[HybridDriver]

Hello-

A lot has been said, more negative than positive about a driving style called "hypermiling".

Hypermiling, as the name implies, is often a "hyper" active way to try and save gas... not just a little, but some drivers go to extreemes to try and DOUBLE how far they can get a car to go on a gallon. This is not realistic. Some will argue, this is not safe. Most will say, this is discourteous to fellow drivers.

I would like to coin a new term: EXTRAmiling.

The extramiler will "go the extra mile" to do what he/she can not to double that tank mileage, but to go that "extra mile or two" per gallon. ( not that extra 20 or 30! ) The "extramiler" is a more moderate form, a "pretty cousin" of the hypermiler.
The extramiler will do things such as reduce automobile idle durations, park and go in vs. use the drive thru if the car is not hybrid that shuts off anyway, drives the speed limit, not significantly over, nor under, combines trips or makes fewer short trips on a cold engine, anticipates light changes, inflates tires within reason, and makes other small changes such as not use air conditioning that are invisible to other drivers.

By definition, if others on the road can tell you are different, you are not an extramiler.
Now, if you are on a deserted farm road, and are the only car in sight, extramilers can become hypermilers for these special occasions. There's nothing wrong with that.

Cheers,
Hybrid Driver and world's first ( by definition ) extramiler.
Dated this June 22nd, 2009.

*The term and definition of "extramiler" may be used freely and posted on any other sites, provided a link is provided back to this original post.

[bwilson4web]

An interesting thought. Have you considered hooking up with AAA or the Ecodriver efforts?

An effort like this works better with helpful hands.

Bob Wilson

[FastMover]

HybridDriver said:

... ... The "extramiler" is a more moderate form, a "pretty cousin" of the hypermiler.
The extramiler will do things such as reduce automobile idle durations, park and go in vs. use the drive thru if the car is not hybrid that shuts off anyway, drives the speed limit, not significantly over, nor under, combines trips or makes fewer short trips on a cold engine, anticipates light changes, inflates tires within reason, and makes other small changes such as not use air conditioning that are invisible to other drivers.

By definition, if others on the road can tell you are different, you are not an extramiler. ...

I consider myself in this sort of group, but I am not totally comfortable with the last part of this definition that states I am invisible to other drivers.

Things I will NOT do that many other drivers will do:

I will not maintian a powered cruise into a queue waiting at a red light, braking only at the last minute. Instead, I will decelerate early and apply mild braking if required to arrive at the back of the queue after the vehicle before me (last in the queue) has started to move again and is a reasonable speed. Same thing for School Bus stops, construction zones and left turning vehicles without a turn lane.

In a stop and go traffic queue, I will not accelerate to the point that an ICE start occurs, but will instead accept EV mode acceleration rates to move forward in the queue, (and even slower if the queue is slow moving to time my progress with minimal stops or braking).

On a moderate downgrade I will not use power to accelerate, so long as it does not unreasonably delay traffic behind me. Instead, I will accept the extra few seconds it takes to get to speed.

I will not pass traffic that is moving at or near the speed limit or at a pace conformable to road conditions. (During my morning commute, as I pass a large military base, I am frequently passed on a two lane highway by drivers that need to accelerate to over 80 MPH to get around the 55 MPH (posted) traffic because of high volumes of oncoming traffic, sometimes on wet or icy roads.

Things I WILL do that may other drivers won't:

I will decelerate early to avoid braking if I see a vehicle entering the roadway ahead of me in my direction of travel.

Similar for a driver turning on a left turn signal ahead of me if there is no turn lane.

I will permit my speed to increase, within reason, on a coasting downgrade in order to use the energy on the first part of the following climb or coast.

Many of these actions imply that I will maintain a greater following distance in most driving situations, in order to take advantage of kinetic energy and to avoid wasteful actions like hard braking and full stops. While it could be argued that most safe or courteous drivers do this to some extent, the norm, at least in most citiy driving is much closer following distances if not actually tailgating. So I am most decidely not invisible to these drivers.

RFB

[HybridDriver]

FastMover said:

I consider myself in this sort of group, but I am not totally comfortable with the last part of this definition that states I am invisible to other drivers.

RFB

Please re-read the original post. That is not what I said. Thanks.

[FastMover]

By definition, if others on the road can tell you are different, you are not an extramiler

By my actions, as described, not all -- but many will consider me "different". In short, those impatient and agressive drivers that cannot tolerate the more safety minded and moderate amoung us will be even more furstrated and rude.

[centrider]

HybridDriver said:

Hello-

A lot has been said, more negative than positive about a driving style called "hypermiling".

Hypermiling, as the name implies, is often a "hyper" active way to try and save gas... not just a little, but some drivers go to extreemes to try and DOUBLE how far they can get a car to go on a gallon. This is not realistic. Some will argue, this is not safe. Most will say, this is discourteous to fellow drivers.

I would like to coin a new term: EXTRAmiling.

The extramiler will "go the extra mile" to do what he/she can not to double that tank mileage, but to go that "extra mile or two" per gallon. ( not that extra 20 or 30! ) The "extramiler" is a more moderate form, a "pretty cousin" of the hypermiler.
The extramiler will do things such as reduce automobile idle durations, park and go in vs. use the drive thru if the car is not hybrid that shuts off anyway, drives the speed limit, not significantly over, nor under, combines trips or makes fewer short trips on a cold engine, anticipates light changes, inflates tires within reason, and makes other small changes such as not use air conditioning that are invisible to other drivers.

By definition, if others on the road can tell you are different, you are not an extramiler.
Now, if you are on a deserted farm road, and are the only car in sight, extramilers can become hypermilers for these special occasions. There's nothing wrong with that.

Cheers,
Hybrid Driver and world's first ( by definition ) extramiler.
Dated this June 22nd, 2009.

*The term and definition of "extramiler" may be used freely and posted on any other sites, provided a link is provided back to this original post.

Sure, I'll go with that. The one thing I've done that seems to have made a difference is to shut down the AC. I finally realized I live 3 miles from the Pacific (well, Long Beach). The temp. here is usually balmy, and the times I have to go inland, I can take the dry, oven-like heat.

However, with my wife in the car, all bets are off.