$5.00 per gallon gas strategy

[TVgod]

Originally Posted by CB700SC

To the Prius owner: you were saying?

Also, I run a helmet video cam on most rides. Trust me, almost all of your fellow Prius drivers are playing the video game. I often catch them on video.

Yes, but you never see the ones you don't pass. Think about it.

[CB700SC]

Originally Posted by TVgod

Yes, but you never see the ones you don't pass. Think about it.

You can tell from behind what they're doing, too - the lean and the cranked over head while driving is a dead giveaway. The supermajority of Prius drivers can be seen doing this.

Since I often ride more than 200 miles a day between Dallas and Fort Worth, I'm pretty sure I've seen the majority of the local Prius population at one time or another. For that matter, it isn't just me, many other people I know have observed the same thing.

[tshelfer]

Originally Posted by TVgod

Yes, but you never see the ones you don't pass. Think about it.

[TVgod]

Everyone has a right to their opinion. Your evidence is anecdotal. I can find people saying the same about hooliganism on motorcycles. That doesn't make it correct.

[CB700SC]

Commercial drivers have observed the same thing and there was at least one of them taking a survey of what he and his partner saw on the road. Lots of Prius drivers playing video games is what they noticed - so pretty sure it is true.

[YoDoc]

Originally Posted by TVgod

Everyone has a right to their opinion. Your evidence is anecdotal. I can find people saying the same about hooliganism on motorcycles. That doesn't make it correct.

+1

You can't hooligan on shadow if you have a bum leg.

[STman]

This doesn't have much to do with $5 gas but while I was waiting on my girlfriend to come out of HEB one day, I was sitting there watching people come out of the store with carts and loading their cars with groceries. I started to pay attention to those that put away their carts in the coral and those that didn't. There were 2 noticeable characteristics. One is that older people put away their carts more often than younger people. The other was that people who drove smaller cars more often than not, put their carts away while more of the SUV and pickup drivers tended not to.

Just an observation, far from scientific but it would be interesting to do a real study to see what turns up.

[SilverBullet]

Originally Posted by STman

There were 2 noticeable characteristics. One is that older people put away their carts more often than younger people. The other was that people who drove smaller cars more often than not, put their carts away while more of the SUV and pickup drivers tended not to.

Got me pegged as I qualify on both counts and always return my cart.

I also like to park next to the cart corrals. My thinking is someone will be more likely to return a cart when they're close to a corral. Less loose carts means less chance for paint dings.

_

[YoDoc]

Not only do I return my cart, but I gather any between me and the corral, I also straighten up the corral.

[STman]

Originally Posted by YoDoc

Not only do I return my cart, but I gather any between me and the corral, I also straighten up the corral.

Socialist!

[poser]

I don't know what you guys are taking about. I love driving my truck, I think it's fun to drive, and it will probably outrun most of your small sporty econoboxes

[John Dirt]

Originally Posted by poser

I don't know what you guys are taking about. I love driving my truck, I think it's fun to drive, and it will probably outrun most of your small sporty econoboxes

I like the diesels trucks that run 10 sec quarter miles at Baytown, that looks like fun.

[poser]

Originally Posted by John Dirt

I like the diesels trucks that run 10 sec quarter miles at Baytown, that looks like fun.

yeah some of those big diesel trucks will surprise you.
A few years back I had a Subaru WRX wagon. Turbo charged, all wheel drive. Man I loved that car, great handling, not the fastest thing on 4 wheels but it was quick and very fun to drive. I was following 2 big Dodge 1 ton diesel 4x4 trucks on the highway. We were runnin a good clip, nearly 100 mph, sometimes more. We hit some traffic, and had to slow. We eventually all made it through with out driving like dooshes or maniacs. Once past the traffic, those guys "put the hammer down", and I couldn't even hope to keep up. I didn't catch up again until they were slowed by the next pack of slower moving cars.

[SilverBullet]

Originally Posted by poser

I don't know what you guys are taking about. I love driving my truck, I think it's fun to drive, and it will probably outrun most of your small sporty econoboxes

It should outrun them as it's using twice as much gas. haha

Fun to me is good handling and a manual transmission. Most trucks don't have either.

