Why braking affects fuel economy for beginners along with tips

[UltArc]

Originally Posted by briank

I agree with you, but try teach that to most drivers. Better to give the 99.9% of drivers a whiff of the concept of efficient braking, than direct the effort to the 0.1% who have fairly good mpg already. Regarding the timing, I wish they had an impending light change warning flashing signal 200 yards or so ahead of every traffic light, one would then have a good chance of knowing whether to lay off the gas or go for it. The signal not flashing would mean one will make it if traveling at the speed limit.

I wish lights had the countdown to green, like many newer crosswalks have the countdown to stop. That would be invaluable to assist with deciding to cut the engine, EOC, and coasting in areas I am not familiar with, or with lights that change depending on other sensors or time of day. Have you ever driven a common route of yours at a time you usually don't drive? Sometimes its goofy.

[Kenny]

Originally Posted by briank

I wish they had an impending light change warning flashing signal 200 yards or so ahead of every traffic light, one would then have a good chance of knowing whether to lay off the gas or go for it. The signal not flashing would mean one will make it if traveling at the speed limit.

Originally Posted by UltArc

I wish lights had the countdown to green, like many newer crosswalks have the countdown to stop.

I familiarize myself with the sequence of the traffic lights I use most. So when I approach a traffic light, from say, 300 yards back, I note what traffic has the green and time my arrival accordingly.

Many of the non-sensing traffic lights here begin with the LH turn lanes - then straight through traffic is 2nd. If the traffic light has sensors, then note what cross traffic lanes have vehicles, and which lanes do not - the changing sequence will likely be the same, but it by-passes those lanes which have no pending vehicles.

[Pandaf]

Originally Posted by UltArc

I wish lights had the countdown to green, like many newer crosswalks have the countdown to stop. That would be invaluable to assist with deciding to cut the engine, EOC, and coasting in areas I am not familiar with, or with lights that change depending on other sensors or time of day. Have you ever driven a common route of yours at a time you usually don't drive? Sometimes its goofy.

In some countries (f.e. I saw it in Romania) they have countdown to green as well as to red. They were sized similar to the other lights. In other cases the green light starts flashing about 5 seconds before orange. Here in NL nothing of the sort. But wait...they are putting LEDs in the traffic lights now to save energy

[drainoil]

I think the general populous is so self absorbed into their own little worlds, accelerate way too much, just to get in front of the car in front of them, hammer the brakes, cut you off, etc, to care about much of saving fuel. I see very few vehicles in my daily driving experience that seem to care much about this stuff. That's why I love it here and all the great info. There still are tons of fullsize SUV's and pickups on the road in my area that wont see more than mid to upper teens average even if driven with good mpg driving habits utilized. Even when gas was well over $4.00/gallon. That's ok though. I tell people I drive responsibly and get good mpg so they don't have to-they just look at me like deer in headlights lol. $500+/month truck payments, $100+/per week in fuel, no thanks.

[eufo]

Originally Posted by drainoil

I think the general populous is so self absorbed into their own little worlds, accelerate way too much, just to get in front of the car in front of them, hammer the brakes, cut you off, etc, to care about much of saving fuel. I see very few vehicles in my daily driving experience that seem to care much about this stuff. That's why I love it here and all the great info. There still are tons of fullsize SUV's and pickups on the road in my area that wont see more than mid to upper teens average even if driven with good mpg driving habits utilized. Even when gas was well over $4.00/gallon. That's ok though. I tell people I drive responsibly and get good mpg so they don't have to-they just look at me like deer in headlights lol. $500+/month truck payments, $100+/per week in fuel, no thanks.

Yeah, most people don't really give a rat's ass about economy. Even after I ask them how much they spend on gas per month and their reply is ~$300 versus my <$50 they chalk it up to just "you must drive less" instead of taking the time to think about how they might save some money.

Sometimes it feels like I'm the only one on the road trying to drive economically and it gets annoying when someone cuts me off and brakes hard to make a turn or whatever and messes up my economy when they could have easily slid behind me while slowing down for their turn and saved us both some wasted fuel.

I used to be one of these jackasses, so I can't bust their chops too hard, but I would have listened if someone tried to teach me a bit about efficiency.

[UltArc]

Originally Posted by Pandaf

In some countries (f.e. I saw it in Romania) they have countdown to green as well as to red. They were sized similar to the other lights. In other cases the green light starts flashing about 5 seconds before orange. Here in NL nothing of the sort. But wait...they are putting LEDs in the traffic lights now to save energy

Ah, like the ones that can't be seen until one is right beneath them? I LOVE knowing the light color when I am seven feet before the intersection...

