All the stop lights lined up, no one was on my tail (too much) - 2.3 miles without a drop of gas, gliding and the occasional light electric engine to keep the momentum as needed. Sooo nice! [ame="http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=1250+East+Main+Road,+Middletown,+RI&daddr=Christmas+Tree+Shops,+Middletown,+RI&hl=en&geocode=FeDPeQIdwI7A-ylpLyAAXanliTHnnO1_vqI-6w%3BFRyAeQIdZg7A-yG8L_1cY0CxgQ&mra=prev&sll=41.527245,-71.28295&sspn=0.036626,0.077333&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=14"]The map[/ame].
My Garmin map shows a descent of about 175 feet, greatly boosting your effort. Of course a regular nonhybrid wastes most of that gravity assist.
Yeah, that's why that's such a sweet spot (it was gravity's fault, not mine!). There are actually moderate uphills hidden in the descent, so if you were to only glide I'd imagine you'd come to a stop about 2/3 of the way through. There's also typically an interruption from at least one of the six traffic lights you'll encounter in that stretch.
Coasting long distances without using any fuel is an amazing feeling. Something inside you just feels right and says, "If only all cars could do what I'm doing..."
Getting six consecutive lights just right is probably that hardest part, and a good reason to celebrate!
It can be hard, but sometimes it helps to know which streets (if any) have timed lights. Sometimes, it's only known by locals via word of mouth. For San Francisco, I heard of some from coworkers and learned of some via San Francisco's 49 Mile Scenic Drive ... - Google Books and What streets in San Francisco have timed lights? - sanfrancisco traffic | Ask MetaFilter. I was driving while on a date, years ago in SF and intentionally took one of the above streets. My date was amazed by how little I had to stop and how lights were usually turning from red to green for me as I got near the interaction. :rockon:
