Amidst all the hoopla about gas prices (which are here to stay, evidently), Wayne Gerdes has made a name for himself for being, well... the King of Frugality. Wayne initiated a practice called "hypermiling," a way of driving he began to explore shortly after 9-11. So what exactly does this entail?
Wayne coined the term to describe the variety of techniques that many people claim result in maximum fuel efficiency- he himself claims to get between 40-70 mpg out of his Ford Ranger truck, nearly double the EPA rating.
Hypermilers essentially adjust their driving and utilize a number of methods to reduce fuel consumption and get the most for their dollar.
Simple actions, such as driving slower and avoiding sudden acceleration or braking, are part of hypermiling, and seem like common-sense approaches that most of us could take to increase fuel efficiency.
The controversy comes however, with other questionable practices, which many people insist are creating dangerous predicaments on the road.
Taking corners at a high rate of speed, "coasting" with the engine off, and "drafting" by tailgating behind other cars are just a few examples of some of the hypermiling techniques that receive criticism. Many in opposition also insist that even by driving slowly on the freeways, hypermilers are putting themselves and others in danger.
Most folks seem to stand pretty divided on the issue; they either practice some form of hypermiling and strongly feel that it is a worthwhile endeavor, or they believe that it is not just a waste of time, but dangerous as well. For me- I can already admit that I am not someone with enough patience to try to incorporate this into my driving.
I have to wonder if some of the techniques like turning the engine off for drafting and coasting isn't going to be putting wear and tear on the starter. Seems that you might be saving on gas only to spend the money on a mechanic.
Posted by: Sue B. | June 14, 2008 at 07:01 AM
The way we drive has a great impact on fuel efficiency and the EPA estimates for any vehicle. It's one of the reasons they have made recent changes as to how those estimates are determined. Hypermiling suggestions that are not dangerous should be employed by every driver in an effort to decrease fuel consumption.
Posted by: LoveCars | June 14, 2008 at 09:13 AM
I agree that the non-dangerous habits should be adopted, but I also think that it's a waste of time to drive 40 and take twice as long to get to a destination, such as work, when the time spet could be better used for say family-time or overtime pay if your work allows it. Rapid starts and stops kill more fuel economy than driving 70 over driving 50. I don't like coming up on someone on the highway driving 50 while traffic is driving at 70+. That's an accident waiting to happen.
Posted by: ckroll98 | June 16, 2008 at 07:01 AM
Some of this stuff is ridiculously dangerous. There seems to be a point where people lose their common sense to save a few bucks. Why not just carpool when possible?
Posted by: axel76 | June 19, 2008 at 12:43 AM
There are simple things people can do to save on gas that aren't dangerous. Driving the speed limit is a big one. Keeping the trunk light is another. You don't have to put yourself in danger to save money.
Posted by: richmond | June 23, 2008 at 01:32 AM