_

[poser]

Originally Posted by SilverBullet

It should outrun them as it's using twice as much gas. haha

Fun to me is good handling and a manual transmission. Most trucks don't have either.

_

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE driving sporty manual trans cars. And I love driving sports cars with big v8s also. I think I just like driving, almost anything really. Heck, when I'm driving the wife's mini-van, or TMV (tactical mini van) as I like to call it, I try to race every vette and mustang I come across
Trucks are a different kind of fun, but IMO still fun

[CB700SC]

Originally Posted by STman

Socialist!

No, it's socialist if the government or authorities demand it or mandate it. It isn't socialist if someone decides to do it on their own. That's the difference.

A better example -

Man decides to give all his money and possessions away to other people who didn't earn it = philanthropist.
Government decides to take all of a man's money and possessions and gives them to other people who didn't earn it = socialist.

Also, I don't usually return my cart and I don't usually drive tiny toy cars.

Of course, the reason I don't return my cart is because I usually didn't use one to begin with. Can't return what you don't have.

[YoDoc]

I just don't think people should be allowed to procreate without a license.

[SilverBullet]

Originally Posted by CB700SC

Also, I don't usually return my cart and I don't usually drive tiny toy cars.

Of course, the reason I don't return my cart is because I usually didn't use one to begin with. Can't return what you don't have.

So is that also why you don't drive a "tiny toy car"? You can't drive what you don't have.

Back on topic.

Don't overlook the best way to save on your fuel costs, alter you driving habits. Usually when that is said people think only in terms of easy acceleration, coasting, drive at slower speed, etc. All true but I'm talking about the free things that don't even alter the way you drive only the how and when you drive.

• stop warming up your car, after starting drive away.
• stop using drive thru's and burning gas idling. Park and walk inside.
• stop daily trips for newspaper, cigs, milk, coffee, etc. Subscribe, buy in bulk, make at home instead.
• combine short trips. Once your car is fully warmed up (after about 5 miles) you get much better mpg.
• schedule trips outside of high traffic times of day. Less stop and go equals better mpg.
• if you're stopped waiting then turn off the engine. I see the daily SUV line waiting in front of the schools. All with windows up so engines running. Same goes when waiting at train tracks.
• plan ahead when possible and order online instead of driving across town to purchase.
• check tire air pressure weekly. Don't use factory psi recommendations, keep inflated to highest pressure at which you can accept degraded ride comfort.
• if you drive an older carbureted car make sure it is tuned up and has a clean air filter. FI cars need air filter maintenance but it won't impact mpg.
• don't buy mid grade or premium gas if not required. If your vehicle doesn't need the increased octane to prevent knocking then it is wasted money.
• carpool and rideshare whenever possible and convenient. Not just work, but school, church, games, events, organizations, clubs, etc.

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[Diderich]

my gas saving tip? Move to within 5 miles of work. I put less than 5000 miles on my car a year.

[Ben Eberle]

Originally Posted by SilverBullet

Back on topic.

Don't overlook the best way to save on your fuel costs, alter you driving habits. Usually when that is said people think only in terms of easy acceleration, coasting, drive at slower speed, etc.
_

Researchers have found that you can actually get lower gas mileage by accelerating too slowly. My personal experience, how I accelerate makes little difference in mpg. Some of my best results were obtained by employing surprisingly brisk acceleration, both with my car and motorcycle.
The kinetic energy that your engine has to give your car is not wasted energy, it's stored energy, it's not wasted unless you throw it away with your brakes. Most people who have a habit of accelerating hard also have a habit of using their brakes a lot and that is why they get bad gas mileage.

When you accelerate a 2400 pound car from zero to 60 mph, your engine has to give that car about 290,000 ft lb of energy. That energy is exactly the same if it took 4 seconds to do the acceleration or if it took all day. Thinking that you can somehow get around having to provide that energy by slowly sneaking up on the cruising speed is a lot like thinking your house will cost you less if you take out the longest possible mortgage.