Hypermiling techniques WASTE lots of fuel?!?

[theclencher]

Take a macro view of it: during the course of a hypermiler's trip, how many other vehicles barrelling along come up on a hypermiler doing extreme P&G or something and due to conditions or them not realizing what is going on, hit the brakes, de-activate the cruise control, slow way down (or not) and accelerate to pass again. Here we have one vehicle- the one that probably would be getting the best FE out of the lot of them at steady state cruise- potentially causing dozens or hundreds of guzzlers to interrupt their gait and guzzle even more... potentially causing more fuel useage than if the "hypermiler" went with the flow of traf f***! Of course if the hypermiler has the road to himself he is saving fuel compared to steady state cruise, or beating on it.

[MetroMPG]

Another example: there's one route I regularly use that has me coast a long distance up to a sensor-controlled light (ie. almost always red) to cross one of the major streets in the city.

By tripping the sensor, I can easily stop 8 or 10 cars.

I could take a much less efficient route for myself to preserve the "fleet" mileage by not tripping the red light on the busy street.

Or I could sit at the top of a slight incline before the sensor and wait for another car to come up behind me who would have tripped it anyway, then roll forward to trip the light and blame it on him/her

[Bill in Houston]

Hmm. That makes a lot of sense, clench. But, one rapid slow down and one rapid acceleration in that person's day is nothing compared to the bad FE decisions they make all day long. But, they still burn quite a bit of fuel in the incremental slowdown/speedup due to the hypermiler. Hmmm....

[MetroMPG]

Maybe we could make up for it by reaching through peoples' windows to shut off idling cars.

[zpiloto]

Ah but the hypermiler is causing the cellphone talker to pluse and glide even if they don't want to. The question would be does the 30% or better FE of the hypermiler make up for the 10%-15% decrease of FE of the stomp and go driver.

[MetroMPG]

Z has a point. One scenario where I will consciously control a following driver is approaching a red light where that driver has no other option but to stop also. Eg. there isnt a right turn lane, or a driveway for them to get into, etc.

In that case, I have no qualms about slowing early in an attempt to preserve some momentum for when the light goes green. So I am "forcing" them to save fuel that would otherwise have been wasted.

Of course, if they go apoplectic and take the next opportunity after the light to roar past me at WOT as a way to signal their displeasure, spewing unburnt HC out the exhaust as they pass...

[MetroMPG]

We could atone for our hypermiling sins by surreptitiously inflating other cars' underinflated tires with our 12v compressors in parking lots. Forgive me Michelin Man, for I have sinned...

[usedgeo]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Or I could sit at the top of a slight incline before the sensor and wait for another car to come up behind me who would have tripped it anyway, then roll forward to trip the light and blame it on him/her

Boy this thread went off the deep end. LOL

Naw, you need to pulse and glide real slow until someone passes you and they trigger the light. Then you get to roll through the light without stopping .

[omgwtfbyobbq]

Otoh, they are slowing down so the energy needed per unit time is less. Meh, I dunno. I figure it's a wash for their mileage, because I see the same isht happening in the left lanes, like having someone at 85mph come up on someone doing 70mph (aka 5mph over the limit) in the No1 lane. Everyone will likely impede someone, or be impeded by someone, but driving slower doesn't increase this ime. I can go 65-70mph in the far right lane and still have people riding my bumper. Since it's gonna happen right up to 10mph or so over the speed limit, I figure I might as well get better mileage when having people ride me instead of paying an extra 30-50% for gas and still having a car up my ***.

[VetteOwner]

Originally Posted by MetroMPG

Maybe we could make up for it by reaching through peoples' windows to shut off idling cars.

ahh but that would be considered breaking and entering, or trespassing here in the states...and if someone catches you doing it: black eye or cops called