Skuzzy--maybe you should take the "long way around!"

 

I have done that from time to time daffodildeb. The long way around is stop and go traffic. No lights. Just morons who have not figured out which pedal makes a car go forward faster.

Then the other morons who wait until the last second to cross 4 lanes of a highway and actually stop in the middle of the highway waiting for an opening to continue crossing the highway. Those are the ones who cause the congestion. It just goes downhill from there.

i have to admit I am concerned I am doing harm to Romi having to drive her like that.

Oh, and I never, never roll down the windows, or turn off the A/C. It ain;t gonna happen. There is one day a year here, at about 11:00am, when it would be accetable to drive without A/C and the windows down.

 

Jass, this is very interesting. Can you further explain, I'm just learning.
I usually accelerate very slowly from stop instead to the suggested fast acceleration to cruise speed.

 

And you have health insurance to cover cancer from diesel exhaust particulates.

 

As I understand it, accelerating briskly (doesn't have to be WOT) up to a cruising speed is more efficient than slowly reaching that speed. The reduced time to get to speed offsets the faster rate of gas consumption with brisk acceleration.

 

Not sure truckers like having you that close to them either. I can see some sleep deprived trucker maniac (ever see the move "Duel"?) flash their brake lights or do a quick stop just to see the MINI skid. Or in the event of a real emergency situation, like a sudden radar trap, those trucks can slow up real fast. Can you say MINI sandwich?

 

Thinking about ECONOMY of driving while in my MCS just messes with my Mini HIGH! I didn't claw my way to the top of the food chain to eat vegetables, and I sure didn't buy a Mini Cooper S with sport suspension to think about my gas mileage! TIP: In a 35 mph zone, say you're going 40. 90 degree right turn ahead, don't back out of the throttle, just stay in it and go right through that turn at 40. Nice and steady on the throttle for economy LOL

 

From that point of view, I guess it makes sense. I'll have it to test it out..
thx-

 

Having my trip computer tell me I just got 28mpg blasting around the backroads IS a Mini high!

And are you saying you back off the throttle when you hit a turn? Wasteful, wasteful, wasteful...

 

It is quite likely they wont be able to see you on a straight road. They have a pretty significant blind spot directly behind them. Supposedly, being in this blind spot can be dangerous, but I don't quite see how. It is your responsibility to stop if the truck stops. Otherwise, what maneuver could he do to put you in danger?

You should eat your vegies. They are good for you. And who says you are at the top of the food chain?

I do agree with your economy of not slowing for curves. Maintaining a constant speed is more economical. It can also surprise the heck out of an aggressive pickup driver who was tailgating you on the straight...

 

You are quite right that the draftee is responsible for stopping and also is out of sight of the truck driver's mirrors. That said, I doubt a trucker wants to risk an accident or damage to his cargo in the event of being rear-ended by one of us MINIMANIACS trying to save the planet by reducing our fossil fuel consumption<g>. BTW, I have great respect for truckers, the movie, "Duel" aside -- still have nightmares about how that fuel truck could outrun a Dodge Dart, but I digress.

 

good read