Drive like you ride?
07-22-08, 08:09 AM
#1
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Drive like you ride?
As bicycle commuters we all have an intimate knowledge of the energy expended to ride certain routes in our area.
So the question is in this day of high gasoline prices does anyone avoid hills when driving their car for the sake of fuel efficiency?
So the question is in this day of high gasoline prices does anyone avoid hills when driving their car for the sake of fuel efficiency?
07-22-08, 08:11 AM
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beatz down lo|seatz up hi
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In Southwest Missouri? There's a hill in your way anywhere you go!
07-22-08, 08:21 AM
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I do like coasting, regardless of the power source. Unfortunately, I usually don't have the choice. Fortunately, the only choice is usually flat or extremely low-incline climbs.
07-22-08, 08:22 AM
#6
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Hills makes the cyclist stronger , so you become more efficient. Its mountains that can get in the way.
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07-22-08, 09:36 AM
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Shut Up and Ride
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I tend to take the lane more often when I drive the car.
07-22-08, 09:42 AM
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Chubby super biker
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I drive - maybe - once a week. When I do it's a ford taurus with a little V6, or a minivan full of kids. Fuel economy is not my primary concern 
.
When I drive for work, though, I'm pretty conservative. No AC, lots of coasting, and no speed limit breaking. I want to make that 52 cents/mile stretch..
. When I drive for work, though, I'm pretty conservative. No AC, lots of coasting, and no speed limit breaking. I want to make that 52 cents/mile stretch..
07-22-08, 10:11 AM
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Actually my commute by car is about a mile longer than my commute by bicycle. There is a no bikes allowed double lane divided highway I take for 2/3's of my trip. I presume that is more fuel efficient because it is not stop and go.
07-22-08, 10:33 AM
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Yes. I tend to keep coasting through stop signs, short cut intersections by using the crosswalks, and haul arse just as fast as my car can go down MUPs.
07-22-08, 10:42 AM
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But as far as how I drive... I drive like I bike. I drive less than than the speed limit; I coast to stops. No jackrabbit starts, and I drive with courtesy. I "drive friendly."
In stop and go traffic, I work to maintain spacing so I can move at a steady, albeit slow, speed... this uses less fuel and tends to smooth out the flow for others... accelerating and stopping doesn't save fuel and tends to exacerbate the "stop and go" issues.
I look ahead and plan ahead.
07-22-08, 10:58 AM
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I drive on the sidewalk to get around traffic.
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07-22-08, 11:26 AM
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I'm probably the wrong person to ask. Yesterday I went up and down the same hill 3 times on the way to work. My car doesn't seem to get any better at hills no matter how many I go over.
07-22-08, 11:56 AM
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That's what the horn and the screaming pedestrians are for.
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HHCMF - Take pride in your ability to amaze lesser mortals! - MikeR
We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty!
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07-22-08, 12:14 PM
#21
Bike ≠ Car ≠ Ped.
And with a bell! 
No, it's more like "clutchburning". Stop doing that.
As for me, yeah, I ride like I drive. I behave consistently, know how to adjust my mirrors (they're side mirrors, not auxiliary rear view mirrors, dammit...), avoid interrupting the flow behind me, go fast or slow down when necessary, don't bother getting into arguments, make sure my bikes and car are in good working order (just because I ride a lot doesn't give any excuse to let my car turn into an oil-puking rustbucket), find the easiest route with less traffic, and occasionally just go it for fun.
As for me, yeah, I ride like I drive. I behave consistently, know how to adjust my mirrors (they're side mirrors, not auxiliary rear view mirrors, dammit...), avoid interrupting the flow behind me, go fast or slow down when necessary, don't bother getting into arguments, make sure my bikes and car are in good working order (just because I ride a lot doesn't give any excuse to let my car turn into an oil-puking rustbucket), find the easiest route with less traffic, and occasionally just go it for fun.
