You know you're an ecomodder if/when...

[Joenavy85]

Originally Posted by Joenavy85

and I got the 1000th post, woo hoo, i win a cookie!! nomnomnomnom

Sorry, I'm 11 Hours into what will end up being a 25 Hour shift, I needed something to make me laugh, even if it meant laughing at myself.

[Weather Spotter]

that is ok. I do that all the time I drive, laugh at me or others.

[JasonG]

Originally Posted by Joenavy85

and I got the 1000th post, woo hoo, i win a cookie!! nomnomnomnom

Durn, I was hoping the big 1000 would have been insightful. Oh well, in sigh full is as close as we get.

[larrybuck]

So here is the 1001 tip : you know you're an EcoModder when you teach your whole family a new game called: How many days a row can we avoid going to a store to buy anything??

You program your kids early, so they think all normal people think this way! If you can any females to comply, you win special bonus points, and if you have a daughter; when she marries; your future son in law will worship you!

Make incentive rewards to keep the game fresh! Tell your family to exercise, so they won't overload your veh.!!

[Kodak]

Originally Posted by larrybuck

So here is the 1001 tip : you know you're an EcoModder when you teach your whole family a new game called: How many days a row can we avoid going to a store to buy anything??

Good one. I'm always thinking in terms of getting all errands done in one shot, and then planning the most efficient route.


YKYAEM when you have actually wondered if there would be a way to convert human energy (lifting, pulling, pushing etc.) into stored energy for your vehicle...AND the idea doesn't entirely bother you much.

--I've got this little emergency radio for power outages. It has a knob that can be spun - very similar to the reel on a fishing rod - that creates energy to power the radio. It made me wonder if a similar device could be added to a car to reduce the load on an engine. Even if it only added a few HP, it could cover A/C or simply assist the engine.

Hehe, imagine getting in your car and the first thing you do before turning the key is turn this reel-like contraption a few times.

[hondaguy72]

If you purposely change out a good transmission just for taller gearing. (didn't read the whole post so please don't be mad if I'm duplicating)

[larrybuck]

that would be great! I've read other posts that explain how because of the typical weight of any car is too great that no constant rotations of self induced by motion endless travel ideas will work, but I still think it could be done, somehow!

For yrs, I thought it would be fun to actually roadrace a car on a track, but for most of us; U-tube of others experiences are as close as we will get besides racing games...

Cheap fun can still be had w some kind of smaller motorcycles and scooters; 100mpg+ can still provide entertainment $per hr. cheap enough not to think we all have to stay at home! It's not fun to feel like a prisoner!!

The gas powered bicycles; depending on the legalities in your area, seem like a dirt cheap way to get around. Not everyone is healthy, or wealthy enough to utilize a good roadbike as in peddling everywhere! Portland OR. is big on that, but most people over 50 are probably not going to be too excited about riding in the rain alot, and the energy, and time that it takes. With the gas bike, no insurance, maybe no licensing, lighting and brakes as you see fit, maybe getting an eng. long life by holding it down to 20-25mph. instead of maxing it at 30-35mph. How about a light weight diesel in that picture??

The closest vehicle I could see to being a 1 vehicle pretty much do it all at least locally are the teardrop shaped 3 wheelers, that would do well even in the rain. An econo box could be rented for out of town trips, or have a nice low dollar early Metro/CRX type of ride!

I'm willing to suffer some comfort loss, as opposed to feeling I have to stay home all my life to look at 4 walls!

[honestabe]

YKYAEM when you just spent the last hour or so pouring over your fuel log data for the last 91 fill-ups that you've logged to date and ended up creating a new spreadsheet page in Excel that analyses the average fuel consumption by month in 3 different ways (average MPG by month over time, monthly average MPG that shows side-by-side comparisons of each year, and the difference in percentage in monthly average MPG from one year to the next). Here's the visual of all that.






YKYAEM when you just passed the 1000th gallon saved over a 20 MPG car mark in my Geo Metro. That's 35063.6 miles logged since I started tracking my statistics shortly after buying my Metro (about 250 miles difference between what I've used today after filling up and what I used before I started tracking my statistics). Bought my car just under 14 months ago and have saved 3.5 times the weight of my car in gasoline, 1003.719 gallons of gas, and $3157.29 in gas. My average fuel economy is 46.18 MPG over the 91 fill-ups I've logged with a best of 53.75 MPG and a worst of 39 MPG. Not bad for a car that cost me only $1300 and runs perfect and is a 9 out of 10 cosmetically (couple small dings and needs new front floor mats since I wore both of mine out).

[honestabe]

YKYAEM when you beat your previous best MPG record of 53.75 MPG with a tank of 57.14 MPG, while driving 95% of the time on the highway with 2 1/2 adults (the half being 2 small dogs and 2 backpacks).

[Kodak]

YKYAEM when hitting a red light at the top of a hill is not nearly as annoying as hitting one at the bottom of a hill.