tarabell
05-04-2006, 12:14 PM
Apologies to any “Opal Mehta” fans. Well ok I didn’t exactly get wild, but for me it was close. For you guys, the thread title is a take from a hugely successful chick book up to the point it was discovered the 18 year old author had heavily plagiarized from at least 2-3 other popular chick books.
First, you have to remember: I was a very different driver over the last 35 years behind the wheel. I was trained to focus on nothing else but getting where I’m going as fast and safely as possible, and everyone else on the road seemed to be doing something “other” than just driving. Especially in the last few years, with cell phones. One of the rules drilled into my head (I think by my Dad) was always “taking the advantage” while driving. That meant if you’re coming to a stoplight behind one or more cars and the lane next to you is empty, take that lane and be first at the light. If someone in front of you is going slower or seems distracted, you go around them, because they’re likely daydreaming or talking on their cell and their lack of attention is going to cause them to do something really stupid soon.
So one of the corollary rules drilled into me was—never ever stay behind a truck. The reason was visibility of course. You can’t see around them so you can’t anticipate what’s happening up ahead, so you’re at the mercy of how that truck chooses to drive, and whatever situation is ahead you could potentially avoid. So, if you’re behind a truck, you’re at a disadvantage. My main objective in going fast was actually to get OFF the road asap. Minimize my time on the road exposed to those slow, distracted idiots. So I stayed at 65-70 in the left lane, and was constantly annoyed at people who drove slower than the speed limit. Never had the patience to be stuck in a “pack” of cars” all going the same speed, either. You never know when someone’s going to brake for a paper cup on the road and then everyone else has to touch their brakes in homage. So, stay away from packs of cars—stay out in front, get there faster. Oh and hills? What on earth possesses people to SLOW DOWN when they start going up a hill? Are they afraid of it? Don’t they know it annoys the driver behind them? Do they think they’re in a Flintstone car and their legs will get tired pedaling? They have an engine and a gas pedal for heavens sake! USE IT! What could be so hard about maintaining 65 up this little hill? On and on I would silently (or not) curse at people while driving around them. Of course, gas usage had no bearing whatsoever on the above. Gas is to be burned, right? And if it helps you avoid slow, confused drivers and get somewhere quicker, all the better!
So here is Tarabell, who has been slowly grinding down her teeth over the last month or two. BOY, hypermiler boot camp was just MADE for people like her… :rolleyes: OMG. I’m supposed to keep a big buffer in front, so I’m letting what seems like every car in L.A. in front of me, and I can’t just step on the gas anymore like I used to love. Even my husband when he rides with me yells stop worrying about the stupid car and go faster, and he used to drive me crazy with his slow driving. I never go 65 anymore, trying to always keep it under 60, trying to DWL which means letting the car slow down as I go up a hill, and oh right, the ideal situation is to sit behind a big fat truck for 20 miles and let that genius dictate my speed. And all the while, I’m supposed to be watching things like —“tall grass” and flags for wind direction…. There is no hell I can contemplate worse than this.
Flash forward to yesterday.
I’ve just merged on the freeway and notice a truck on my left going about my speed. He’s biiiig and wiiiiiide. And he’s going slow—maybe 55. I need to get over so I slow down some more and get behind him. I’m just about to go over one more lane when I notice he’s keeping a really even speed. And he hasn’t used his brakes once, even in heavy traffic, which tells me he’s using his gears and gas pedal to control his speed. Not a dummy then. I recall Green&Blue having a similar flash when he dr -- oh no….
Okay, what the hell.
I raise my eyes to the sky, mutter “forgive me, Dad” and stay behind the truck. I still have no idea what drafting really means, except I think I’m supposed to follow him as close as I can. But I don’t want to make him nervous or piss him off, and want to be safe so I’m maybe 3 car lengths behind. No one seems to want to get between me and this truck, so they go around us to get to the left lanes. The truck stays in front of me at that nice even keel all the way (about 18 miles) and I watch the trip mileage keep edging up—past 60mpg, 62, 65, 66…68 (holy smokes!). We slow down in concert over a couple short hills, to maybe 45-50mph. Then he keeps going straight but I have to turn off at the interchange.
