A traffic ticket costs more than hypermiling saves on gas.

My blinker is on, but my brakes aren't; at least not until the last possible second, and then only enough so that I can make the 90 degree turn with all 4 wheels on the ground. This hypermiling trick is one of my favorites because it is fun, almost like speeding. Within 300 feet of the entrance to my neighborhood, there is a stop sign, so my goal is to maintain the 25 mph speed limit without accelerating. So far, I have been too chicken to take the turn any faster than 20 mph, so I do have to press the gas a little to reach 25. The object is to reserve energy so that you don't have to accelerate as much once you make your turn. Technically, no law is broken; but some may consider it reckless, especially your passenger. I know I did when, oblivious to the price of gas, my newly driving teenager tried a similar trick, leaving me white knuckling the "Oh ---" handle with a glass of ice tea in my lap. But, as long as no one is following too close behind me, I take the turn with one hand on my tea glass, and coast as far as I can before applying the gas. Approaching the stop sign, I carefully survey the area for other vehicles, and finding none, brake just enough to confirm that there is no marked vehicle lurking over the hill, and resume coasting. This is one of the most controversial hypermiling tricks, and understandably so. Besides setting a bad example for observant minors, running a stop sign can be dangerous, and law enforcement officials don't take kindly to those who would disrespect the sign. So hypermilers beware. The traffic cops don't usually park in full view, and you may not always have your best game on, so my advice is: choose your timing - is it worth the risk when you have your son's tennis team in the van? know your environment- hiding police are harder to spot in the dark know your own skills and limitations-don't forget to block your tea glass in case of abrubt braking; and above all... be happy about your freedom to save a little bit of gas; one drop of oil saved is one less drop needed!

Slow down a little and save a lot!

Please drive responsibly and be a happy speeder. all rights reserved
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Why does the demand for gas increase in the summer?

June 3, 2008: Watch this video clip on CNN's website: In it, CNN's Miles O'Brien gets a hypermiling lesson from a guru of fuel conservation, who gets 50 to 150 mpg in his Honda Accord. This guru, Wayne Gerdes, is also cited on the Happy Speeder website from his interview with Reader's Digest in May, 2008. That article is where he describes his radical energy saving tactics, like using an "Ice Vest" to avoid running the auto air-conditioner.

I am shopping around for an "Ice Vest", if anyone has suggestions. Anything to cool off while sitting in traffic sounds good to me. Especially during the summer, when here in Atlanta, the blacktop interstate is often 100 degrees before noon. The good thing about commuting during the summer, is that the rush-hour traffic is usually not as heavy as during the school year. Less traffic = shorter commute time = less fuel use, right? Maybe; but if you are like me, you don't see much savings. Possibly because of the unbearable heat and the necessity of running the a.c.. I have been trying to turn off my car's a.c. more often now, but it is taking some getting used to. Until the gas prices became painful, my natural reflex, if the air was too cold, would be to adjust the interior temperature up a few degrees. After all, isn't that why my car has an interior thermostat? Another reason could be that I often drive faster than I would during heavy traffic. This is not because I can't drive slow without traffic to impede me, but if I hit the snooze button 1(or 2) times more, thinking to myself, "well, traffic will be light...", then I end up running late. Oh, it is easy to blame... I could blame the weather, the automobile manufactures, the public school system, and more... If only blaming would save money at the gas pump. It doesn't, though, and if I want to reduce the pain in my pocket, I am going to have to make a choice. The choice between my car's a.c. and my snooze button is not going to be a hard one. I am free to get up and Drive a little slower to SAVE A LOT!!

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