This guy can get 59mpg in a plain old Accord. Beat that, punk

[daveleeprius]

From MotherJones.com

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This Guy Can Get 59 MPG in a Plain Old Accord. Beat That, Punk.

Drafting 18-wheelers with the engine off, taking death turns at 52 miles an hour, and other lessons learned while riding shotgun with the king of the hypermilers

Dennis Gaffney
January/February 2007 Issue

on a midsummer saturday in a sprawling wisconsin parking lot, about a dozen people are milling about a candy-apple red Honda Insight. They're watching Wayne Gerdes prepare for his run in Hybridfest's mpg Challenge, a 20-mile race through the streets of Madison. Wayne is the odds-on favorite to win the challenge, in which drivers compete to push the automotive limits not of speed and power—a desire those gathered here consider old-fashioned and wasteful—but for the unsexy title of Most Fuel-Efficient Driver in the World.

[Full Article]
http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/20...ypermilers.html

[Moderator Edited]

[San_Carlos_Jeff]

I wonder how much fuel is wasted because people have to hit the brakes, miss green lights, etc. when this guy is on the road? Driving for mileage is fine, but when you have a blatant disregard for other drivers at a minimum it's rude, in some cases it's just plain dangerous.

As George Constanza would say "You know, we're living in a society!</span></span>"

[Godiva]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(DaveLeePrius @ Jan 3 2007, 05:12 PM) [snapback]370355[/snapback]</div>

From MotherJones.com

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This Guy Can Get 59 MPG in a Plain Old Accord. Beat That, Punk.

[/b]

Just so you know, it's a violation of copyright to post the entire article unless permission is given.

The Priuschat guidelines are to post a paragraph or paraphrase and a link to the original.

[Pinto Girl]

My moped gets 150mpg, and I probably drive it faster than this guy.

What's the point?

[TonyPSchaefer]

Wayne Gerdes is not only a hypermiler but a font of information and damn great guy. His passion for hybrid technology and exceeding the EPA estimates is surpassed only by his dedication in making sure everyone knows that it's possible and how to do it themselves.

I personally know Wayne and we live 2.3 miles apart. You will not find a more dedicated proponent to hypermiling and hybrid development than Wayne Gerdes outside the automotive industry. Proofof that statement can be found at CleanMPG.com, a hypermiling forum he co-founded with another hypermiler.

But I don't remember ever comparing him to a member of Kiss.

[john1701a]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Godiva @ Jan 3 2007, 06:00 PM) [snapback]370406[/snapback]</div>

Just so you know, it's a violation of copyright to post the entire article unless permission is given.[/b]

There are over 1,000 entire articles, complete with photos, posted on Wayne's own website without any apparent permission either...

He's still obsessed as ever about MPG, but no longer fights against hybrids. Years ago, he was very outspoken, absolutely insisting Prius was a waste of money. Now, he likes Prius. That's quite a turnaround. But he still does ruffle my feathers about *BOTH* emissions & efficiency not being a priority. It was always one or the other... hence some of the Prius conflict.

It would be great if publicity like this got him to take that next step toward better intentions. Hope sometimes comes from unexpected sources.

[brick]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Jan 3 2007, 09:11 PM) [snapback]370473[/snapback]</div>

It would be great if publicity like this got him to take that next step toward better intentions. Hope sometimes comes from unexpected sources.
[/b]

I may have completely misunderstood your comment, but I don't believe there is anything wrong with Wayne's intentions. Emissions and fuel economy are both incredibly important to the future of us and our planet. Addressing one of the two is a very good start, but addressing both at the same time is far better.

Here's my honest take on Wayne: I have never driven with him (though I would really like to see him in action some day) so I don't know what it looks like when he's running at 100% effort through traffic. I do see validity to the argument that some extreme driving tactics are not necessarily a good idea, such as driving at really ridiculously low speeds relative to the rest of traffic. But I personally see him as much, much more than one guy trying to save a few gallons of fuel. He is the cutting edge of fuel efficient driving IMO and as such is the best single source of information for those who want it. Does this mean that everybody has drive with the load/drive without brakes while ridge riding in the right lane under FAS through traffic, always waiting for the next opportunity to get a few P&G cycles in to bring up the segment FE :P ? No! (And yes, I made that sound complicated for dramatic effect.) What it does mean is that he is driving at his personal limits and passing on the information in hopes that the rest of the driving public will learn what really works, then pick and choose the tactics that are appropriate for them.

