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Hybrid Vehicles Honda Civic Hybrid Honda Civic Hybrid Driving Tips & Tricks
158 messages, Last post on Jul 24, 2009 at 11:27 AM
You are in the Honda Civic Hybrid Forum. Your Host is pf_flyer
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Replying to: electrictroy (Apr 04, 2005 7:24 am) I know that many people have the desire to increase MPG in their HCH and originally wanted to provide tips for improvement, that's why I posted in the Optimizing thread: misterme, "Hybrid Tips: Optimizing mileage" #231, 31 Mar 2005 10:04 pm The only comments I've received are that I'm rude with my driving and liken it to riding brakes out of control down a steep grade or renegade law beakers. You say that you averaged ~80MPG in your Insight, so you know that what is described here is exaggerated and misrepresented, and even by the staff. So let it go. |
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Replying to: kernick (Apr 04, 2005 8:41 am) . When I'm driving my Beetle or Dodge, I go 80 in a 70 zone. Do you really think I'm going to obey the "no coasting down hills" rule, when I don't obey the speed signs? I suspect you do a fair amount of speeding too, so please don't lecture me about obeying the law. I'm going to continue coasting in neutral, in order to boost my MPG. I don't see anything dangerous about it, and my top coasting speed is only 80 which is no more dangerous than the several thousand *other* drivers doing 80. troy
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Replying to: electrictroy (Apr 05, 2005 4:46 am) me: I didn't think otherwise. The issue was whether you were right or wrong to do so from a safety / legal standpoint. |
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Replying to: kernick (Apr 04, 2005 8:41 am) In what way does a timing belt "annoy" you? I mean, they get replaced every 105,000 miles but other than that, they keep pretty quiet and don't cause much trouble.
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Replying to: isellhondas (Apr 07, 2005 2:51 pm) Question Is the Honda I4 or v6 an interference engine ? In other words if a timing belt breaks is there possible valve damage ? 105,000 miles or 110,000 miles is a pretty long time and changing a timing belt as opposed to not ever changing a timing chain shouldn't be a beig dela. YMMV, MidCow |
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I'm not sure about anyone else but I persoanlly wouldn't coast in N going freeway speeds or in those busy situations just described. However, at 2:00AM with zero traffic on a rural highway with maximum speed about 50 there is plenty of reaction time. Or, while stuck in grid lock stop-and go traffic. Read this: "Click". That's all the time required to get back to D, at least with CVT. |
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In think the Car Talk guys have weighed in more than once on the issue of out-of-gear coasting. Here's an example: http://cartalk.com/content/columns/Archive/1996/September/05.html Bird2 |
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No cars around doesn't mean something unexpected can't happen. Anyone who has driven on any roads in my neck of the woods (central PA) can attest to that. From the smallest back road to the interstate, you always have to be alert for something jumping out at you. And even with no other vehicles on the road, the need to suddenly brake and swerve just might put your vehicle into an attitude where you DO need to step on the gas to regain control. Honestly, the idea of driving with one of your control capabilities intentionally "shut of" is pretty scary. My Dad taught me to be a defensive driver. Do I have to add "beware of hybrid drivers on downhill stretches because they're hypermiling" to the watch list??? And the point the Car Talk guys make about excessive use of brakes is a great one. If you're "free wheeling", the ONLY thing controlling your speed is your use of the brakes. I once made the mistake of not paying attention while coming down from Skyline Drive in Virginia. I was touching the brakes now and then instead of downshifting to keep the car under control. Well, it was a gorgeous early morning, there were no cars around. What's the problem. The problem was that at the bottom of the couple of miles of grade, unbeknowst to me, was a traffic signal. By the time I reached that light, the heating of the brakes had pretty much rendered the brakes useless. When I saw the red light, I stepped on the brake and pfffffft... nothing. I got REAL lucky that nobody was coming at the time I swooped through the intersection. And fortunately the road level out and I was able to get the car slowed up enough to the point where I had control of the speed and could run slow enough to let the brakes cool down enough to where I had SOME stopping power. But hey, it's your neck, not mine.
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Replying to: pf_flyer (Apr 01, 2005 1:27 pm) |
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Replying to: pf_flyer (Apr 01, 2005 1:27 pm)  And if you make your car out of balsa wood and crepe paper, you can get great mpg. Isn't mpg all that matters? As far as the poster who thought it was okay to coast at sometimes, and the driver can determine that; what other law allows people discretion to make choices like that? Because few people are on the road at times, is it then okay to speed? is it then okay to drive slightly over the DWI limit? is it okay to drive in the breakdown lane if you think it is clear? Everyone thinks they are smarter than average and know better. But obviously that is not true. And the least smart amongst us are more likely to not realize their limits, and believe themselves to be geniuses. So we try and make things simple, and tell people to obey the laws, and that way they don't have to waste their time. Its amazing how many experts the internet creates - read a couple of links or postings in 15 min. and you know more than the people who are educated and study highway safety for a living. |
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