The Magic of the Prius

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tideland Prius @ Jul 23 2007, 09:43 PM) [snapback]483908[/snapback]</div>

The total miles driven automatically resets after a fill-up, however I'm not sure about the average MPGs. Is this calculated as the average since 0 miles, or the average since the last fill up?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(local_host @ Jul 24 2007, 03:32 PM) [snapback]484266[/snapback]</div>

The MPG on the consumption screen is since you last press [Reset]. The miles auto-reset after a fill-up, but not the MPG.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PriusTouring07 @ Jul 23 2007, 09:03 PM) [snapback]483884[/snapback]</div>

Calling someone a "Mom" is about the greatest compliment you can pay someone. Thank you!

The childish tone of your message only reinforces my disrespect for you and your sophomoric antics. And proves, even more definitively, why you're not qualified to drive in the way you do.

No, I've never seen or heard of you before; I don't have a TV and rarely waste time on YouTube (but thank *you* for doing so; my Google stock is still hanging in there). MTV? Isn't that the channel that used to play music videos, but now features kids with too much money and not enough brains, indulging themselves in bus rides and other nonsense...?

My friend, you're a legend in your own mind.

Call me what you will, I don't give a damn who you are or how skilled you think you are, or how many hits your video has received. We all pay taxes for use of public roads; real men (not children) take themselves to the track and go nuts there.

Real women do, too...perhaps I'll see you there one day.

Until then, keep drivin' the Prius. You never know whom you might piss off, how they'll react, and whether they'll decide that revenge upon you is worth all sorts of self sacrifice. Even women can come to this conclusion sometimes; this one can, certainly.

If you see a white Prius that's been lowered...and you cut me off or do anything else unsafe in my vicinity, I *guarantee* that I will hunt you down and explain, personally, why it'd be better to refrain from that activity.

I mean it.

You're f*cking with people's lives. Some of us simply won't put up with sh*t from idiots like you.

Go ahead, do something stupid around me.

I DARE you, punk.

I'm further from a "Mom" that you can ever imagine possible.

 

Yeah, sure, that's what it is.

 

IMHO, the biggest way speed contributes to accidents on limited-access highways is the difference in speed between cars. If all the traffic is going 65, or they're all doing 75, etc., then there isn't a big problem. But when everyone is doing 70, it's the ones trying to go 80+, with the requisite weaving around the slower traffic, that's dangerous.

By the same token, when everyone is doing 70, a car doing 55 (often in the center or left lane) causes all kinds of problems. The traffic backs-up, everyone trying to change lanes, etc. That is a good formula for an accident.

On secondary roads, driving too slowly isn't as dangerous, though it does cause other drivers to try passing when it isn't safe, or otherwise driving aggressively, either trying to get past the slow driver, or due to simple road rage. Driving fast on secondary roads is probably the most dangerous. Aside from the possibility of losing control on a curve, you never know when a car, or animal, or child will suddenly appear.

For myself (and my mellower Prius driving mode) I have modified my routes accordingly. My drive to work is normally about 25 miles of interstate, which most mornings include stretches of very slow or stop-and-go driving. Now I bypass about 15 miles of that by taking back roads. The route is just a few miles shorter, and the speeds and traffic result in better MPG. And by avoiding the slow-downs, my overall travel time is about the same. In the last 10 miles on the Interstate, I'll stay at the speed of the traffic flow. When it gets up to 75 the mileage drops-off, but I don't want to be the one causing the bottleneck.

When I'm driving at low-traffic times, I'll usually stay right around the speed limit. Of course, there are times when I'll get someone on my bumper because they'd rather I be speeding, but if I stay 3-5 MPH over the posted limit, it doesn't happen that often.

I don't consider myself a hyper-miler... I don't pulse & glide (I usually set the cruise) or accelerate overly slowly. I do try to maximize regen, such as getting on the brake lightly as soon as I see I'll need to slow ahead, and accelerating/decelerating smoothly. By doing that, I'm up to just over 52 mpg, which makes me (and my wallet) happy.

I will admit there are times when I may waste a few extra drops of gasoline. Such as when there are a couple of lanes at the traffic light, and everyone starts lining-up behind the other car, because apparently none of them want to get 'stuck' behind the Prius. So I can't help but accelerate a bit faster than I normally would, then watch them all in the rear-view mirror. I figure I'm just doing my part to help dispel one of the hybrid myths.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GeoDosch @ Jul 24 2007, 01:24 PM) [snapback]484292[/snapback]</div>

I agree. That difference causes me to be more alert when traffic in the diamond lane is significantly faster than the other lanes. Someone pulling into the diamond lane without a careful check of oncoming traffic there could cause a bad accident.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(donee @ Jul 23 2007, 09:56 PM) [snapback]483882[/snapback]</div>

Thanks. I have no guilt since I was driving safely, but I still wish I could have done something to avoid this from happening. I was trying to point out (with a true incident) that "too slow" actually means "too fast" in a sneaky way.