I know a lot of people are pretty absorbed in their daily drive activities to notice about traffic, but I think those countdowns would actually help. The more info we put out, the easier it is for people to care- they may start to be more careful/helpful and not even know it! lol

Originally Posted by eufo

Yeah, most people don't really give a rat's ass about economy. Even after I ask them how much they spend on gas per month and their reply is ~$300 versus my <$50 they chalk it up to just "you must drive less" instead of taking the time to think about how they might save some money.

Sometimes it feels like I'm the only one on the road trying to drive economically and it gets annoying when someone cuts me off and brakes hard to make a turn or whatever and messes up my economy when they could have easily slid behind me while slowing down for their turn and saved us both some wasted fuel.

I used to be one of these jackasses, so I can't bust their chops too hard, but I would have listened if someone tried to teach me a bit about efficiency.

I like when people drive like idiots. More people to draft, and makes my accomplishments all the more valuable. A buddy at work drives a Toyota Corolla, and I always talk about my mileage and he comes back with "how long was the engine off?" And I finally come back with I'd rather cruise engine off in my Mustang than a Toyota...lol (No offense Toyota owners, I have to aggravate him back)

[UltArc]

Originally Posted by Kenny

I familiarize myself with the sequence of the traffic lights I use most. So when I approach a traffic light, from say, 300 yards back, I note what traffic has the green and time my arrival accordingly.

Many of the non-sensing traffic lights here begin with the LH turn lanes - then straight through traffic is 2nd. If the traffic light has sensors, then note what cross traffic lanes have vehicles, and which lanes do not - the changing sequence will likely be the same, but it by-passes those lanes which have no pending vehicles.

This is great with lights we use, at times we use. But going home on my lunch, I notice my EOC points are not the same, and I could be more so efficient if I drove differently. Or down the street from me, at a light that is very weird, it has been changed-a little alert would be great for it.

[Occasionally6]

Originally Posted by eufo

Sometimes it feels like I'm the only one on the road trying to drive economically and it gets annoying when someone cuts me off and brakes hard to make a turn or whatever and messes up my economy when they could have easily slid behind me while slowing down for their turn and saved us both some wasted fuel.

I used to be one of these jackasses, so I can't bust their chops too hard, but I would have listened if someone tried to teach me a bit about efficiency.

I think we all get that. Create the space to coast or accelerate into and some muppet decides that you're "going too slow" and wants to jump one (usually just one) space ahead and fills it. Just one of the hazards. Sometimes I will use a bit of gas, subtly, to hold off the cutting in but that can serve to aggravate the problem (and uses some more gas anyway).

While it would be useful to know when lights are going to change I suspect that there might be a few more accidents were it to become widespread. It's not at all uncommon for people to try to sneak through on a freshly red light. It is something that I am very cautious of when trying to anticipate light changes. Especially where sight lines are limited.

You also have to aware of pedestrians. Just recently I had a couple of guys cross the road just as the lights changed to green, from in front of a bus that blocked them from my sight and the car in the next lane's. Had I been trying to coast through and not slowed as a precaution, or the other car not been stopped, it would have been very close indeed. (It wasn't very far off as it was.)

[briank]

Originally Posted by Occasionally6

You also have to aware of pedestrians. Just recently I had a couple of guys cross the road just as the lights changed to green, from in front of a bus that blocked them from my sight and the car in the next lane's. Had I been trying to coast through and not slowed as a precaution, or the other car not been stopped, it would have been very close indeed. (It wasn't very far off as it was.)

One of hundreds of accident scenarios that aren't preventable when one of the parties (pedestrians) in this case don't follow the rules. I try to look under a high vehicle for a sign of pedestrians, but I definitely slow down or stop when I notice the other vehicles haven't yet moved on green (emergency vehicle, pedestrian, bicyclists, etc.) It has saved me a few times over the years. Economic driving techniques and safe driving techniques (that go beyond following the law) should go hand in hand.

[songman]

Originally Posted by eufo

Sometimes it feels like I'm the only one on the road trying to drive economically and it gets annoying when someone cuts me off and brakes hard to make a turn or whatever and messes up my economy when they could have easily slid behind me while slowing down for their turn and saved us both some wasted fuel.

There's one descent to a roundabout where I turn left but most go right, dual carriageway approach. Traffic turning right invariably guns down past me then slams on the brakes, though otherwise leaving me in peace. One time, this car came past as usual, no problem...then pulled in front of me and slammed on the brakes, prior to turning left. I mean, where did he think I was going?

I hate those idiots.