For you Hypermilers and other MPG h4xx0rz

[RUFFSTUFF]

Originally Posted by YarisDude

Just my unwanted opinion....Be civil and courteous to others on the road when hypermiling (stay to the right and when in traffic go with the flow). Be civil and courteous to others on the forums. All comments have some merit (even if you do not agree), that's what makes social networking interesting. Most importantly have fun.

The Lurker - I read all, but say little.

Aha you tried to be quick on the edit but I caught you!

[YarisDude]

Fingers were in gear before the brain! Sorry.

[47_MasoN_47]

Good grief, looks like I stirred up a poo-storm.

Originally Posted by RUFFSTUFF

The topic is hypermilers being inconvenienced by non-hypermilers, right?

Yes that was the point of my original post. I see that we have quite a wide variety of opinions on the subject. I don't see the acceleration rate that I tend to follow as unnecessarily slow. Most of those big-anus SUVs that are all over the place accel at about the same rate I do unless they are flooring it. It's mostly when joining traffic that I have problems because not only do I not want to add the extra wear on an engine that I need to last me at least another 15 years, I don't want to risk my personal safety by pulling out in front of people. Around here, if you pull out in front of someone (no matter how far away they are) they will speed up, then slam their brakes on behind you to make it look like it was a real big deal for them to slow down. I've had people do this even after I've reached the speed limit (45) on the roads I generally travel on.

For you speed demons, please slow down. You only live once...please don't end your, my own, or someone else's life by driving unsafely. It seems like every other day there's at least 1 fatal car wreck caused by a speeder in my city of 45k people. Sure it's not a large percentage, but that death could usually be prevented by safer driving.

I'm only 22, but in the few years I've been driving my habits have changed a lot. Until I was around 18 my little Ranger's back wheels spun often at red lights because of just being impatient and having that "I'm too good to wreck" attitude. I often drove 10 or more MPH over the speed limit. After a close friend of mine lost a cousin in a 1 car wreck because of speeding, my attitude changed greatly. It's not worth the risk to save 2 or 3 minutes.

Sorry for the epic post, but I had to get that out there.

[BailOut]

Mason,

Your thoughts are solid, your approach is smooth and your attitude gives me hope regarding the current generation of young Americans.

Don't let the drama here get you down. I've been enduring it for 2 and a half years now. It's gotten so bad that many folks ask me questions or thank me via PMs for fear of being attacked on the forums, and I can't say that I blame them.

The funny thing is that it's just a few key people that always start the trouble. They change faces over time but it's always just a select few. Feel free to put them on ignore as they show themselves.

[Yaris Hilton]

Nearly all drivers think of themselves as much better drivers than they are. (I doubt I'm an exception.)

[1stToyota]

Originally Posted by RUFFSTUFF

The topic is hypermilers being inconvenienced by non-hypermilers, right?

From OP: "the impatient a-holes honking and screaming at you when starting off at redlights and stopsigns"

I read that and thought the topic was the non-hypermilers being inconvenienced by the hypermilers, with the hypermiler being mad at the non-hypermiler for being mad.

But I know what the OP means by speed demons...yesterday I caught myself not flowing with the traffic, slowed down just enough to be nice and let someone enter the freeway ahead of me...guy behind me got really pissed off and started flashing his highbeams at me several times. Sheesh.

[posaunemeister]

I guess people are somewhat more tolerant here in KC. I haven't been honked at yet, save for day I purchased my '08 Yaris 'S' 3 weeks ago and drove home from the dealership with only a total of 10 mins of instruction and watching a few how-to videos the night before.

[ern-diz]

Originally Posted by posaunemeister

I guess people are somewhat more tolerant here in KC. I haven't been honked at yet, save for day I purchased my '08 Yaris 'S' 3 weeks ago and drove home from the dealership with only a total of 10 mins of instruction and watching a few how-to videos the night before.

are you saying it was your first time driving a MT, or?

[ellenbetty]

Originally Posted by 47_MasoN_47

Do you guys just put up with the impatient a-holes honking and screaming at you when starting off at red lights and stop signs? I generally find myself letting the car get up to 2500 RPM or so when starting because the person behind me looks like they are going to have an aneurysm. Do the rest of you have to put up with that crap? Maybe the drivers in my area are just a-holes. I know the vast majority of people here have no idea how to drive.

While I do hypermile using a ecometer, I am concerned about being shot or rear ended by someone speeding. I have been honked at a few times. I have been rear ended once with major damage to my car. I have learned to look behind me and slow down slower when there is traffic trapped behind me. I take into consideration how much space there is between me and the vehicles in front of me. If I reach the next red light just as it is turning green, and there is at lease one vehicle in front of me, I figure I am not holding up traffic and therefor less likely to be shot by some nut case.

