Ryan’s Blog

Unless you’ve been under a rock, I assume you’ve heard the medias latest buzzword, “Hypermiling.” The easiest way to describe it is a method of driving to increase the fuel economy of your car. It involves various techniques such as drafting, and coasting in neutral down hill, and making as little use of your breaks as possible, to prevent distrupting the momentum of your car.

Every time I hear anyone talking about it, it’s being touted as some brilliant new idea, and absolutely revolutionary. Yeah, I gotta throw out the red flag and challenge that one.

Hello? Am I the only person that ever took drivers ed in school? This stuff isn’t new, or revolutionary. It’s called common sense. Aside from drafting, which is technically illegal, (Tailgating, and “failure to maintain a safe distance” I believe is what the law calls it) all of these things were part of what I was taught when first learning to drive.

Slowing down and coasting to stop signs and lights, instead of “stop and go.” Easing into a start, versus slamming on the accelerator. Taking all the excess junk out of the car to reduce weight, and keeping the cars exterior clean to reduce drag and improve arodynamics. Again, all not rocket science, just common sense.

I don’t understand, I really don’t. Has the whole world really lost common sense? Or am I just one of the lucky ones who paid attention and made use of it?