As I have said before in other threads, you don't have to "make sacrifices" to improve your fuel economy. It just takes knowledge and a few changes to your thought process. An opportunistic P&G cycle here, an extended coast to a red light there, cruising with the right lane rather than the left, and a host of other techniques thrown in when appropriate will do the trick without causing grief to you or anyone else. I took this principle to heart after reading what he had to say and was really satisfied with the results. I couldn't get Wayne's 59mpg out of my own Accord, but I did manage many 40mpg+ tanks while working at least a couple of levels below his game. Discussion with him and other members of his site played an important role in my buying a Prius rather than something else with less fuel economy potential.

Wayne is a good guy with good intentions. You may not agree with what he personally does, but I impore you all to recognize that he's playing for the same team, so to speak. Please don't get caught up in him vs. 'us' because there isn't anything to be gained. It would be really great if he would stop by here to chat.

[Godiva]

This is why I mention it.

I like Priuschat and don't want anything to happen to it.

On another forum I post on a member habitually posted entire articles with no links. Or entire articles with links. But entire articles. She was requested repeatedly not to post entire articles but to provide links and either a paragraph or a short summary. (The same policy here on Priuschat.)

She continued to post entire articles. Somehow word got to the New York Times about an article she had posted in its entirety.

Well the forum got a cease and desist from lawyers representing the New York Times. The post was to be removed and if it happened again, they would contact the forums ISP and have us shut down.

I don't want MotherJones going after Danny.

There is a policy for posting on Priuschat. It isn't unreasonable. I may be overreacting, but I don't want anything like that to happen here.

(thank you to DaveLeePrius for editing.)

BTW if this guy can get 59 mpg from an Accord, imagine what he could do with a Prius.

[VABeachPrius]

BTW if this guy can get 59 mpg from an Accord, imagine what he could do with a Prius.[/b]

Godiva,

You may recall the prius marathon in August 2005, where the Prius acheived 109ish mpg. Wayne was on of the drivers during that event.

[Delta Flyer]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(San_Carlos_Jeff @ Jan 3 2007, 05:03 PM) [snapback]370388[/snapback]</div>

I wonder how much fuel is wasted because people have to hit the brakes, miss green lights, etc. when this guy is on the road? Driving for mileage is fine, but when you have a blatant disregard for other drivers at a minimum it's rude, in some cases it's just plain dangerous.[/b]

For some perverse reason, I still have a few scathing e-mails that would lead strangers to think I was worthy of the FBI's Top Ten. Now that a couple of years have passed - it's pretty funny.

There is a way to hypermile safely, and a way not to do it. For instance, I generally keep on the righmost lane on the freeways, so others have typically two lanes to the left of me to get by. Also, I tend to drive at non-peak hours. Wayne does this. I don't expect everyone will drive like him, but some things he does can be done at the speed of the traffic. A no-brainer is to avoid accerelating to red lights, but there is much more...

Hypermiling does not have to bottleneck drivers behind them - repeat DOES NOT. Please stop promoting this myth that if you go at or slightly under the speed limit, you are a traffiic problem, so you must go with the flow that seems to be going faster every year.


<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(john1701a @ Jan 3 2007, 08:11 PM) [snapback]370473[/snapback]</div>

...He's still obsessed as ever about MPG, but no longer fights against hybrids. Years ago, he was very outspoken, absolutely insisting Prius was a waste of money. Now, he likes Prius. That's quite a turnaround. But he still does ruffle my feathers about *BOTH* emissions & efficiency not being a priority. It was always one or the other... hence some of the Prius conflict....[/b]

Wayne is not puttting an Insight, Prius, TDI diesel, etc over your set of wheels these days - I've seen so may people in this "my car is better than yours" mode - general statement. John, I think your observation should be viewed positively, rather than hypocrisy form Wayne.

In general, the less fuel you use - the lower the emisssions. If you get on the bleeding edge of fuel efficiency (i.e. 5-speed Insight, some diesels), some emissions increase, but keep in mind it's still WAY above the average American's 22mpg vehicle's fuel economy and far less in emisions.

When I see Wayne bashed on this thread, I ask myself "why do people do such rip jobs on people they have never met personally?" Granted, I did get into a flame war three years ago with Wayne, but he has changed his views. We all change our views, but isn't that usually learning and maturity?

I have met Wayne personally twice, and many people have known him longer. Tony knows Wayne well. Why aren't these people ripping Wayne? Think before you type.