecomodders do not always go with the flow. They have a secondary goal, motive, or interest that they are trying to fulfill while driving. An ecomodder in right lane going 55 with traffic constantly needing to go around him doesn't differentiate in my mind from the guy in the left lane doing 85 making people get out of his way. Both are causing inconvenience to other drivers to suit their needs. Both are interfering with the continuity of traffic flow. Both could be increasing the risk of an accident (depending on traffic).

[user removed]

Not sure about others but I am really very stealthy with my techniques. On the Interstate (65 limit) I have found through experience that I personally am much better off driving in the right lane, especially if I can pick up a drafting partner. I64 traffic here is usually heavy and there are plenty of container trucks heading to the huge facility in Norfolk. I can get better mileage at 65 in a 3 stripe draft than I can at 55 MPH without any other traffic.

The only time I will willingly obstruct traffic is when I get a jackass tailgating me to the point of recklessness and increasing my risk potential. In that case I'll P%G the idiot until they get the idea and pass me.

People who are stupid and want to race to a red light are free to go past me anytime. Around here you have a lot of Military and many are just back in country and probably have battle fatigue. Just go around me and be on your way and we can get along fine. I'm probably in the bottom 10% of average speeds and I would drive below the speed limit if there was no other traffic to contend with.

There are also route choices where the roads are practically deserted and they are my real favorites. I can drive all over Virginia using the old US routes and avoid the Interstate idiocy completely. I did that in my CVT 2002 Insight and averaged 70.2 MPG over a trip of more than 600 miles with 90% of it in one day, with speeds averaging 55 MPH.

I drove pretty crazy when I was young in cars like a 67 383 Formula S Barracuda coupe, that averaged 10 MPG, but I never really acted stupidly reckless and with few exceptions always respected the rights of other drivers.

regards
Mech

[user removed]

I had a clown tailgating me one car length at 60 MPH on my motorcycle yesterday (in the right lane with two lanes each way), really pissed me off, enough to probably follow him and kick the side of his car at a light.
What that Complete Moron did not know is there was a State Police SUV 100 yards ahead of us. Ya think dipchit got a case of drive poroperly when he got close enough to see the Troopers SUV?

regards
Mech

[P-hack]

Originally Posted by Lbar

Both are causing inconvenience to other drivers to suit their needs...

On behalf of the ecomodder (hypermiler) there is a fundamental tradeoff between time and money here. When I drove like a regular a$$hat in my econobox I would get like 24mpg and my commute took 40min. Whereas I nearly doubled my mpg and it took 45min with techniques and route selection and some fairly simple mods. Just in terms of time vs money there is an decent case to be made for hypermiling in my experience, 10 minutes for ~$8 in fuel per day. Obviously there are intermediate examples as well.

And given the amount of attention I was paying to my driving, I would argue that I was not contributing to less safe conditions for other drivers (excepting those that were not paying much attention). The best way to avoid an accident is to pay attention, the best way to drive efficiently is to pay lots of attention. You are looking for potential obstructions all the time and adjusting accordingly, if you are well aware of obstructions you are less likely to slam into them (especially if you are not speeding and have maximal reaction time). As well as I was not enraged by slower traffic in the slightest, it was seen as an opportunity.

[darrylrobida]

Driving at night along the long and straight west Texas highways I got a surprise:

I was board and began estimating the speed of the occasional on coming car by noticing how the apparent width of their headlights grew as they approached.

After twenty observations, an oncoming car appeared to be coming at over
500 mph. Seconds later, I realized that it was only
a motorcycle that had pulled out to pass a car that only had one headlight.

Wow, what a thrill.

My apologies in advance if this posting is not spot on to this thread.

[fidalgoman]

Crazies are out there. Anyone who causes turbulence to the flow of traffic will likely cause and be involved in an accident at some time. Being friendly and staying away from the crazies is always a good idea.

If you have a need for speed then do your passing carefully. If you have a need to go slow then get out of the way when you can and let others pass.