Prius changes driving habits??

I also picked up my car last week and have noticed changes in my driving behavior. I believe the instant feedback of MPG's is a major reason. The car is teaching me to drive for better FE.

 

I think it's the prius/hybrid/MFD combination. I have had many new cars....but something about getting in my Prius and I become very gas consumption conscious. I have always driven faster than the speed limit, have no patience for going slow, but I can't get myself to say "the heck with it" and just drive aggessively with this car! The other day I was driving was driving with my oldest son in the car. He was probably biting his tongue...but once he let it slip out. "Mom, isn't the speed limit 65 here?" Yes it is....but I was rarely going that fast. (Used to try to keep it down to 75 most of the time)

Then later we had to drive somewhere and he asked..."Can we take the Audi? I would like to get there TODAY!" I should have slapped him! But made me think....I sure do drive differently in my Prius!

 

I was always a speed limit + no more than 3 MPh type of person.. I am even more speed minded now. When before I'd zip around the truck on the Thruway who was only doing 60 up an incline, now I will glady tuck in behind. I get the advanatge of the wind break, plus no one will tailgate me since it's the TRUCK that's going slow!

I also strangely find myself relishing the occasional parts of my drives when I'm on the 35-45 mph suburban roads... because that's where I get my best mpg! Before, I'd always prefer the Highway.

 

Both cases mentioned are completely normal. Though some of us have to get over the silent racer side of the Prius first. I find myself looking for routes now where I can silently glide along for a mile. It's still fun to goose it occasionally, but now I glance over to the mpg to make sure I haven't blown the mileage.

 

I even find myself driving "prius" in my normal work unit, an Xterra. It's weird, I find myself coasting in the X down roads. Can't say it does much good, the best MPG I have ever gotten was about 15.5!

Cheers, Mi3ke

 

For me, it's a different car, and it fits different on the road.

With my F250 I sold to get the Prius, I couldn't drive like I do the prius. If I tried it, I would become insane and inefficient.

With the prius, middle or right lane. Follow the traffic there, little or no braking, just easing on and off the gas.

In the same situation with the F250, I get the traffic pulling away on me, now I'm substantially into the throttle to pick it up with them. About that same time, I'm now cooking right along and it's time to ride the brakes because I'm rolling along a little too much and they are beginning to slow. I'd always be on the gas or the brakes. It doesn't work.

For the F250, it did great when I get in the left lane and go with traffic flow (10 to 15 over usually).

I haven't tried that whole left lane bonanza with teh prius yet because it feels good in the slower lanes. I know it will go 70 or 80 just fine, I just don't need to go try that so I know.

They're not the same car, they don't fit in traffic the same. Think of that when you see the Tahoe's flying by on the left lane. They would have a miserable time tucking in to those middle and right lanes and I don't think they'd be saving much gas.

 

Yup, the Prius will have that effect. It did on me. With respect to driving habits. I went from your basic WRX driving male to an AARP monk inside a week of getting my Prius. At first I was too embarassed to admit it. But I couldn't wait to get back into the Prius to push that MPG average up another .3mpg. I never imagined that driving for mileage would be as challenging and - dare I say, fun - as driving with a leadfoot. And I was a whole lot calmer, too.
Two and a half years later, I still drive and feel that way.
It may be sacrilege to the sportcar crowd, but when I drive my wife's TT, mostly I drive it for mileage (OK, sometimes I drive for fun) and love it when I return it to her with a 33.5 average on the trip computer (she usually gets 21.5).

 

You news guys still have a LONG way to go to reach total Prius Zen. Let us know when you start getting 600 miles on a tank. The car and you gets fully broken in after that 5,000 mile oil change to Mobile 1.

Only then Grasshopper, you will no longer be a student, you will be a master.

See for yourself! http://prius.w8kc.com

p.s. Nice avatar Catskilguy. I'd like to hang with those cats.

 

Yes, part of the "why is my mileage so low?" answer is the experience of driving a Prius.

 

I swear, if THEY wanted everyone to drive the speed limit, they would stick MFD's like the Prius on every vehicle. Seriously. The MFD provides the visual, psychological, link to our wallets.

 

Priusham,

I don't understand your Autoshut off numbers, and why you keep that average..

You really put 9.5 gallons in the car... the car burned 9.5 gallons of gas, but it auto shutoff at 8.3 gallons. Why do you track that, and what do those numbers mean?

Nice page. I'm entering my data into a form in MS Access after I fill up. I have a vbscript that digs the data out of the database and creates the web page. I put my last record at the top, oldest at the bottom, but very similar to yours that way.

 

I have a bit of a different driving experience than most in the Prius.

For me I often feel a bit uptight. Not terrrible, mind. Just not present when I drive other cars. It occurs because I obsess over FE. If my tank is over 70 mpg, I cannot stand the idea of going under. If under 70 mpg, I so want it to reach 70 ..
Whereever the mpg is, I want it higher, and get a little indisposed if it drops.

If my wife takes the car, I run quick mental calcs to anticipate the 'damage'.

I told myself I was going to start driving with the MFD off, but have not done it yet ..

I am not joking, btw. It is certainly possible to overdo this FE thing.

 

Ah, Grasshopper, imagine "no car"; someday you will reach 600 miles with NO car. Then, you will be a master.

 

Mmmmm, perhaps driving a Prius is the answer for drug addicts. Instead of chasing that unobtainable first high, they will be chasing 60+ MPG (obtainable)?

 

Not only has the Prius changed my driving habits but my wife's as well. Mine is an 'o5 that I purchased in August 05 and I have only seen one tank end at less than 50 mpg. I keep all my receipts and I am averaing 53.6 mpg since Aug. The amazing thing is that my wife has learned to watch the mpg bar as she drives. I noticed that she would coast to a stop light which is amazing knowing her. When she drives the car the mpg doesn't change. I think she has a softer touch on the accelerator pedal than I.

The same driving changes have been carried over to our other car which is a Mercedes diesel. I haven't checked the mileage but it has consistently ggotten 29-30 in the past.

It also amazes me that the tests of the Prius in magazines always get much less mileage than the car is capable. The latest Motor Trend, which tests the Accord Hybrid, Civic Hybrid, '07 Camry Hybrid and an '06 Prius. The Prius was best at 44 mpg (I think this is the number from memory). Other tests are generally less than that. I conclude that the testers are driving the car as they always have in the past. No motivation for high MPG.

 

Oh man, Tony! You've brought up past fears here! I had the same experience with a similar commute partner. What is with that 100% braking, and release bit? Damn. Letting them "recover" from the abuse for a moment before screeching to the final halt?

Anyway, to the subject -

BEVs have made me into the efficient driver that I am today, and jumping into the Prius hasn't changed me in the least, actually. Five years of squeezing range out of an EV will do that to you! Actually, the Prius is the only car so far that I haven't been able to beat the EPA mileage estimates. But then I've only burned one tank of gas, so give me a chance!

I LOVE to hear stories about people changing their driving habits because of the MFD. I've said for years that if we had a big ol' intantaneous mileage gage in our faces, that the game would become one of getting the hightest MPG number, instead of the highest speedo number! I'm happy to be proved right.

 

So, Tony, you commute with a Wisconsin woman driver?

 

Actually, I do wish they had the current mpg info directly in front, alongside of the MPH on all cars and trucks. That would be a great improvement.

The MFD is not the safest because it diverts ones attention away from the road. True, momentarilly, but it is a distraction. I like the Camry and Honda hybrid's dash for this. On our car, I suggested to my wife that she drive with the MFD off because she can lose driving focus with it on. Perhaps this may be more of a problem for people that have to wear glasses or that are far-sighted?