I'm not sure this is the right forum for this but here goes. I try my hardest to improve my MPG, but I live in the land of Stop Lights (my wife calls them traffic lights) and Stop Signs. No Stop Lights are synchronized that you could pass thru on a green light occasionally. They have it timed perfectly that you get every light RED. If they don't have a Stop Light at an intersection they make it a four way Stop Signed intersection, that way everyone must stop. I believe that our township and state DOT have someone just drive around and look for an intersection without a Stop Light or Stop Sign so that they can keep the suppliers of Stop Lights and Stop signs in business. It must be a relatives' business.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tom 6850 @ Apr 1 2007, 08:47 AM) [snapback]415908[/snapback]</div> Would'nt the EV mod help you out some? I'm not really sure and would like to know the answer. I live in the country and drive 15 miles to work, not one single traffic light and only one stop to turn left onto the main road, lol.
I too have a stretch of 10 miles of stop lights and speed limits of 40 for the first 3 miles and 35 for the next 7. It is frustrating. I make it easier by out accelerating most of the other cars showing them that the Prius is no slouch, (I accelerate rather briskly) and I always improve my mileage over this period. I average 56 mph for the ten miles. Lots of Pulse and Glide. Make it fun.
same here, new commute is 4 miles with 9 stoplights. drives me crazy! i'm going to try to bike it once i determine that the neighborhood i drive through is safe. right now i'm on the fence about that.
All those stops are frustrating, but at least you have the right car for it. It would only be worse in a conventional automobile. Tom
I have a similar situation: my average drive is about five miles. In that distance are five traffic lights (most which I almost always have to stop at, one often through two cycles) and two stop signs. "Pulse and Glide" is on my list of "things I will never be able to do." Lately I've been getting about 43 MPG (up from a month ago where it was about 37). As it gets even warmer, my MPG will go up. The moral of the story: Any other car would be getting much worse MPG.
I do glide to stops, almost always (I don't if the driver in front of me does something unexpected suddenly, which isn't uncommon). As for timing of lights, in my five minute journey, I am on four different roads whose lights have totally different timing. Yup, traffic is heavy the entire way. Yeah, in the 20-and-less degree weather we had nonstop in February and March, I'd generally get to wherever I have to go before the ICE warmed up. I'll have to check that out. No matter which way I go, I'm looking at one lane each way, heavy traffic, hills, and either lots of stop signs or traffic lights.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Stev0 @ Apr 1 2007, 05:21 PM) [snapback]416079[/snapback]</div> Well, it seems like you've considered all angles. Of course I probably could have concluded that by looking at your post count. Someone with nearly 2000 posts probably has seen and tried most everything. You didn't mention hills, so that adds another wrinkle. I have a couple of pretty steep hills in my cross-town commute, but traffic is generally light enough that I can glide down and gain momentum to help carry me up the next uphill. Regardless, it sounds like your hill-laden, heavy-traffic, one-lane, 30 MPH scenario is an MPG killer (in any vehicle). When you say "glide," is it a truly an ICE-off glide induced by feathering the pedal ever so slightly, or is it just coasting with your foot completely off the pedal? I suspect you have a hard time getting the ICE warm enough for a true glide (in cooler weather anyway), given your speed and the Prius' annoying tendency not to shut the ICE off for glides that begin at < 35 MPH. P&G aside, I really would pursue the EBH. I've been able to boost the MPG in my first 5-minute segment from about 25 to 35-50, depending on the route, OAT, and traffic. It would seem to be most helpful to those such as yourself with short trips on a cold ICE.
Stev0, JimboK is right, an engine block heater and a grill block would help your MPG for a short "traffic controlled" commute. I'll be traveling past you on I-91 early Thursday (coming out of West Haven, CT) and I'll be staying in Sturbridge, MA Friday evening. I can do an install in a parking lot at your work if it works out for you, take 30 minutes. If you have time I could also show you some of my "go and glide" city commute driving. Wayne
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(FireEngineer @ Apr 2 2007, 08:30 AM) [snapback]416371[/snapback]</div> Eww, bad timing. I would love to take you up on your offer, but I'm going away for a week on Wednesday.
