I Hope not too many Prius Drivers do this.....

I say this way too often about prius drivers myself. I pass them in a prius though.

the PG you refered to is Pulse and Glide. It's accelerating while not using too much gas or electric power ( pulse ) and then cruising in a somewhat of a Neutral state. You use electric power to balance out the generator.. but it's only 3kw.. and you can glide for a good couple blocks, if not miles on a downhill stretch.

If you do this properly, you can achieve well over 75mpg.. if not more around 110 like the multi done world records hold

 

I understand your comments. Yet, a speed "limit" implies that is the maximum speed, not the speed at which traffic is supposed to drive. Most freeways have a minimum speed as well.

 

My brother, who works for a computer company, once said that 99% of computer problems lie between the keyboard and chair. I think that's true for automobiles too, only replace "keyboard" with "steering wheel" hehe. I only practice my PnG when I'm sure there's no one even in view behind me.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(TonyPSchaefer @ Aug 22 2006, 11:23 PM) [snapback]308065[/snapback]</div>

Great summary!

 

safest speed is average speed of the people driving around you

 

I can usually find a big slow truck driving 65 or less in the right lane. I get behind him. No one can complain I'm not going faster since he's in front of me. If they want to go faster, they can get in a faster lane and pass me.

When I'm in the faster lanes, I keep up with traffic. If I don't want to go 75+ mph I move over to the far right.

What's so hard about this?

BTW I think more people are going to start driving 55-65 as gas prices go up. It's one proven way to get better mileage in the average guzzler.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(flareak @ Aug 23 2006, 02:14 AM) [snapback]308093[/snapback]</div>

This is about the craziest statement I've ever seen. This is how those 30 to 40 car pile ups happen every year.

 

Those pileups happen not because of speed (they can and do sometimes happen at lower speeds), but because of improper following distance. People don't seem to think to themselves "I'm taking my life and the lives of those around me in my hands by riding the nice person of the car in front of me."

PnG when you're alone, not in traffic! If you want to do it right, get yourself the Navi, and program it to always block freeways and you'll stay on roads that can support that behavior.

And "PBKS" was a code we used in tech support at one of my jobs years ago to indicate "problem between keyboard and seat" without letting on that we thought all our customers were jackasses.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(flareak @ Aug 23 2006, 01:14 AM) [snapback]308093[/snapback]</div>

In fact the maximum speed limit is established typically between the 80th to 90th percentile of the speed of vehicles in that particular stretch by conducting a speed survey.
(TonyPSchaefer, sorry about adding more details and nuances)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Lil Mo @ Aug 23 2006, 12:23 AM) [snapback]308064[/snapback]</div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tomdeimos @ Aug 23 2006, 09:04 AM) [snapback]308160[/snapback]</div>

When I see people drive the speed limit or below in the fast lane, people are always hitting the brakes to avoid hitting that person. If you want to drive the speed limit, stay in the FAR RIGHT LANE, gramps. Just because you follow the letter of the law does not mean you are obligated to force other people to do so as well. Slow drivers cause accidents not because they are themselves at fault, but someone hits em from behind. Why put yourself in that risk? Just drive a comfortable speed that won't have people slamming on their brakes to avoid hitting you.

 

Speading doesn't cause accidents... it's the speed diferential that does.

Driving a speed drastically different from the traffic around you (whether it be slower or faster) is dangerous.

That being said, i always travel between the speed limit and 5 over on the highway... city streets is a much different story, however.

