MyFoxPhilly

I have always loved to drive. From the driver’s seat, life always seemed like a clear set of uncomplicated decisions: head straight towards the beach, make a left at the light, go three blocks past the railway station. In the late night or early morning, there’s also something especially comforting about the road. Sound, temperature, and color – even the air from a cracked window – take on a certain sumptuousness. Even in traffic, I tend to have fun wondering exactly where those people with eighthundredmillion bumper stickers and painted flames on their cars might be off to. In the car I suddenly notice everything: the sun setting, the blues and oranges of the sky mixing into black, windows in the distance lighting up along the hillside, the guy on the corner with a cigarette in his mouth and a ring of keys the size of a donut on his belt. And as such, the inside of a car has always seemed to me to be the perfect place from which to consider myself and others, come up with a theory about who I am amidst the vast universe surrounding me, and have it all set to music courtesy of my radio, CD and iPod.

That said, enjoying something and being good at it are two entirely different things. And a good driver I have never been. I’m not sure if it’s bad hand-eye coordination, depth perception, peripheral vision, or what. But in my teens I totaled the two cars my parents gave me, and since then, I’ve pretty consistently had several accidents a year. So I’m finally doing what I probably should have done a long time ago: I’m taking driving lessons.

Paul, my driving teacher, is a hard-nosed pragmatist who I sometimes accuse of lacking even one ounce of testosterone (he’s so insanely critical of a heavy foot on the gas pedal you honestly have to wonder). But I have to admit I’m learning a ton from the guy, and not just when it comes to the plain old mechanics of safe, defensive driving, either. He’s one of a group of people known as “hypermilers” who engage in a method of strategic driving that’s based on… maximizing a car’s gas mileage. It was started by some truck drivers a few years ago who were trying to save money, and seems pretty relevant with today’s crazy prices at the pump, whether you’re trying to economize, be greener, or reduce our country’s dependence on foreign oil. With a few techniques he’s mastered, Paul manages to get between 40 and 70 mpg in regular old cars!

Perfecting hypermiling requires some dedication, but here are a few of the more basic tips I've learned:

Slow down – Efficiency peaks at 55 mph. On average, you can assume that every 5 miles an hour you drive over 55 is like paying an additional 30 cents per gallon for gas.

Accelerate gently – You waste a lot of gas (okay, I waste a lot of gas) gunning the engine at those red lights. Where’s the fire, anyway?

Cruise control (or just cut out the jack-rabbit driving) – Keeping a steady speed on the freeway can save about 35% on fuel consumption.

Coast instead of braking – When you see a stop sign or a yellow light ahead take your foot off the gas and let your car slow down by itself. If you wait until the last possible minute to brake, you’re wasting all the gas you used when you could have been slowing down.

So I’m curious to hear about whether or not you guys knew about hypermiling and whether or not it’s something you would try? And if you already have tried it, I’d love to hear your experiences. What are your reasons for doing it, and what are some of the tricks that seem to work?

Finally, do you love driving as much as I do, and if so, why?

Leelila_Strogov's Blog

Driving Lessons & Hypermiling

Leelila_Strogov

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