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Since some in the media are potraying hypermiling as very dangeous, it seems like this poll is in order

Excellent poll. My only accident in 45 years was drifting into an older pickup truck when I dozed off (he didn't even pull over). Plus occasional speeding tickets. Zero tickets or accidents since starting to HM.

It's better for me.

While the other guy was always at fault, the ones in astricks I note how I could have avoided them...probably three were.


1999 - four tickets :o
*2000 - CRX totaled by a distracted cell phone driver
*2001 - Sleepy neighbor pulled in front of me parked on wrong side of road (should have been going a bit slower)
*2001 - Retired couple did not put on the brakes soon enough as traffic was beginning to go gridlock (should have been alert and stopped more gradually)
2002 - S10 pickup forgot I was at the stop sign. Ironically this bad intersection is next to Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Texas
*2003 - Driver turned across the parkway into the mall without enough traffic clearance (was speeding a bit :o )
*2005 - Speeding ticket near Amarillo :o
2006 - Was going 60 in a 60, but it's Saturday night where all the liqour stores are....hit and run at about 90

I had slowed down a while back after having 10 points on my license. :o So that part of HMing I've been doing for a while. So I can count from there, I suppose...

Most of my tickets were speeding or silly little things like right turn on red at about 3 am...

I have never had much in the way of accidents (just one so far..knocking on wood) but the number of close calls has gone down. I'm looking farther down the road than I used to and processing the information better, so I'm usually anticipating the "surprises" rather than reacting to them and getting out by the skin of my teeth.

i have been driving for over 40 years and have been pulled over once. when i first moved up here from the cities 12 years ago, and i was not very familiar with the roads yet, i was on a road just outside of town and curved, going from 45 to 30MPH. i missed the sign and got a speeding ticket. first and only time in my life. knock on wood, i have never had an accident.

I have been driving for almost two years. I started hypermiling after my first year.

I didn't have any wrecks or tickets before I started hypermiling (but came pretty darn close a lot of times)

I got in one wreck after I started hypermiling, but it was becuase I didn't apply enough brakes, and rear ended a truck.

Driving for 16 years. Nothing

Driving for about a month while hypermiling. Still nothing. About the only danger I pose are for people who stare too long at the blue tape on the front of my car... :cool:

It's been about 7 years since my only real accident, which was when I tried to round a corner on a dirt road at 45 mph in a FWD car. I was a wreckless driver until that day. ;-)

Since then I've been hit by a blue Chevy Suburban driven by some idiots who probably had a "few" beers ... fortunately they only struck a corner of my car and my vehicle just bounced back. There is no obvious damage from that incident. Everything works just fine.

About a year ago I got a speeding ticket when I drove 55 in a 35 mph zone. Of course the cop only caught me doing 50 and reduced that to 45 after I apologized. I paid the ticket the same day. I deserved it anyway.

Since I became actively involved in hypermiling, I have not had a single accident. Neither have I gotten a single traffic ticket.

May I suggest another way to do this. In the mileage logs add a column where a person can report an injury accident. Then we can total the miles on respondants and see if we are safer per mile than the general population.

I'd also suggest cutting it off on people who have a log as of this date until a moderator determines future entrants are legit and not spammers.

No accidents or speeding tickets before hypermiling, but a lot of close calls, especially with other vehicles.

Nothing after...yet. Definitely no speeding tickets, although I've been tailgated by cops before. No accidents, still the occasional close call...but of a different variety. Instead of a "floor it, merge on the freeway and beat the semi before the entrance ramp ends" close call it's more like a "oh **** I'm not accelerating fast enough and the semi is bearing down" type of close call.

May I suggest another way to do this. In the mileage logs add a column where a person can report an injury accident. Then we can total the miles on respondants and see if we are safer per mile than the general population.

I'd also suggest cutting it off on people who have a log as of this date until a moderator determines future entrants are legit and not spammers.I like your idea and even discussed it with others, but sadly there is a problem.

Obviously there are people wishing to bash hypermilers and the really don't care if they are honest as long as they turn people away from it.

Remember that recent story on the PHEV fire? Detractors are going to have a field day. In a similar fashon, we might have a reliable database of accidents that proves hypermilers get in less accidents, but someone unscrupulous will take an incident or two to make is sound otherwise.

Never been in an accident or received a ticket.
Knock on wood of course :)
only been pulled over twice (once for a rolling stop at a stop sign, other was my fishing boat wheels were smoking, it was a bearing.)

