Thanks for your tips and the link! Bethany
Andy Bailey Goodell wrote: > To get better gas mileage, it's a combination of many things that each help > a few percent, but for me adds up to 75% better fuel economy and less than > half the fuel consumed because of shorter trips, and then I also save much > more by just not driving when I could walk or bike instead. > > Here's a list of the safe and easy ones: > Finding the shortest route, avoiding stop signs/lights, properly inflating > tires, taking out all extra weight, improving aerodynamics (take off roof > racks/boxes/bags), accelerate moderately, find the car's most efficient > speed, use as little throttle as possible for the grade and speed needed, > reducing the need for braking by anticipating stops, turning off the engine > at stops, learning traffic light patterns, coast at any time possible, let > speed reduce going up hills... > > My Subaru is rated for 20mpg city and 27mpg highway, and by doing those > things listed above I was getting 32mpg city and 40mpg highway. For work I > drive a Chevy Venture (7 person van, often with 7 people in it) rated 16mpg > city and 23mpg highway and I consistently got 26mpg in the warmer months and > 22mpg in the cold. While 26mpg doesn't seem like a high number, the fact > that it was in a full van during city driving conditions makes it better > than driving a Prius. People-miles-per-gallon is more important than > vehicle-miles-per-gallon because a van with 7 people at 26mpg is 182pmpg > while a Prius with one person could be both 55mpg and 55pmpg. > > If anyone has questions on driving efficiently, don't hesitate to ask. I've > offered my time in Oneonta to show people how to drive more efficiently and > received responses from people wanting to learn, and I would gladly do the > same in the Ithaca area when I move there this summer. I've posted my 7-page > guide to driving more efficiently on the Environmental Work Group of Central > New York website at http://oneonta-region.wikispot.org/Car_Share. > > Andy Goodell > 1894 Charlotte Creek Road > Oneonta, NY 13820 > (603) 831-0356 > http://geekguyandy.com > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of > Margaret McCasland > Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2008 9:27 AM > To: Sustainable Tompkins County listserv > Subject: Re: [SustainableTompkins] I hate to drought on your hybrid parade > but... > > Please, please, tell me how! I have been driving more slowly, more gradual > starts and stops, checking tire pressure, but what other techniques might > help? I'm still around 25 mpg, last I checked (I stopped filling the tank, > so that I'm driving less weight around, so I'm not calculating actual mpg). > > Thanks, Margaret > > PS a hole in your exhaust system is a great way to keep your starts > gradual--fear of a ticket! But I do plan on getting it fixed and keeping > the Subaru a while longer. > > >> Definitely, the best choice for a car is one that already exists, not >> trading in a 2007 hybrid for a 2008 hybrid. And sometimes the thinking >> of needing something different is just our wonderful American way of >> consumption. I was tired of getting 23 MPG in my 97 Subaru Legacy >> Wagon, and instead of going out and buying a new/different car, I took >> the time to learn how to drive efficiently. We have all heard how to do >> it, but it just takes the patience to actually do it. I can now get 40 >> miles per gallon in the same car, without ANY modifications to the car, >> simply just changing driving technique. I also drive the shortest >> distance route, even if it means taking more time because it saves gas. >> My drive to see my family a few times a year takes a few more hours, >> but uses 45% of the gas that it used to. So if you want to drive a more >> efficient car, don't empty your pockets just yet. Learn how to drive >> efficiently, find the shortest route, and then when your car is really >> dead, it might be better to buy the new hybrid or electric if you are still > going to use a car. >> Andy Goodell >> 1894 Charlotte Creek Road >> Oneonta, NY 13820 >> (603) 831-0356 >> http://geekguyandy.com >> > _______________________________________________ > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > [email protected] > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org > > _______________________________________________ > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: > [email protected] > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org > _______________________________________________ RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for: [email protected] http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
