subject: How Aggressive Driving Hurts Hypermiling & Your Family Budget [print this page] How Aggressive Driving Hurts Hypermiling & Your Family Budget
Eliminating aggressive driving can definitely help you get better gas mileage, and consequently improve the status of your family and household budget. We're talking here about an element of hypermiling, which is all about how to save gas money and exceed your car's EPA MPG, or miles per gallon, rating.Our use of the word "aggressive" here doesn't mean that you drive with anger or that you're letting yourself fall victim to road rage. It does mean that you should consider whether your driving might be toned down to net you a saving in gas money, however. Consider these ideas and see if you might find ways to change your driving habits, even just a little bit, in order for you to get better gas mileage. Every small change made in your driving can add up to significant gas savings over time. It's about thinking, "How can I improve mileage?" at all times.Become aware of what is going on in your head during different situations on the road. Knowing this can give you valuable insight into your general frame of mind in different traffic scenarios while driving. Example situations to look at and consider: 1. How do you drive and what do you think when you're in a hurry? 2. What do you think when people tailgate you? 3. What goes on in your mind when people pull up right close behind you? 4. How do you respond when the person in front of you doesn't start driving quickly enough when the red light turns green, and you get stuck at the same light when it turns red again?5. What are you thinking when the person ahead of you in the left-hand lane is going five miles under the speed limit?6. How do you react when people change lanes in front of you, cutting you off?After you consider how you tend to think and react in these situations, give some thought to how you actually drive when you're in this mind-set. Do you tend to use the throttle harder and accelerate faster? Do you drive more closely to the person who has cut you off, making you brake harder as a consequence?The point here is to determine whether you're intent on reacting negatively to other drivers or if you're giving conscious attention to traffic around you while letting these negative situations "roll off your back".People who don't pay attention to traffic and to other drivers around them tend to use their brakes more. Using your brakes = wasting gas. It took gas to get your car up to speed and now that built-up speed is being turned into heat by your braking. That's a total waste. It has been found that not paying attention to traffic can result in braking 10% to 25% more than is necessary. This definitely results in using more gas with a resulting decrease in gas mileage.Consciously leave a gap of at least two seconds between you and the driver in front of you. This will allow you to coast longer before braking, and maybe even avoid braking completely. The less you use your brakes the less gas you'll use, and the more money you'll save.Becoming aware of your frame of mind in these different situations will allow you to drive with a less aggressive mind-set. This type of lowered aggression will result in easier and more conscious use of the throttle and less use of your brakes. All of this will give you increased gas mileage.This information and these ideas about "aggressive" driving can truly put you on the right track to considering how you can increase your gas mileage, improve your personal finances and help to protect your precious family financial resources!
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