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I’m Not Exactly a Hypermiler — but I Save Gas While Driving; Why You Shouldn’t Be a Jack-Rabbit

Are you a jack-rabbit?

I’m not a big fun of jack-rabbits. As a matter of fact, I never was really a jack-rabbit. Who are the jack-rabbits, you ask? Well, if you exhibit any of the following behaviors while driving, you’re definitely a bloody jack-rabbit:

• Quick,sudden, useless acceleration (you know what I mean, when you pump the paddle and your engine goes “WHOOMMM!!”), an example would be someone who still accelerates while coming to a red light
• Unnecessary braking: this includes speeding and then braking just to avoid hitting the car in front of you - example? Someone who accelerates while approaching a red light and brakes just to slow down
• Zooming in and out of traffic: we’ve all seen these guys and gals before; they swerve and cut across lanes, rush in and out of traffic… these people think they’re getting somewhere faster, but usually get stuck in traffic or end up wrapped around a lamp pole

What do experts in the industry have to say about this type of driving behaviour?

The way you drive your vehicle also can have an impact on costs. “Jackrabbit” driving, or abrupt starts and sudden stops, can take a real toll on your vehicle and decrease its fuel efficiency…

Avoid jackrabbit driving in the city. Rapid acceleration and hard braking is not only hard on tires, engine and brakes, it is hard on wallets, too. Jackrabbit driving can consume up to 35 per cent more fuel…

Say no to jack-rabbiting!

Why would you say no to jack-rabbiting? It’s simple: not only is it safer to take it easy while driving (that’s the obvious bit), it’s also important to save as much gas as you can (at least I’d like to save some gas while I drive, considering the ridiculous price nowadays).

Before I get into some of the techniques I apply while driving, let me lay out a few definitions:

Hypermilers are drivers who exceed the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimated fuel efficiency on their vehicles by modifying their driving habits… As people began comparing fuel efficiency, they noticed that by using certain driving techniques, they could greatly improve their mileage.

Let me tell you that first of all, I am not a hypermiler. Hypermilers go to the extreme, sometimes even risking their own safely, to achieve the highest fuel efficiency. They do crazy things like “drafting” behind semi-trailers to decrease wind resistance, coast downhill with the engine turned off and transmission on neutral…etc. There’s tons of things that they do that I won’t even go near. I consider some of the techniques quite dicey.

But I will say that I label myself as an above-average-miler. Some of the techniques I apply while driving:

1. Drive a gas-saving car! I drive a 1993 Toyota Corolla, and I have to tell ya, it does not use gas! — well, not literally, but you get my point. Driving a huge SUV really defeats the whole purpose of saving gas. Do some research before getting a car and keep the gas factor in mind.
2. Gentle acceleration. The title pretty much explains itself. Listen to your engine while driving and avoid hearing the “VOOMM!!”… what I usually aim for is a “prrrrr” sound. Watch your RPM. It should never never exceed 2000. What I do when I usually start moving is that I step on the gas paddle just a little so that the RPM’s a bit over 1000 or half-way between 100o and 2000. Remember, 2000 RPM should be your maximum RPM. Never start off there, but work your way up towards 2000.
3. Time the lights and avoid unnecessary braking. Here’s the first (and easier) scenerio: you ‘re going at 50 km/h on the road and see a red light ahead. What would you do? Continue gassing and start braking when you’re near the light? Jack-rabbit!!! Continuing to gas when you see a red light ahead and braking when you’re near it is probably the worst thing you can do to your gas mileage (not to mention that you also waste your brakes that way, and also force your braking distance to be decreased). What you should do, at least what I do in this scenario is to let go of the gas and coast to a stop. This is quite obvious, right? Now try this one: you’re cruising at 50 km/h, approaching an intersection and see that the pedestrian cross-walk signal is flashing red (it’s about to turn red). What would you do? Gas it and try to make it though the intersection, maybe even run through a yellow or a red? Wrong! This is where timing the traffic appropriately comes in. When you see that the pedestrian cross-walk signal is flashing red, it’s telling you that not long form not, the main intersection lights will turn yellow. If you try to “VOOOMM!!” your engine to (hopefully) make it through the yellow, not only are are shooting your RPM way up, wasting a ton of gas, increasing your chances of getting into an accident, but most likely (and I can guarantee you this from the number of jack-rabbits I see on the roads… it’s statistically proven!) you’ll be stuck at the next light even if you make it through the yellow light. Now… what I’d do in this type of scenario is to let go of the gas when I see the flashing pedestrian signal and let my car coast across the intersection. If the light were to change on me before I make it across, at least I’d have slowed down a bit and would be able to coast and brake lightly to a stop. If I make it across, all the better!

Now I can really go on all day about all the techniques I live by. But I won’t. Here are some really excellent resources to increase your mileage:

- Fuel economy-maximizing behaviors

- Auto$mart

- Green Driving Canada

- How to Drive Economically

- Defensive and Eco-Driving

Remember, you should always use your common sense. Don’t coast at 20 km/h when you’re in traffic… always choose the safest options.

My rant and other tips

Alright here comes my rant. There are tons of stupid jack-rabbits out there. I spot a dozen or so every day. That’s really, really annoying. Whenever I accelerate slowly and smoothly, I’d see someone on my bumper. That’s quite normal; they’re but jack-rabbits, let humanity pity them. As long as I don’t go below the speed limit, I’m good. You don’t want to obstruct traffic while driving. So yeah, stay with the speed limit and watch your RPM.

Here’s a story: I was cruising down Oak Street once (wide and speedy) going about 60 km/h. I was in the right lane as a cab approached behind me. As if 60 km/h isn’t fast enough, he cut into the left lane, passed me, and cut back into my lane. That’s cool, I thought; whatever works. A bit later, I wanted to turn left onto Granville Street and take the bridge home. Simply coasting down a slope, without using the gas paddle at all, I went down into the left lane, stopped at the light and waited. Ironically, there was more traffic in the right lane than in the left, and the jack-rabbit cab pulled behind me. Funny thing, I thought, all that extra gas wasted for nothing, cab. I then took a left hand turn and accelerated slowly once I straighted out and switched onto the right lane on Granville. there was probably more traffic in the left lane now, and the cab pulled behind me in to the right lane. I was slowly building up my speed, listening to the “prrrrrr” sound of my engine, going about 40 km/h (which was quite reasonable as there was traffic in front). The cab, running out of patience once again, pulled into the left lane, passed me, and back in front of me into my lane. I kinda laughed to myself. Now there was a car trying to parallel park in the right lane, and the traffic in this lane was starting to build up. I was just coasting… and without using any gas, pulled into the left lane to pass the line of cars. Even more ironically, I passed the cab again and pulled in front of him. Hahahaa… I really wonder how the cab driver felt after making such a jack-rabbit of himself.

Well… enough of my ranting. I think I’m going to get a bumper sticker or two. Maybe I’ll have a message on it saying “free airbag test; tailgate for details!” (maybe I’ll even add a Ron Paul sticker or two to top it off )