Lead Foot Lucy

I've shopped for two years and lurked for as long on Priuschat.com, GreenHybrid.com and Cleanmpg.com. I was positive that my driving habits would result in excellent results. I read all the articles, tips, guides and experiences. I was thoroughly read up on pulse and glide, warp stealth and coasting techniques and I was prepared to squeeze every drop of gas out of our new baby. We picked her up on July 18th. (All of our cars are "shes"; that is just the way it has always been.) Her name became "Prissy" and she was a beautiful SeasidePearl with just the options that I had hoped for.

To regress a bit, my opposition to Prissy was internal. My wife wanted to shop a less expensive, non-hybrid choice. I played along and test drove a Yaris, Corolla and with some pursusion on my part, a Camery. Two years prior we test drove the Prius and I knew I had to have one. She thought she had me convinced that the hybrid was not worth the extra dollars. I knew if I could talk her up to a Camery the Prius was in the garage. I saved the "real mpg" data from the experts, (YOU) and the moment she moved from the Corolla to the Camery, I pounced! Out came the charts, records and possibilities. It wasn't a cake walk but, I was prepared to hold out until victory was mine. Success! She gave in, thanks to your obtainable mpg results that I showed her. With your help I defeated the false information that had embedded her mind that the EPA mpg figures could not be reached. Without you, I would not be in a Prius today. Thank you.

But wait! My euphoria was short lived. She was going to be the main driver of Prissy and she was a "Lead Foot Lucy"!!! (with music of Psycho in the background). Yes, her driving habits were full of "jack rabbit starts" and "stone wall stops". I loved her anyway. For years I had attempted to change her driving habits to no avail. And now, how could Prissy reach the high mpg with those habits??? I knew I could become a hypermiler but, visions of high twentys and low thirtys started tormenting my mine. NO! All my conviencing would be down the drain if she continued her gas guzzling ways. We would never even come close to the glory of the hypermiler status.

But then something happened. The MFD showed her how to do it. Her habits were instantly changed while she listened to my lesson on pulse and glide and wached the MFD. I showed her the "sweet zone" with no arrows and she picked it up immediately. I was amazed but, the doubts began. "Just wait until she is in Prissy alone", I thought. The mpg will tell. I will know after the first time she drives alone.

She works thirty five miles from home with 10% city, 40% rural, and 50% interstate driving. The first week came in at 54 mpg. I was estatic! The second week her average mileage rose to 56 mpg and just yesterday after mistakenly resetting our average for the first tank of gas, she came home with a 61.0 mpg!!! I also increased the tire psi between her 56mpg and 61 mpg day.

Yahooooo, my lead foot is cured! Prissy and I are very happy. I can fall asleep again with visions of hypermiler levels dancing in my head. Thank each and every one of you for communicating all of your experiences and learned skills to us novices. I look forward to many years of high mpgs and green driving.