No, it wasn’t a record FE day—the trip mileage ended up at 64mpg. But I believe it was a record for driver patience.
Here Wayne ... you can use my handkerchief.
First, you have to remember: I was a very different driver over the last 35 years behind the wheel. I was trained to focus on nothing else but getting where I’m going as fast and safely as possible, and everyone else on the road seemed to be doing something “other” than just driving. Especially in the last few years, with cell phones. One of the rules drilled into my head (I think by my Dad) was always “taking the advantage” while driving. That meant if you’re coming to a stoplight behind one or more cars and the lane next to you is empty, take that lane and be first at the light. If someone in front of you is going slower or seems distracted, you go around them, because they’re likely daydreaming or talking on their cell and their lack of attention is going to cause them to do something really stupid soon.
So one of the corollary rules drilled into me was—never ever stay behind a truck. The reason was visibility of course. You can’t see around them so you can’t anticipate what’s happening up ahead, so you’re at the mercy of how that truck chooses to drive, and whatever situation is ahead you could potentially avoid. So, if you’re behind a truck, you’re at a disadvantage. My main objective in going fast was actually to get OFF the road asap. Minimize my time on the road exposed to those slow, distracted idiots. So I stayed at 65-70 in the left lane, and was constantly annoyed at people who drove slower than the speed limit. Never had the patience to be stuck in a “pack” of cars” all going the same speed, either. You never know when someone’s going to brake for a paper cup on the road and then everyone else has to touch their brakes in homage. So, stay away from packs of cars—stay out in front, get there faster. Oh and hills? What on earth possesses people to SLOW DOWN when they start going up a hill? Are they afraid of it? Don’t they know it annoys the driver behind them? Do they think they’re in a Flintstone car and their legs will get tired pedaling? They have an engine and a gas pedal for heavens sake! USE IT! What could be so hard about maintaining 65 up this little hill? On and on I would silently (or not) curse at people while driving around them. Of course, gas usage had no bearing whatsoever on the above. Gas is to be burned, right? And if it helps you avoid slow, confused drivers and get somewhere quicker, all the better!
So here is Tarabell, who has been slowly grinding down her teeth over the last month or two. BOY, hypermiler boot camp was just MADE for people like her… :rolleyes: OMG. I’m supposed to keep a big buffer in front, so I’m letting what seems like every car in L.A. in front of me, and I can’t just step on the gas anymore like I used to love. Even my husband when he rides with me yells stop worrying about the stupid car and go faster, and he used to drive me crazy with his slow driving. I never go 65 anymore, trying to always keep it under 60, trying to DWL which means letting the car slow down as I go up a hill, and oh right, the ideal situation is to sit behind a big fat truck for 20 miles and let that genius dictate my speed. And all the while, I’m supposed to be watching things like —“tall grass” and flags for wind direction…. There is no hell I can contemplate worse than this.
Flash forward to yesterday.
I’ve just merged on the freeway and notice a truck on my left going about my speed. He’s biiiig and wiiiiiide. And he’s going slow—maybe 55. I need to get over so I slow down some more and get behind him. I’m just about to go over one more lane when I notice he’s keeping a really even speed. And he hasn’t used his brakes once, even in heavy traffic, which tells me he’s using his gears and gas pedal to control his speed. Not a dummy then. I recall Green&Blue having a similar flash when he dr -- oh no….
Okay, what the hell.
I raise my eyes to the sky, mutter “forgive me, Dad” and stay behind the truck. I still have no idea what drafting really means, except I think I’m supposed to follow him as close as I can. But I don’t want to make him nervous or piss him off, and want to be safe so I’m maybe 3 car lengths behind. No one seems to want to get between me and this truck, so they go around us to get to the left lanes. The truck stays in front of me at that nice even keel all the way (about 18 miles) and I watch the trip mileage keep edging up—past 60mpg, 62, 65, 66…68 (holy smokes!). We slow down in concert over a couple short hills, to maybe 45-50mph. Then he keeps going straight but I have to turn off at the interchange.
No, it wasn’t a record FE day—the trip mileage ended up at 64mpg. But I believe it was a record for driver patience.
Here Wayne ... you can use my handkerchief.