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