CARFCO

by Scott Siegel

There is some very bad advice out there in regards to improving your gas economy.  I recently saw an article from the Washington Post.  It talked about a strategy called hypermiling.  While some of the tips presented were useful and favorable ways to save gas, such as being easy on the gas pedal, others were just plain hazardous.

The post described this particular fuel saving methodology as hypermiling.  It described hypermilers as motorists who modify their driving to improve mileage and reduce emissions.  This description can describe many concerned drivers interested in conserving fuel and protecting the environment.  The difference between hypermilers and normal fuel conscious drivers is hypermilers are fanatics.

It seems any activity pushed to what one would consider fanaticism is dangerous and this is no different.  Some of the methods suggested by hypermilers can put you the driver, your passengers and other motorists in great peril.

For example here is one piece of advice offered by some hypermilers: TURN OFF YOUR CAR AND COAST.  This behavior is likened to hybrids that shut the gas engine off when the car is sitting still.  But with hybrids, the electric motor is how the vehicle starts and runs at slow speeds so the car is not really off, just running on a different system.

When you turn a conventional car off, the first thing that happens is your steering wheel locks.  You have absolutely no control of the car at that point.  The second thing is there is no power to the vehicle.  Not only can you not steer but you can’t power the car if you need to accelerate quickly if an emergency situation should arise.

Additionally the power brake system turns off.  In order to stop the car you have to literally push the brake pedal through the floor board.  No brakes is another extremely dangerous position to put you, your passengers and other drivers in.

Advice like this is irresponsible and can end up causing someone harm.  Another suggestion by Some hypermilers is to over-inflate your tires.  Again another dangerous suggestion.  Over inflating your car’s tires causes less tread to be in contact with the pavement.  The control of your vehicle is only through the contact your tires have with the road.  If you compromise that, you compromise your control and safety.

Additionally if you over inflate your tires they will wear faster.  That will result in you loosing tread and ultimately loosing more traction.  Monitoring your tire pressure is good advice.  Keeping them at the proper inflation does save fuel.  Over inflating is a safety hazard.

The basic premise of hypermilers is good.  Relearning how to drive in a responsible manner with fuel economy in mind is the best way to save gas.  While much of their advice can be called mainstream, such as slowing down, their fanaticism adds too much of a degree of danger.  Common sense driving, learning the correct way to drive fuel efficiently, is the best way to save gas.  After all, the best fuel saving device is you, the driver.

Scott Siegel is the author of a 143 page manual of industry insider information on saving gas and dollars at the pump (beatthegaspump.com). Visit us to discover how you can get better gas mileage. Find out how to improve gas mileage.

Posted in Fuel Economy

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