my girlfriend doesn't like hypermiling

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(douglas001001 @ Jun 6 2007, 04:38 PM) [snapback]456799[/snapback]</div>

The question you have to ask yourself is whether or not she's more important or the hypermiling is. That will give you your solution.

If she's more important (and, let's be honest, she should be), if it makes her edgy, it doesn't matter what your reasons are for doing it. It will still make her edgy. I'd suggest you don't hypermile when you're both in the car. Did you ask her why it makes her edgy? Or did you just defend hypermiling. If you didn't ask her why she feels edgy, she's got a legitimate beef. She told you she was uncomfortable and you gave 100 reasons why she shouldn't be. Find out why she feels that way ... but in a non-confrontational way.

 

IMO my wife is uses the brake way too much when approaching a stop light, and drives a little too close to the car in front of her. However, in the 25 years we've been married, she's been in only one accident, so I have to admit she's a safe driver.

That doesn't mean I don't feel a bit nervous when I see the red light coming up. I just keep my mouth shut because, as I've said, 25 years is a good track record.

Here's what I'm getting at, your GF is nervous when you hypermile it, she may always be nervous when you do this. Your being a safe driver probably won't make her less nervous. So, here are the options: (1) you change your driving habits, (2) she keeps quiet and learns to deal with it or (3) you get a new girlfriend.

I'd recommend (1) but that's just me.

 

I day dump her! j/k

I try to limit my hypermiling when I have passengers even if I glide more towards red lights then they are used to and use pulse to get up to speed. The difference is that I use more battery in the glide part (for as long as I can) which makes the slowing down less noticeable. I also tend to vary between 40 and 35 instead of 40 and 30.

 

Take the hint, she is just in a hurry to be with you alone.

 

I don't like pulse and glide even when I'm driving, but I do like to do long 1/2 mile to 1 mile glides before stoplights and I glide down every hill. But yeah if you want to keep her I would turn off the MFD and concentrate on her.

 

Is she paying for your gas, or are you?

What specifically makes her edgy? If it takes the same amount of time to get there, why would it matter? Are you drafting semis on the way, or is she just irked that you might be going the speed limit (or under) and taking a more leisurely approach to driving?

 

I agree with a one of the above posts... giver her another shot at dealing with it, if she doesn't like it still, dump her. haha

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tom 6850 @ Jun 6 2007, 05:06 PM) [snapback]456830[/snapback]</div>

I agree, women make fuss when they want to be with you alone. Often it's like pressure building up for them and they don't want to admit it.

Take her on a quiet road and make a move on her, not too overtly. A few minutes later (depending on how good the pump and the bladder are) she will be fulfilled and no longer edgy.

And don't turn the power off you don't want to have that engine recycling allover again.

 

Have her read
http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/mpghints.html
http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/freefuel.gif [short, printable]
and realize that driving for mpg involves *much* more challenge and
finesse than mashing a pedal. Ecodriving -- the new motorsport!
Once she gets used to letting you play the *car* like a fine
instrument, well ...
.
_H*

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(douglas001001 @ Jun 6 2007, 05:06 PM) [snapback]456884[/snapback]</div>

In the Prius what isn't she participating in compared to other cars? Keep the MFD on the powertrain screen. If she wants to participate have her go to the climate screen to fiddle with the AC, vents, and heat as well as the nav screen (if equipped). If this doesn't help, I vote for #3.

BTW, you can also get great mpg if you are stuck in traffic.

 

As much as admire hypermiling, I am just not very good at it. Some consolation can be had in the math, though: Driving a year at 65 mpg vs 45 mpg could save $250. Revise the numbers according to your annual miles, fuel costs, and mpg differential, and you have quantified it.

Then put a value on the personal relationship. Can't help you there, but then you will have a basis for action and decision.

The best hypermiling is done alone, anyway. Pax weight probably costs 0.5 mpg

 

I don't know why but this post made me laugh. Anyway, my husband hates the way I drive and I hate the way he drives. I feel like I need neck brace to be in the car with him and he thinks I don't see things on the road and feels the need to tell me how to drive. So now we make our comments to each other, we are pretty sarcastic but the bottom line is this. If the other person doesn't like the way the other drives then they can always walk or follow behind.
It's your car, drive it they way you want.

 

Bring her to one of the ChicagoPriusGroup or Milwaukee Hybrid Group events and we'll take her in one of our Prius for our typical eco/hyper-miling driving lessons. When she learns what your doing, she may be more receptive.

Wayne

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(douglas001001 @ Jun 7 2007, 11:40 AM) [snapback]457364[/snapback]</div>

Let her drive.

My wife and I drive differently. She is the "Queen of Green" but she basically speeds everywhere and I am paranoid. I drive a race car and as such am a big slowpoke on the street always trying to get the meximum mileage from whatever vehicle I am driving.

However out of respect for our relationship she does her best to slow down if I am riding with her and I do my best to speed up when she rides with me. Compromise is what makes a relationship work. O yea... Neither of us have had any accidents for a very long time (knock on wood).

In my opinion, your lady friend is your "most important cargo" when she is with you and you need to find a reasonable compromise out of respect for her wishes. As important as efficient driving practices are, they are secondary to a very real need of someone you love.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tnthub @ Jun 7 2007, 12:06 PM) [snapback]457383[/snapback]</div>

"Queen of Green"! That's fitting for my wife as well, but only because she seems to be incapable of ending a trip without the battery SOC in the green range. Grrrr!!!! When will these women learn ... I keed, I keed.

I suggest you start driving it like a sports car when she's aboard. Be sure to do lots of jackrabbit starts (it really jumps off the line when you want it to with all the torque of the electric motor), quick lane changes in heavy traffic, pass adequately moving cars on 2 lane roads, etc. Then see which way she prefers. Oh you wanted to stay in the relationship? Never mind

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(douglas001001 @ Jun 6 2007, 02:38 PM) [snapback]456799[/snapback]</div>

Here's my perscription...

Give her one of these:

http://www.cafepress.com/cleanmpg.128612938

Let us know in the morning if it does not work.

Cheers;

MSantos

 

I figure by 'hypermiling' you mean "driving like an idiot" where other cars are having to burn way more fuel to deal with your stupid driving style than you are saving by doing it. So, let's just start with that as a fact.. The planet is worse off fuel wise for what you are doing.

Now, point 2... is she more or less safe because you are 'hypermiling'? If you got cars piling up behind you doing the road rage thing to get around, or huge vehicles bearing down on you to only get stopped before they hit you while you're 'hypermiling', then you're being less safe than you should be. She deserves better.

Driving at or below the speed limit is not always safer despite the number of idiots on here that will tell you otherwise. If you're making her feel unsafe by driving like this, I hope she's smart enough to dump you rather than you following the tounge in cheek advice already given here.



If you were 'hypermiling' for 30 miles during this and got 75mpg instead of 60mpg, then you may have saved yourself a couple tenths of a gallon of gas and about 35cents. Is she worth 35cents?