Shutting off the engine to save gas is outside my comfort zone, but has nothing do do with the legality of it. With the loss of power steering and braking ability I'd gladly keep the engine running and in gear.
I dunno maybe I'm just paranoid. but I'm always a bit worried about the inability to avoid a potentail accident (e.g. deer/turkeys/children "suddenly' appearing on the road). Granted, having the engine running and in gear doesn't magically prevent such things from occuring either. Anyway, I get a comfortable 42 mpg. It's "good enough" for me. I guess it boils down to personal preference. |
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ill coast in neutral (manual tranny) on a hill to save a bit and if i let off too much i engine brake like mad or if i barely press the gas it kinda surges(usually not but when it does :mad: ) so its just easier... |
VetteOwner -
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CarloSW2 |
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As for coasting, I'm still mystified about what part of not being in gear constitutes a lack of control. I was extremely surprised when I first heard it was largely illegal - although I have since come to realize that governments love to control, legislate, and regulate things just for the sake of doing so. OK, OK sorry. I'll get off my soapbox now... |
the other day I was fallowing a cop down the big hill on my road and for the hell of it switched my engine off, they didn't notice, of course a good friend of mine didn't notice, even after I told him about engine off coasting, and the 2 mile long hill I found, but he did ask why my oil presure light and alternator light came on, because he hadn't realized the engine wasn't running, and coudlnt' tell without watching what I was doing, that I bump started, all while sitting in the passenger seat! so at that point I don't worry.
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I put the illegalities of most hypermiling techniques in the same category as I do the illegalities of some activities that are deemed "lude" - they're never going to find out you're doing it.
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Engine off, you can't accelerate in an emergency, and that might be the difference between an accident and a near miss. Even coasting in neutral takes away the ability to accelerate in an emergency (an emergency being something you don't forsee happening until it's already happening) although it's a lot easier to pop into gear so you have a better chance. I've had about 3-4 instances where being able to just punch it with a split second's notice over the last 5 years or so has meant not being hit by some jackass with a cell phone not paying attention to what he was doing. Luckily for those people, I am one of those that pays close attention to what everyone is doing within a quarter to half a mile around me, right down to keeping track of color and make. I've seen a few instances where said people came across someone who is not always prepared to make emergency maneuvers, and the results were not pretty.
If you normally do a neutral coast or ICO coast, try a tank or two where you coast with a hair of throttle applied to see if it makes a difference in your fuel economy, seems like I can coast longer with a touch of throttle than with no throttle. Might be close enough to where you can retain the full control of being in gear without losing much mileage. |
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Safe? That's an argument from myopic SUV'ers. Legal? Didn't slavery used to be legal too? Gotta think a little harder than that folks. Quote of the day: 'Exactly,' said Bergeron. 'The difference is that we have the misfortune of knowing what's really going on,' said Bergeron, 'which is no fun at all. And this has given rise to a whole new class of preening, narcissistic quacks like yourself who say in the service of rich and shameless polluters that the state of the atmosphere and the water and the topsoil on which all life depends is as debatable as how many angels can dance on the fuzz of a tennis ball'. |
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