The Right Wingers at UPS

[trebuchet03]

Originally Posted by cfg83

...avoiding the pools of stagnant water (stoplights) to get to my goal. ...

That just reminded me....

A friend of mine, from Poland, was telling me of a traffic system in his home town. There were signs between lights that would tell you how fast you needed to travel in order to get a green light. Of course, these signs changed over time - but as long as you traveled at that speed, you would hit the green light and wouldn't have to idle.... The signs obviously never went above the speed limit

Now he was the first to admit that while his hometown wasn't third world status, it surely wasn't first (perhaps somewhere between second and first :P). So why don't we see these things here???? It seem like an absolutely brilliant system - if people will follow it

[rh77]

Welcome --

Route planning is a big part of fuel economy. It depends on how your vehicle is designed. Many cars have a sweet-spot of speed depending on drag, power, and gearing.

I've adjusted my usual route about 3 times in the last year or so. Due to inevitable sprawl, my route added 4 traffic lights in the last year. Better then the all-highway, high-pressure bumper riders of the olden days.

Hills can actually help, believe it or not. Gaining momentum and using a light throttle on the next hill can actually increase FE.

Welcome to the site, and consult the "Stickies" in the general forum to the tips and tricks, busted and confirmed.

RH77

[MetroMPG]

The small city my grandparents lived in had one road with such signs. "Lights are timed to 40 km/h" or something like that.

--

Welcome to the site, John David.

I'm also a route-planner. It pays huge dividends to be able to find a route that is as predictable as possible, and with traffic patterns that let you do your thing without annoying people.

Using the same, optimized route can be boring after a while, but the trade-off is you get to know intimately just where & when to apply various techniques.

Sort of like "home track advantage" if you race cars on a road course...

- Darin

[kps]

Originally Posted by trebuchet03

as long as you traveled at that speed, you would hit the green light and wouldn't have to idle....

I've figured out most of the lights on my route to work; problem is, when I get to the green light, there's usually someone sitting there unwilling to divert their attention from their meal, telephone conversation, or nasal hygiene.

[Bill in Houston]

I plan my routes for safety and to be able to keep rolling. I like to avoid left turns, particularly left turns where there is not a light or stop sign.

[cfg83]

kps -

Originally Posted by kps

I've figured out most of the lights on my route to work; problem is, when I get to the green light, there's usually someone sitting there unwilling to divert their attention from their meal, telephone conversation, or nasal hygiene.

Sorry about that, I'll try to be more self-aware in the future ... .

CarloSW2

[BumblingB]

My wife has been telling me she hates rights for years. She says, 3 rights don't make a wrong, but they do make a left. She will honestly do 3 right turns instead of doing a left hand turn. Ironically, she wrecked our Escort doing a left hand turn.....

Originally Posted by Matt Timion

I hate left turns, and tell my wife this regularly. I will honestly drive a few blocks out of the way just to avoid a left turn.

Anyway, analyzing the route makes a HUGE difference and is one the most overlooked ways of saying gas.

[repete86]

Unfortunately, in my area, if I drive, I have to go over a bridge which gives me little leeway for my routes because everything is bottlenecked into one of the three bridges, and since this is a driving community, traffic and the lights are bad no matter what route I choose to take. I can't time my lights because some 80 year old guy in a Cadillac always has to cut me off and max out at 20 mph in a 45. I's no fun.

[Hot Georgia]

Like most other folks here, I know every incline/decline as well as stop lights in my everyday commute. Since I've traveled the same road some 1,000 times by now I know exactly how much fuel to use over every segment, and when to cut.

There's a light on my route which can't be timed and handle an unusual way. Since I can see all directions for at least a mile, if the coast is clear I'll swing a hard right turn at the light, keeping momentum instead of stopping. (No breaks)
I make an immediate Left turn and merge back onto the original road. I'm not really breaking any laws either- right on red is permitted.

That paticular light offers an opportunity. I found that routine by experimenting. I'd also call it Planning.

repete86:

some 80 year old guy in a Cadillac always has to cut me off and max out at 20 mph in a 45.

AARG I hate that. Last weekend I was stuck on a 30 mile long rural highway behind someone who brakes while going downhill and gasses hard back uphill, with a parade of cars behind (us).
-Steve

[ELF]

Originally Posted by Hot Georgia

repete86:some 80 year old guy in a Cadillac always has to cut me off and max out at 20 mph in a 45.

AARG I hate that. Last weekend I was stuck on a 30 mile long rural highway behind someone who brakes while going downhill and gasses hard back uphill, with a parade of cars behind (us).
-Steve

I think its kinda funny, you gas savers complaining about someone else driving too slow