Traffic lights are timed to give the best traffic flow for people who drive the speed limit. Those people who drive faster than the speed limit, hit more red lights.

For those who think that hypermilers should stop driving and ride a bicycle, I say, go post on the boost forum. I was rear ended while bicycling. The USAF doctor who treated me told me to never bicycle again. The USAF doctor said, with the damage already done to my body, I would not survive another bicycle automobile accident. I have been receaving disability checks ever since that accident. People disabled by speeding weaving drivers are part of the reason that taxes and insurance is so high.

[RUFFSTUFF]

Originally Posted by ellenbetty

Traffic lights are timed to give the best traffic flow for people who drive the speed limit. Those people who drive faster than the speed limit, hit more red lights.

Not everywhere. On Union St. in Jacksonville, Florida for example, if you get a green light for the first one you have to do about 5 over to keep green all the way through.. otherwise you'll start catching reds...

Originally Posted by ellenbetty

People disabled by speeding weaving drivers are part of the reason that taxes and insurance is so high.

Here are some others...
http://www.motorists.org/blog/why-do...-cost-so-much/

[ellenbetty]

That might be true for a few blocks, but try driving across a area as big as Baltimore. Given a hour or more driving during rush hour, a speeder will hit more red lights.

I know in Baltimore Maryland the state police will some times drive in a row on I-695 (Inner or Outer Beltway) to force rush hour traffic to drive the speed limit. Nothing like a 30 mile long backup in muliple directions to slow speeders down. While that is not hitting red lights, it has the same effect. The Maryland state police also likes to set up moving checks point on intercounty roads to catch drunk and drugged drivers. Again not a red light. But the moving check point forces speeders to drive at a craw.

[RUFFSTUFF]

Originally Posted by ellenbetty

That might be true for a few blocks, but try driving across a area as big as Baltimore. Given a hour or more driving during rush hour, a speeder will hit more red lights.

I know in Baltimore Maryland the state police will some times drive in a row on I-695 (Inner or Outer Beltway) to force rush hour traffic to drive the speed limit. Nothing like a 30 mile long backup in muliple directions to slow speeders down. While that is not hitting red lights, it has the same effect. The Maryland state police also likes to set up moving checks point on intercounty roads to catch drunk and drugged drivers. Again not a red light. But the moving check point forces speeders to drive at a craw.

How do you speed for an hour in Baltimore during rush hour? Must be like Los Angeles where you have bumper to bumper traffic at 70mph.

[Jahbs]

hypermiling is like a style ur either used to it or ur not

tbh i dont care wat other drivers think i save moneh let them get impatient

[47_MasoN_47]

Originally Posted by BailOut

Mason,

Your thoughts are solid, your approach is smooth and your attitude gives me hope regarding the current generation of young Americans.

Don't let the drama here get you down. I've been enduring it for 2 and a half years now. It's gotten so bad that many folks ask me questions or thank me via PMs for fear of being attacked on the forums, and I can't say that I blame them.

The funny thing is that it's just a few key people that always start the trouble. They change faces over time but it's always just a select few. Feel free to put them on ignore as they show themselves.

Thanks :) Sorry it took a while to post, been sick and some other stuff came up.

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Originally Posted by Jahbs

hypermiling is like a style ur either used to it or ur not

tbh i dont care wat other drivers think i save moneh let them get impatient

I agree with you. I'm driving within the range of the minimum (55 mph) and maximum speed limit, so I could care less what other drivers think of me. I'm a full time student so I'm trying to save money where I can. And driving slower saves me money.

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

I agree with you. I'm driving within the range of the minimum (55 mph) and maximum speed limit, so I could care less what other drivers think of me. I'm a full time student so I'm trying to save money where I can. And driving slower saves me money.

Well said-as long as no laws are broken it is not your responsibility to drive in a manner that pleases anyone else.

[47_MasoN_47]

Originally Posted by Kaotic Lazagna

I agree with you. I'm driving within the range of the minimum (55 mph) and maximum speed limit, so I could care less what other drivers think of me. I'm a full time student so I'm trying to save money where I can. And driving slower saves me money.

Yep, I'm a full time student as well (this is my last semester if I can pass Quantitative Methods III). My paycheck at work isn't real big so I don't want to waste money on things like gas...I need the $$ for ammo and Yaris parts :P

[DevilGirl]

Originally Posted by 47_MasoN_47

I need the $$ for ammo and Yaris parts :P

Well ordered priorities!!