I got my license in May 1994. I got into my first (of only 2) accident October 31st, 1994 and my first speeding ticket December 26th 1994 ;). From there I got speeding tickets about once every 3-5 years. My last ticket was last year here in NC. I was playing leapfrog with a mustang on a Saturday (heading to work to do server maintenance). I would set my cruise, I'd pass the stang, and then he'd pass me a few miles later and slow down. Repeat this for more than 30 miles. It got just slightly aggravating as I just wanted to cruise on CC and be done with it. Slowing down didn't help because the stang would also just slow down. Anyway, I ended up going faster by the end of the trip and got nailed at 17 over the PSL. I won't be seeing any tickets like that again, at least.

I voted that my driving record has stayed the same but was excellent to begin with. However, I am only counting since I've got my license back about 5 years ago. When I was 18-20 I did a lot of driving while suspended and just was a dumb teenager. Since getting my license back I got pulled over once for having expired plates (the plates had the wrong date on them, didn't get a ticket). And about 4 years ago I had a guy turn into my car, it just happened to be on my birthday. I saw that he was going to turn and already had my foot over the break before he even started to turn. Oh, almost forgot, I got pulled over for speeding in a school zone. I thought that because it was spring break the lower speed limit didn't apply, didn't get a ticket anyways.

I've been pulled over twice - once years ago (speeding) and once this year (yellow light). This recent one was borderline - I was in the intersection when it turned red. He gave me a warning, and I'm being more careful now. I never did run red lights, but now, knowing the fuel cost of a stop, it's more tempting to push the limit. I just suck it up and follow the law.

I've had one wreck - a week after purchasing my first car ('83 RX-7, dozed off, totaled :(, walked away with a bruised knee :) ) - and two tickets for speeding, the most recent of which was 4.5 years ago. I've been hypermiling since March with no change to the last four and a half years.

Too early to tell for me, but I can say that in the past 2 months, I have driven straight into 3 or 4 speed traps without having my heart leap out of my chest before checking my speed. Actually I thought the cop was going to be irritated by my doing 55 in a 65.
I love having the scan gauge which shows average speed and peak speed. Would be a great tool to use to fight a ticket. "Look officer, shows right here that my max speed today was only 70 and my average speed for the day is 45"

1989 - Improper lane change in an intersection. That intersection was so screwed up that my Father took pictures to show the judge, who was moved to dismiss my ticket and send a note to the City asking them to do something about that spot.

1989 - Speeding ticket (16 over). I deserved this one.

1989 - My Father's girlfriend's car got impounded while I was driving it to pick her up from work. It turns out it had the wrong license plates on it because she had swapped them with a friend who had valid registration stickers. Brilliant.

1991 - While avoiding a stalled truck that was blocking the usual exit from a fast food place a rookie Officer ticketed me for improper traversal of an intersection, driving the wrong way on a highway (I didn't know that avenue was a State highway until that moment) and for one passenger without a seat belt (one girl in back had pinched her finger while buckling up and still had the belt in one hand while she sucked on the injured finger). Somehow this ticket never ended up in the city's or State's systems.

1991 - Hit by a lady that ran the red as I turned left on my green. She was cited.

1993 - Speeding ticket (14 over). This one was wrong as I had just been passed by a guy moving much faster than I but we both got pulled over together and were given the same citation. A simple misperception on the Officer's part at 0500 on a dark morning. I tried to argue it in court but the Judge erred on the side of the Officer and knocked it down to a 0-9 over citation.

1994 - Outdated registration (my first wife had failed to put the new sticker on while I was deployed... this was 2 days after being back). A fix-it citation.

1997 - Grabbed my roommate's old beater to run an errand for a friend that was doped up on pain meds while my own car was in the shop. Got dinged in the last 200m of my 3 mile trip for no registration, no safety inspection and no insurance. This ticket also never made it into the city's or State's systems.

1998 - Collided with a car on a farm to market road that attempted to turn left, sans signal, onto an unmarked dirt road in a corn field that was ready for harvest, while I was passing them on their left. I was given a citation for an unsafe pass but it was dismissed by the JoP when I argued it in his court.

1999 - Speeding ticket. I'm still mad about this one. 2 intersecting highways with speed limits of 70 MPH but the short interconnect has a speed limit of just 50 MPH and a Highway Patrol barracks is right underneath it. They got me doing 63 on the interchange. A speed trap in the truest sense. I took the defensive driving course to negate it.


I made a conscious commitment to slow my driving down and become more defensive after that ticket in 1999. I started hypermiling in late 2006 and bought the Yaris early in 2007.


2007 - Hit by another car that failed to yield the right of way in an intersection. The other driver was cited.

