Archives

I got my best tank to date yesterday at almost 63mpg and 617 miles -- and 2 squares left on the fuel gauge. But I’m grumbling, because for the majority of this tank I did not use the carpool lane and found I averaged 3mpg more each day than when I did use it.

It’s going to take time and maybe some cognitive restructuring to get over this. I was only using the carpool lane 1-way, for my commute home—in fact the stupid sticker is 80% of the reason I bought this car in the first place. And I could stay around 55mph because it’s mostly 2 lanes so people can pass me. Now I find the same route, but 4 lanes over to the right gives me better mileage? And now that I'm not driving in it, of course the Governator extends the hybrid sticker privilege a few more years?

I thought I was done drinking the Kool-Aid here when I drafted my first truck ( http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=697). But noooooo, now it’s telling me to stay OUT of the car pool lane, and stay WITH the traffic. It’s all so paradoxical. I mean the concept that some congestion is better for my mileage than NO congestion.

FE is like one of those illogical zen koans.

My favorite koan:

A train was moving up a hill very slowly. A passenger who was upset with its rate of progress got out of the train, walked alongside up to the locomotive, climbed in and asked the conductor "do you realize you can walk faster than this train is moving?"

The conductor replied, "Yes, but I'm not allowed to leave the train."

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a303/Sledge454/rimshot.gif

tarabell,

You would HATE my neighborhood. It's a good one, but the alley is 3-4 feet higher than the garage, then it winds 150 yards before getting to the main roads. I'd LOVE to have EV mode just for the 1st 200 yards.

Hi Tarabell:

___I find some congestion conducive to huge FE whereas when I come home after an afternoon shift or in before dawn on the weekends, I know it is going to be an ugly segment. You probably do get to and from work faster in the car pool lanes but your FE appears to be costing you because of it :( As for drafting, it sure is nice to find the perfect draft but rarely do I find I can hold them in my areas because of the spaghetti bowl of on ramps/off ramps where they appear for 2 or 3 miles and then off they go to some other locale … I do hunt for them however ;)

___Congratulations on the 63 mpg tank. I know a few Insighter’s that cannot reach that and they think it is normal for some reason?

___Good Luck

___Wayne

i had to give you a congrats tarabell! your skills sure show keep it up!

When the freeway is only lightly congested the HOV lane is usually wide open and everyone speeds 65+. So if I’m going only 55mph there, I feel pressure on my back even with a passing lane. In the regular (right) lane I can stay ~50mph and glide into the pockets of congestion with slowly decreasing speed down to 30-40mph. That’s what gives me the FE boost. And no one tailgating me. I don’t really look for draft targets, unless one happens to plop in front of me. Unfortunately most trucks go faster than me. :o

But when the freeway has very heavy traffic, it’s pure creep and stop for ~10 miles, blitzing my FE. When that happens, luckily the HOV lane also goes slower. I guess because nobody feels safe whizzing by a lane of stopped cars at 70mph, separated by some yellow paint? So those times the carpool lane is where I want to be, with less pressure and still getting the mileage payoff.

So I can look at it that at least the sticker gives me “options”. But I couldn’t make an informed decision without those freeway signs that just recently went up. Without them telling me what kind of traffic is ahead, I’d always be gambling on which route to take.

i had to give you a congrats tarabell!Phil let me return the favor: You deserve HUGE credit for doing what you do with the few daily miles you drive. You're an expert before you even got to hypermiler stage--that is so amazing!

Tarabell:
My sister just bought a Camry Hybrid in order to get the car pool lane sticker also. I'll let her know about your FE experiences in the "congested" lanes. She's probably sick of hearing it from me. :-)