| Buying a hybrid car is more than a
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| | responsible thing.My friend's driving
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| calculated decision to save fuel. It is a
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| | habits aside, this practice is not going
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| statement about "saving the planet".Even
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| | to endear you to all the rest of the
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| if the chances are pretty slim that
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| | drivers who can't figure out why you keep
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| hybrid technology will actually make much
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| | slowing down. It's probably smart to
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| difference, it gives hybrid owners the
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| | speed up just a little when you find
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| right to feel superior. After all, they
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| | yourself in anything other than the
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| care about the planet. And the rest of
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| | "slow" lane.All bets are off when they
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| the world obviously does not.But if
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| | let you use the carpool lane.3. You Just
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| you're one of those hybrid owners you'd
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| | Won't Inch Forward Will You!Everybody
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| better be ready to lose some friends.
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| | else in the world knows you must "inch"
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| Here's why.1. You're Driving Way Too
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| | forward during stop and go traffic. How
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| SlowIn theory at least, hybrid owners are
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| | else are you going to keep up with the
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| the opposite of those guys who just ache
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| | driver in front? Besides, if you leave
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| to get in that passing lane and leave the
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| | more than about a 15' gap between you and
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| rest of us behind. You know the type.
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| | the guy ahead somebody's going to jump
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| You're minding your own business merging
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| | into the gap and slow you down even more.
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| onto the expressway and the otherwise
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| | Every quarter second counts.Hybrid
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| ordinary guy in the vehicle behind you
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| | drivers have been told this "inching
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| swings out and passes even before you hit
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| | forward" stuff is pointless and wastes
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| the highway.Hybrid owners tend to do just
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| | fuel. And the way they build hybrids
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| the opposite. You've known for years that
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| | these days they've got a point. When you
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| driving slow saves fuel. So you're likely
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| | take your foot off the brake pedal the
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| to be driving under the speed limit
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| | auto-stop turns off and the gasoline
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| rather than over like the rest of the
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| | engine restarts -- like one of those
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| world.The fact that you're driving a
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| | gasoline engine golf carts. And there
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| hybrid just makes it worse, since you
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| | goes most of your gas savings. All those
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| know that all the potential savings are
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| | stops and starts just eat up the gas.But
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| squandered if you try to go
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| | don't expect your mono-drive cousins to
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| fast.Especially when you're accelerating.
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| | understand. They've only got one thing in
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| That guy in the high powered vehicle who
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| | mind: to get wherever they're going just
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| pulls out and passes... the thought of
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| | as fast as possible. And everybody knows
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| saving gas has never crossed his mind.
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| | that racing up behind the guy in front is
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| But hydrid owners know better. For you
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| | the only way to make that happen.4. Do
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| it's a moral duty to save fuel. The fate
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| | you really think you should be drafting
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| of the planet depends on it. So there's
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| | me like that?The responsible hybrid owner
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| no way you're going to try any of that
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| | will make use of every advantage to save
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| fast acceleration stuff.2. What's with
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| | gas. And drafting larger vehicles is one
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| the Pulse and Glide StuffYou've also been
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| | technique that the more aggressive will
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| told that "pulse and glide" can make a
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| | try. That's where you pull right up
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| serious difference to your gas milage.
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| | behind a semi, a van, or an SUV and try
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| That's where you accelerate --
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| | to stay in the pocket of air they are
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| conservatively of course -- to the speed
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| | pulling along behind them.I remember
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| limit, and then let the car "glide" to 10
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| | doing this with an old '65 Beetle a few
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| or more miles per hour below the speed
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| | years back. We were travelling along the
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| limit. Repeat this procedure. Repeat this
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| | New York Thruway drafting semis. We were
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| procedure. Repeat this procedure...I once
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| | making great time and saving lots of
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| had a friend who drove like this. I
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| | gas... until we blew a rod. After a 200
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| thought he was dozing off between pulses,
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| | mile tow behind my dad's station wagon
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| but now I know differently. He was
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| | and a quick once over by my mechanic we
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| actually doing the environmentally
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| | sold the car for parts.
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