I've only been hypermiling for a couple of months now and no accidents or tickets. And a lot less guilt/stress when driving by the state troopers.

There was a person right next to me that was rear ended by a person lighting a cigarette. Obviously not paying attention.

And a lot less guilt/stress when driving by the state troopers.
This is the biggest difference for me. I don't worry anymore about getting speeding tickets and feel safer now that I am driving slower with better traffic awareness. I didn't realize just bad my stress used to be until I started hypermiling, and now the commute itself is relaxation break from the hectic job and busy family life (screaming baby).

Obviously there are people wishing to bash hypermilers and the really don't care if they are honest as long as they turn people away from it.


Delta,

That's why I suggested not allowing any new additions to the list have a place to report accidents. I think we are pretty safe in saying those who have mileage logs now are hypermilers and have no intent to bash.

This would only be for our benefit. Those reporting untruths have no desire to learn the truth. Just to sell whatever it is they are selling.

This is the biggest difference for me. I don't worry anymore about getting speeding tickets

Yeah, it's an odd feeling to pass a trooper and not have the urge to tap on the brakes to slow down. It was kind of funny, just this morning I'm minding my own business doing the speed limit in the right lane of a construction area (50 MPH posted speed limit) and some dude in a mid 80s sedan goes flying by me at about 70 MPH, cuts right in front of me and then proceeds to SLAM on his brakes when he sees the trooper on the side of the road right in front of us. He didn't get pulled over, but I'm sure he had that sinking feeling for a second... Me, I was just fine passing the trooper. No guilt, need to tap the brakes, or anything. It was nice.

I had a trooper riding my tail on Friday. I was curious to see if I'd get pulled over for doing 10 under ;). It turns out, he was just back there until he made a turn off the interstate.

ok as stated in previous posts i was a crazy driver, now as my girlfriend states I am totally at the other end of crazy. I am totally confident and aware of my surrounding now more than ever. I do not even care if there is a police car anywhere for all I know he could be laughing at me when I make his gun read <50 MPH! well what can i say a lot easier on the mind.

ok as stated in previous posts i was a crazy driver

Oh yeah, I am one of many reformed speeders. Here are quotes from my wife:

BEFORE: Slow down, it's okay if we're a little late (hands clutching the dashboard :eek:)
AFTER: Umm, would you mind at least going the speed limit? (looking embarrassed :o when we get honked at)

I finally got her on board to at least not speed too much.

I speed up whenever I see a cop. Odds are I couldn't pass a field sobriety test even while sober.

I can't stand on one leg without swaying for balance, I can't spell the alphabet backwards (well, REALLY slowly...I have to recite the entire alphabet in my head and get the next letter that way), and I'm not good at the heel to toe thing.

I'd just have to be like "Give me the ****in' breathalyzer already". :(

I speed up whenever I see a cop. Odds are I couldn't pass a field sobriety test even while sober.
That's right, some of us have had the experience of being "suspected" of DUI. The combination of slow and inconsistant (P&G) speed and ridge riding would make officers suspicious! :eek:

Was just reaching the end of a construction snarlup on I-95 this morning when a cop parked in the left shoulder got out of his car and pointed at me to stop. Panic! I thought, "hoo boy, laurieaw was right, the AAA told them to grab me!" But the cop was just stopping traffic to enable a roadside assistance truck next to me to pull across and help a broke-down car.

I have been a bit more tidy than usual at stop signs to make extra sure I stop absolutely completely. People behind me don't like it much.

People behind me don't like it much.
Well, I wouldn't mind being stuck behind your car, because I would get better FE and it would help hone my gas pedal discipline :D

My only accident was many moons ago when I stopped for a red light and was rear ended by some airhead. During my leadfoot days when I drove a zippy Honda CRX, I had a radar detector and never got caught.

Now I'm older, wiser, and drive quite conservatively -- a heck of a lot more safely.

But given the fact I have a sign on my back window stating "hypermiler," maybe I'll be pulled over by the police thanks to the AAA stupidity. They better have a good reason.

well, when hypermiling, i feel like i'm driving with a target on my back...i feel like i'm going to get rear ended when i see people flying up in my rearview

semi-clean record still...one racing on highway ticket from around 8-9 years ago (16y/o and in my 5.0 mustang) and two driving w/o motorcycle licence (misdemeanors) that i pleaded no contest to a few years back and got fined $205+court costs each time...i was just too lazy to get my motorcycle endorsement at the time

Perfect...except for one parking ticket for a law I didn't know existed, two fix-its, and one warning.