Hey guys, I have a base model 2007 Prius, and I average around 45-50 MPG using a few hypermilling techniques. Sometimes I find that when I drive around town, I become obsessed with my gas mileage, and my friends have noticed this also. For example, my friend drives a Hummer H2, and when I was in the car with him I found myself just getting angry at the way he drives and his MPG. It is turning into a problem, I get way too bothered by what other people drive and it upsets me. It got to the point were I started yelling at my friend and we haven't talked in a few days. Any tips?
learn to bite your tongue. Maybe some gentle inquiries. "Hey, have you ever considered any hypermiling techniques? You may be able to save some gas even in this Hummer." If you get a negative response drop it. If there's some sign of interest you can suggest some simple things. But it's not worth losing friends over.
I have noticed that when my GF rides with me in the car, I get lower FE by about 1 or 2 mpg compared to driving by myself. Plus, she gets upset if I get behind slower moving traffic and wants to stop at every garage sale she sees, which also kills FE. Should I ask her to get out and walk? :madgrin:
MPGFiend, I suffer from the same disease! For example I always tell people, "unless there is a traffic jam you should never have to use your brakes on the freeway, it is simply converting expensive gasoline into wasted heat (I now not on the Prius), so it shows poor judgement and inefficient driving." That comment doesn't go over so well. I can hardly stand to be in the car with people who think you need to be stomping on either the gas or the brake pedal at all times. It is like people have a fear of not pressing on a pedal all times, I think it is a control thing. However on the flip side I drive people nuts because I avoid touching the gas and brake pedals as much as possible, so corners are taken 'briskly' and other driving is mellow. Add in my 'timing' of traffic signals to avoid stops and people go nuts, I just can't help it I have an phobia for inefficient driving. Anyone have some advise before my wife kills me!
What if she falls behind on the downhill parts? I don't want to stop and ruin a perfectly good glide. Should I wait for her to catch up or keep on going? :madgrin:
dogfriend - You could place handles and foot platforms on the back and tell her to hang-on (not drag her feet, though). She'll add momentum on the downhill to help with the uphill portion.
I am reminded of a talk show I watched, many years ago, that involved a bunch of Mensa-type women, and how hard it was for them to find guys that were "intelligent enough" for them to date. Then, they brought out (sorry, can't remember her name, just who she is/was married to) Mrs. Savik, the person with the highest recorded IQ (at that time). Her response to all those "smart" women was... "If you are having problems socializing with people, the problem is not their I.Q. scores."
Rae Vynn, What you seem to be saying is that size really shouldn't matter, whether it's cubic inches, Miles Per Gallon, IQ, or some other arbitrary figure. Friendship should be based on feelings and respect and rises/rides above these childish pseudo-measures of self-worth and intrinsic value.
I don't know what mileage a Hummer actually gets, but a 10% increase on a vehicle getting 10 mpg saves 1000 gal in 100,000 miles, and a 10% increase with a 50 mpg car only saves 200 gal in the same distance. Cutting down on using foreign oil needs concentrating improvements on (or elimination of) low mileage vehicles. Of course, I think it's only fair that Hummer drivers (since cost isn't an issue for them) improve their efficiency as a patriotic effort and give that fuel to Prius drivers so they can travel an additional 50,000 miles for every 100,000 miles they would have driven otherwise. Now if you really want to be patriotic, drive a Hummer owner to work. Dave M.
DONT CHOOSE FRIENDS THAT DRIVE HUMMERS!!! j/k! i too have a friend that drives an STS-V and my goodness, the 30' burnout marks left behind do bother me quite a bit. just learn to be quiet. as efusco says, it's NOT worth it to loose friends over gas.
LOL wow maybe you should hang the wedding ring from the rear view mirror instead of your wifes hand? OR: As for the guy Concerned about wife and his fuel economy: She can ride a bike beside you? Prius's are notoriously slow... might help her lose some weight as a nice bonus...Then maybe the weight reduction will help out with fuel economy?
