3/12/2006

That might work, too
Filed under: Energy, Engineering, General — nobrainer @ 6:07 pm

UPI reports that hybrid drivers are quickly becoming some of the most hated on local highways in California. The hybrids report up-to-the-second fuel mileage information. In an effort to improve their mileage, the drivers are adjusting their speed, by slowing down.

I’m thinking that car manufacturers should include those meters on all their cars. It would be just one simple way to improve fuel mileage — not by improving the car so much as improving the driver. There’s more than one way to attack this problem.

collapse Mr. Bingley Says:
March 13th, 2006 at 4:04 pm

My passat has a mpg gauge like that, and i admit that on the highway and around town i play that game as well. but at least on the highway i play the ‘how high will my mpg go at 75′ version of it.

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collapse Wha Says:
March 13th, 2006 at 9:41 pm

I like checking my instant MPG gauge in the mountains going to and from TN. There is a total of about 500-600 feet total elevation change between Charlotte and Kingsport, most folks would expect more. It is not uncommon for me totake the foot off the gas, keep in close check of the brake and just let ‘er roll coming back down. I often ride for stretches where it hits 99mpg. I think it is getting more but that is the max reading. Unfortunately, I check it going up hill though and get to see stellar numbers such as 9 and 12 when I am trying to maintain speeds in the 60’s. By in large though, I can always count on the trip to greatley increase my “total average” (don’t know how many miles this is figured, I’m think the past 2-3000 or so) from somewhere in the high 17 low 18’s whne I haven’t been anywhere but the Charlotte area to up around 19 or 20. Obviously after 74K or so miles, a couple hundred shouldn’t affect the total average that much, hence the guestimate on what my “average” is.

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collapse TrvlnMn Says:
March 13th, 2006 at 10:50 pm

Unrelated side question.. Is UPI still owned by “Pat Robertson”? I thought he purchased them during the early to mid 1980’s. I’ve been seeing a lot more UPI stories this year and last then I have in a long while.

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collapse Trickey Says:
March 14th, 2006 at 9:07 am

Californians should quit whining and just be grateful that the hybrid people are keeping them in the 60 mph range, instead of being gridlocked by those damn critical massers that clog up local roads during rush hour.

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collapse Mr. Bingley Says:
March 14th, 2006 at 1:07 pm

Different loony: Sun Yung Moon and his Unification church own UPI.

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