Thanks for reading guys and gals!
I have found a few new techniques that I'd like to list regarding hypermiling, in order of safe, to mid, to extreme.
1. Using your heater instead of your coat
-some of you have really heavy down coats that you wear all the time. If the weather is about 32 F, consider ditching the coat. When you have done this about 5-10 times during the spring, the excess weight lost will definitely add to your higher MPG (the ultimate goal).
2. Price Tracking
-this one is obvious, but worth looking at. It seems that in the last 3 months, at least where I live, gas has been volatile. Prices have gone from as low as 2.93/gal to as high as 3.79 a gallon.
-as mentioned, it's simple. When gas is low, you have the right to fill up your tank. When gas is high, naturally you may buy less, and see my other posts about only filling your tank 1/2 to 2/3 full to AGAIN alleviate excess weight, which reduces your gas mileage.
An indifference curve (very simple) might look something like this:
/low gas price, tank is full
/
/
/ gas between 3.10 and 3.50 or so, tank is 2/3 full
/
/
/
/ gas around 4, tank is at max 1/2 full
Why is this? because the main culprit of low gas mileage is weight. Many of you (including myself) are not ready to lose weight off of your beltline, so HEY you can lose weight in your gas tank to compensate.
(BTW I am already assuming that you know that every 100 pounds of weight taken out of your car saves you $50 a year. This has been verified by government agencies).
3. Drafting
-had to mention this with the increase in semis around this time of year. You can get a bit of draft from these semis on the interstate if you are within 10-50 feet of them. BUT I ADVISE YOU THIS IS ONLY FOR EXTREME MEASURES. I myself have never done it, and would ONLY consider it if I was running on embers in my gas tank. But, done right, you can get 2-5 mpg better gas mileage with this trick. /^^\
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