Just learned something

[LarryL]

A friend is always complaigning about poor mileage, brakes don't last and his vehicles are always needing work.

Yesterday I rode with him on a 100 mile trip, and discovered his problem. On the freeway he is always on the gas until he catches up to someone, then he pushes on the brake pedal, and repeated the process all the way between San Diego and Los Angles. The speed was always up and down, never steady. It drove me nuts. We checked the gas mileage and his Envoy with a six cylinder engine got 12 mpg in 200 miles. I now see why he goes through gas and brakes so quickly. And I was surprised at how much it bothered my being in that car. If we go again, I will drive my car or not go.

 

[GoldenRod]

I see people using their brakes on the freeway with NO cars in front of them for miles. . . . totally dumbfounds me.

 

[labman]

It would seem basic common sense should be enough for him to see his problems.

 

[Wasatch]

Cruise control and take the foot off the gas pedal for brakes works for me.

 

[G-MAN]

quote:

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Originally posted by labman:
It would seem basic common sense should be enough for him to see his problems.

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Common sense? Most people seem to lose what common sense they have when they get behind the wheel of a car.

Example: Back in Decemeber I was stopped at the red light of one of the busiest intersections in my town. There were three cars ahead of me. As soon as the light turned green the car behind me accelerates and runs into the back of my car. I got out and looked and there was no damage. The ditzy woman looked at me like it was my fault. She wasn't even going to get out. I walked back to her car and she rolled down the window with a "What do you want?" look on her face. I said in a not so polite way "What in the H_LL is the matter with you?" Her response: "Well the light was green!" I responded: "So you were just going to run over me because the light was green?"

 

[Gary Allan]

Hey, G-man. I've been sitting at a toll booth ..paying my toll. I'm looking in the rear view mirror. A lady is fooling with her purse getting money and her ticket ready ...slam. She looks up shocked. I don't even bother to get out. I just put my hands up in a

as to say "What is going on in your head, lady?? How could you have screwed this up?"

How can people just excuse themselves with an "oops"??

 

[XB70]

Next time, tell him you'd like to run an experiment to test an idea that will enable him to improve his gas mileage and brake pad wear. If he asks questions, politely explain that you shouldn't discuss any details yet so as to not negatively influence and potentially jeopardize the results.

Let him drive the first half, top off, do the calculation, then you drive the return trip, top off, do the calculation, watch his jaw drop, then look for signs of intelligent life.

If he's on-the-ball, your work is finished.

Just be sure you don't tell him in advance that you'll be driving the return leg so as to not influence his behavior.

 

[eljefino]

At least you two figured out the gas mileage. (I assume you helped with procedure.)

I know people that say "My car runs great, it kicks down and really goes." I can only imagine these fools punching the gas so much the trans downshifts then letting up, satisfied with the response.

 

[GoldenRod]

quote:

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Originally posted by XB70:
. . . . watch his jaw drop, then look for signs of intelligent life.

---

 

[Kestas]

Technically, the test should work. But on a personal interaction level..... some people just don't want others to show how foolish they are.

This guy would benefit from having a hybrid vehicle with his freeway driving!

 

[Tosh]

Hello, it's 2006, and cars are still rear-ending each other? Even the cheapest digital camera knows how far away it is from objects in front of it. What kind of society do we live in where we release technology from its responsibility of protecting us against ourselves? When will the government start caring about people getting hurt in cars?

 

[brianl703]

Ding! Ding! Ding! "Attention, you are closing on an immobile object at a high rate of speed. A collision is imminent".

Do you think that'd work in most cases? Should it apply the brakes if the driver doesn't respond? Maybe honk the horn to alert the driver in front?

 

[Mitch Alsup]

"Yesterday I rode with him on a 100 mile trip, and discovered his problem. On the freeway he is always on the gas until he catches up to someone, then he pushes on the brake pedal, and repeated the process all the way between San Diego and Los Angles. The speed was always up and down, never steady. It drove me nuts. We checked the gas mileage and his Envoy with a six cylinder engine got 12 mpg in 200 miles. I now see why he goes through gas and brakes so quickly. And I was surprised at how much it bothered my being in that car. If we go again, I will drive my car or not go."

So, next time, offer to drive his car over the same route and sho him how much better the gas milage is when a sane adult is behind the wheel.

BTW, I have driven 800 miles in a single stint and only used the brakes twice in that distance.

 

[Tosh]

quote:

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Originally posted by brianl703:
Ding! Ding! Ding! "Attention, you are closing on an immobile object at a high rate of speed. A collision is imminent".

Do you think that'd work in most cases? Should it apply the brakes if the driver doesn't respond? Maybe honk the horn to alert the driver in front?

---

And flash the lights!

 

[OriginHacker21]

How about an airbag deployed whack on the head and a computer voice saying: WAKE UP Dumbrr!

 

[Wasatch]

Waiting to get gas one day in my 240Z, there was a Ford LTD in front of me ready to pull out, well she put it in reverse instead, I blow the horn, yelled, but to no avail she came right up on top of my hood and then back off. I started yelling at her and she started to cry. Telling me she had no insurance, this was in CA where you had to have insurance. I was a nice guy and settled out of pocket, I will never do that again.

 

[oilyriser]

A large trailer hitch will help prevent getting rear ended. Set it at a/c condensor level.

 

[T-Keith]

I'm confident that this style of driving is responsible for at least half of the "my car/truck doesn't get very good gas mileage" complaints.

 

[Cutehumor]

some probably think it is a game to catch up to the car in front of them at a high speed then slow down. maybe that's why tailgating happens alot on in the interstates

 

[MN Driver]

My brother gets about 22 mpg in his Trailblazer(pretty much the same thing as an envoy) on a highway trip. At the last oil change at 56k miles the front brakes were only 1/4 wore down. UOA better than any other vehicle in the house. Freeway driving is the easiest driving to do but way too many people make it difficult for themselves. I drive in a 15 minute section of rush hour traffic on a daily basis with my Corolla using it's 5 speed stick shift and I barely ever use the brakes when everybody else doesn't stop pulsing them, I barely ever need to run it over 2.5k rpm, and I am still able to do this with no stress and if planned well, I don't need to shift much at all. I get 38 mpg with a car rated for 34 mpg, and I'm sure I'll get 40 mpg soon enough when we get warmer weather.