xcel
03-25-2007, 06:09 AM
Hi All:
___Well who knows how this one is going to turn out but what the heck … I think he forgot we were on back country roads doing a clinic for much of the time :)
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Don't mess with my Earth: Filming 'Global Warning'.
Global Warning airs March 26-30, weeknights on Daily Planet - 7 pm ET in Canada. (http://www.discoverychannel.ca/reports/article.aspx?aid=343)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/Wayne_Gerdes.jpgDennis Porter - Discovery Channel - Mar. 21, 2007
When a fire breaks out, who gets the first call? Firefighters of course. And when there's a mugging, the police are dispatched. But who do you call when you need a TV story about a really good driver, and you NEED IT RIGHT NOW? The humble segment producer of course. We toil in the background, unknown and unappreciated. But who else would take off on a mere two days' notice to the furthest reaches of Wisconsin? The heroics of the common segment producer are truly unrecognized.
But the planet is in big trouble. Global warming threatens to cause huge problems for humanity. We have to respond quickly by switching to renewable energy, curbing our reliance on oil and avoiding one of the worst culprits: air travel.
It's a story I'm anxious to help tell. And I flew to five different cities in five days to do my part...
My first story took place in Madison, Wisconsin. The day before I left, it was voted the most walkable city in America. Which made it the perfect place for me to shoot a story about driving.
Actually, one driver in particular. Wayne Gerdes.
After 9/11, when some people were cowering in their homes, Wayne decided he wouldn't sit idly by and do nothing. He decided to do something about it. He decided he would learn to drive without using his brakes.
He's part of a growing group of people who he calls Hypermilers. They compete for bragging rights to see who can get the best mileage from their car. And Wayne may be the best in the world at it. He can get more than double the EPA recommended mileage for most vehicles
I don't have my own car, I'm a public transit guy. But if I was driving, I wouldn't want to be caught behind Wayne. Because he has certain rules. First, he doesn't use his brakes unless absolutely necessary. That means turning corners with him is terrifying. He's also perfected the main gas saving technique. That means he gently accelerates to just over 50 km/h, then takes his foot off the gas until it slows down to about 15 km/h. So he spends all his time in the right hand lane, often with his hazards blinking.
Luckily, riding around at such slow speeds gave me a chance to admire Wisonsin's scenery. For instance, I saw a flock of geese pass just over top of us... They were headed in the same direction that we were. This means that when we were cruising down an empty street, we were driving slower than the geese were flying. This might have been a tad annoying, except that Wayne is also one of the friendliest, interview subjects I've ever come across. If you're going to spend an afternoon going nowhere fast, Wayne is one of the most enjoyable people to hang out with.
Despite the sluggish speeds and the insane turns, hypermilers record some unbelievably efficient trips, sometimes getting more than 1.6 L/100 km. It's a simple, fast, cheap, effective method to decrease war, save lots of money and help curb global warming.
And everyone in Madison was really wonderful in helping me tell the story. When I explain to Wayne that my story's all about him. That he's the 'hero' of it. He tells me:
"No, you're the hero, Dennis. You're the one who takes the subway."
Me? A hero?
Gandhi. Martin Luther King. Aqua man. Bus riding segment producer Dennis Porter.
That's right. Thanks Wayne. I am a hero. I've finally got the recognition I've always deserved.
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___Good Luck
___Wayne
___Well who knows how this one is going to turn out but what the heck … I think he forgot we were on back country roads doing a clinic for much of the time :)
***********************************************************************************************************
Don't mess with my Earth: Filming 'Global Warning'.
Global Warning airs March 26-30, weeknights on Daily Planet - 7 pm ET in Canada. (http://www.discoverychannel.ca/reports/article.aspx?aid=343)
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/2/Wayne_Gerdes.jpgDennis Porter - Discovery Channel - Mar. 21, 2007
When a fire breaks out, who gets the first call? Firefighters of course. And when there's a mugging, the police are dispatched. But who do you call when you need a TV story about a really good driver, and you NEED IT RIGHT NOW? The humble segment producer of course. We toil in the background, unknown and unappreciated. But who else would take off on a mere two days' notice to the furthest reaches of Wisconsin? The heroics of the common segment producer are truly unrecognized.
But the planet is in big trouble. Global warming threatens to cause huge problems for humanity. We have to respond quickly by switching to renewable energy, curbing our reliance on oil and avoiding one of the worst culprits: air travel.
It's a story I'm anxious to help tell. And I flew to five different cities in five days to do my part...
My first story took place in Madison, Wisconsin. The day before I left, it was voted the most walkable city in America. Which made it the perfect place for me to shoot a story about driving.
Actually, one driver in particular. Wayne Gerdes.
After 9/11, when some people were cowering in their homes, Wayne decided he wouldn't sit idly by and do nothing. He decided to do something about it. He decided he would learn to drive without using his brakes.
He's part of a growing group of people who he calls Hypermilers. They compete for bragging rights to see who can get the best mileage from their car. And Wayne may be the best in the world at it. He can get more than double the EPA recommended mileage for most vehicles
I don't have my own car, I'm a public transit guy. But if I was driving, I wouldn't want to be caught behind Wayne. Because he has certain rules. First, he doesn't use his brakes unless absolutely necessary. That means turning corners with him is terrifying. He's also perfected the main gas saving technique. That means he gently accelerates to just over 50 km/h, then takes his foot off the gas until it slows down to about 15 km/h. So he spends all his time in the right hand lane, often with his hazards blinking.
Luckily, riding around at such slow speeds gave me a chance to admire Wisonsin's scenery. For instance, I saw a flock of geese pass just over top of us... They were headed in the same direction that we were. This means that when we were cruising down an empty street, we were driving slower than the geese were flying. This might have been a tad annoying, except that Wayne is also one of the friendliest, interview subjects I've ever come across. If you're going to spend an afternoon going nowhere fast, Wayne is one of the most enjoyable people to hang out with.
Despite the sluggish speeds and the insane turns, hypermilers record some unbelievably efficient trips, sometimes getting more than 1.6 L/100 km. It's a simple, fast, cheap, effective method to decrease war, save lots of money and help curb global warming.
And everyone in Madison was really wonderful in helping me tell the story. When I explain to Wayne that my story's all about him. That he's the 'hero' of it. He tells me:
"No, you're the hero, Dennis. You're the one who takes the subway."
Me? A hero?
Gandhi. Martin Luther King. Aqua man. Bus riding segment producer Dennis Porter.
That's right. Thanks Wayne. I am a hero. I've finally got the recognition I've always deserved.
***********************************************************************************************************
___Good Luck
___Wayne