The post started out noting that the Prius changes driving habits (including changing some that needed to change very badly!). What this may infer is that when enough Pri'i are on the highway, then the whole collective of drivers around may transition to a less "rat race" mode of driving. The San Francisco area may actually be close to reaching this critical mass. (Florida is still Buick country.)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GeoDosch @ Jul 24 2007, 02:39 PM) [snapback]484269[/snapback]</div>

I've never hit the reset button, not once. For some stupid reason I thought it just reset the total miles driven (duh that's what the trip OD is for). Maybe this explains why I can never get out of 48.5 MPG. I guess I should read the manual- I tend to try and figure things out on my own intuition due to my incessant stubbornness... Can't wait to see that 'Average MPG' hit 50 now!!!

 

I drive --exactly-- like I did before. Always at 5mph over the speed limit.

Have said ... written? that, I do take different roads now than I used to. I takes maybe 5 minutes longer but I usually take "back roads" now instead of the freeway. I get about half a mile per gallon better gas mileage this way. The car is currently averaging 50.5 mpg. Funny but a week and a half ago it was averaging 51.4. Don't know what happened.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(OlsonBW @ Jul 25 2007, 10:24 AM) [snapback]484757[/snapback]</div>

The drop in temperature, and the rain.
Takes the engine longer to get up to temperature, is my guess.
A week and a half ago, we had 90 degrees.

 

I drive close to the speed limit which was not the case pre-Prius. I tailgated, passed, drove 80 in a 55 (barely keeping with the flow of traffic). I had to keep up with everyone else and could get the jump on the stoplight with the best of them. What was I thinking???
I keep right and do 60 instead of 80 now and guess what? I get to work 3 minutes later now. I enjoy driving much more now. I haven't had anyone tailgating me other than when coasting up to a stop light or sign and that's their problem, not mine. I can still hear my dad asking me when I was 16: "Why are are you racing to a light only to put on the brakes? Stop it!!" Thanks Dad, I should have listened to you years ago, but it's never too late.

 

Talking about the risk of speed differentials is all well and good, but the fact is that individually we don't have much control over what those speed differentials really are, since there are all sorts of other vehicles on the road around us. However much we might want to keep up 'for the sake of safety' it's not going to be long before we come up behind a slow moving truck being overtaken by a slow moving truck - a traffic condition that makes hypermiling techniques look positively safety-conscious as fast approaching traffic bunches up dramatically in hurried slowdowns.

None of us have responsibility for the stupidity of other road users - just our own. Drive within the safe limits of the road, conditions, the car and yourself, that's how to be responsible on the road.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ZA_Andy @ Jul 26 2007, 11:23 AM) [snapback]485421[/snapback]</div>

I would add a suggestion to this: make yourself visible to other motorists. As a motorcyclist, that is absolutely critical, to run high-beam in traffic, a white helmet to help being spotted, and a yellow vest if riding in rain and/or fog. Lights on in the rain is required by law for all motorists in my state, and would help all drivers be seen in rain and fog, but how many people do you see driving around in heavy fog with no lights on?

I'm slowing down in fog, and I'm making myself visible to idiots going faster than they should be. I tip my hat to Darwin, and give that man his due.

Harry

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Earthling @ Jul 26 2007, 08:32 AM) [snapback]485433[/snapback]</div>

I fully agree.
If it isn't full sunlight, I turn on my headlights. (I do miss the auto headlights in my Malibu)

I am AMAZED at how many Prii I see, here in rainy, foggy, misty Washington state, that are driving in the gloom without lights on! They must have come from vehicles with auto lights, too. It does take a moment's thought to reach forward and turn the lights on.

Turn on the lights!

 

For those here who live in Florida. Is it a law in that state that headlights should be on when it's raining?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RobertG @ Jul 26 2007, 02:43 PM) [snapback]485588[/snapback]</div>

Specifically asked an off duty FL state trooper and his answer was the law was lights on if less than 1000 yds visability.....which is met by having headlights on in the rain, but no, not due to the rain just falling. Now this was 10 years ago so the law might be different now.