Given the terain around here and the stops along the way, i know that i can pretty much pulse up to a few over the speed limit from each stop and glide all the way to the next stop on the way home from work. Now, this usually means that i'm going 5 under by the time i get to the next stop... however, i catch up to the person in front of me while they're waiting in the line! Since it's a one lane road and the speed limit is only 40, i don't really see this as much of a problem, and usually anyone behind me doesn't have a problem with it... it means they have to wait in line less! well, yesterday, i had some jerk riding my nice person almost the entire way... We got near the end and i was turning right when he was going straight, he decided to roll down his window next to me and say something about getting my "slow nice person hybrid" off the road... i litterally laughed at him and pointed to the car infront of me "that car has been the one in front of me for the past 15 minutes. which is better, speeding to the stop signs and slaming on the brakes, wasting gas and money on new brakes, or going gradual and getting there at the same time as the person in front of you?"

he was flabbergasted as i silently pulled up and turned right.

oh, and don't let my mileage below fool you... i had 1000+ miles at 35MPG with my kayak when i moved, and since then about 1/3 of my miles have been with the kayak, which really kills my mileage. without it, i average 50+

 

someone mentioned that people will start driving slower because of better mpg. Not True. Most people out there are not even aware of their gas mileage. I ask people all the time. they read me off epa number. I ask them if they even know how to calculate gas mileage, they shrug. These are top notch silicon valley people too. it's sad. Most of the time they think they are getting good gas mileage when they are not.

Another person mentioned cruising behind a large truck. I understand you are giving this as a Pace Car example. Always remember not to cruise too close. They can feel when you enter their aerodynamics... i can't remember the proper term at this moment. i havne't had my morning coffee. Big trucks also weigh a lot. they puck up gravel and small debree with their tires and lauch them pretty far. those mud flaps don't stop everything.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(V8Cobrakid @ Aug 23 2006, 08:33 AM) [snapback]308234[/snapback]</div>

It's called Drafting.

Wildkow

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Soylent @ Aug 23 2006, 10:21 AM) [snapback]308199[/snapback]</div>

What if it's a 2 lane road? Is it OK to drive the speed limit there?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Soylent @ Aug 23 2006, 09:21 AM) [snapback]308199[/snapback]</div>

I totally disagree with your driving philosophy. One is always responsible for the car in front. I drive a constant 60MPH on cruise control. In CA the majority of drivers are traveling at 65-75MPH. Trucks are disregarding the 55 and moving at 60-65. Then there are the immatures, traveling at 80-100MPH. This particular group loves to pass in the right lane since it is most often clear in front of me. The driving rules clearly say "Slow traffic, drive in right lane" I follow this rule. Still, other drivers invade my space by coming out of nowhere (behind me). BTW the opposite also applies, that is, faster cars should pass on the left. This normal logic is ignored by California drivers, as the LAW allows one to pass left or right, on the freeway. Since I drive slower it's impossible for me to have a rear end accident caused by me. If somebody runs into the rear of my car, it is never my fault and only caused by the other person NOT being in control. To shift my attitude and drive at 100MPH because everyone else is would be sheer lunacy. Incidently, in CA one can drive at 40MPH legally (min speed limit) NOT that I would, except in an emergency. Much of our rising accident rates are caused by a large percentage of drivers who think that they can travel at any speed that the travel conditions permit. There is a reason for the 65MPH limit, actually a LAW it's called inertia.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Aug 23 2006, 01:16 AM) [snapback]308110[/snapback]</div>

I drive the exact same way. Except, I find that even when I'm following a big-rig at 55-65mph in the SLOW lane, I still get tailgaters behind ME who want to go faster but don't want to get out of the slow lane, and they somehow think that I'm able to accellerate and magically go through the big truck that I'm behind.

 

Reminds of something funny during my commute home the other day on the highway. An Insight was putting along at around the speed limit (that no one obeys). I was the third Prius in a row to pass him :lol:

I'm not the fastest driver nor am I the slowest. I do hate the speed limit maniacs that refuse to go with the flow. If you watch, they impede not only the lane they're in, but the next lane to the left too. Why? Because everyone coming up from behind them moves over. That pushes traffic in that lane to the next one and next thing you know, the whole highway is jammed up because of that one driver. It may or may not do something for that one driver's mileage, but think of the waste for everyone else that's rubber band braking a mile back because of the ripple this one driver is causing.

 

yeah.. drafting. with bicycles, yes.. with a car.. no. unless it's planned by the lead car.