Got gas? Those happy hypermilers sure do

June 3, 2008 – 1:54 pm

With gas costing more than a college education, I’ve become quite the hypermiler.

Hypermilers are drivers who exceed EPA estimated mileage on their vehicles and reduce emissions by modifying their driving habits.

You know who we are.

We’re the ones who avoid the accelerator and go 10 miles under the speed limit with our vehicles set on cruise control.

There used to be another term for this kind of person — old.

But the beauty of $4 a gallon gas — if there is beauty in high-priced petrol — is that even the 20-somethings and hot-rodders are starting to look for ways to save money on gas consumption.

Some hypermilers who own hybrids claim to exceed 100 miles per gallon, but even those who do not own a hybrid can learn how to hypermile and raise their vehicles’ fuel economy.

If you can’t move to Caracas, Venezuela — where gas is only 12 cents a gallon — here’s how to start practice hypermiling and start saving some money at the pump:

• Keep your foot off the accelerator except when absolutely necessary. When you come to a stop, coast a little before you step on the gas and then step on it lightly. If you have teenage drivers, teach them this trick, if nothing else. If that fails, threaten to ship them to Caracas, Venezuela.

• Drive the speed limit or slightly below. I go 10 miles an hour below the posted speed limit many times, but I must warn you: This causes hypertension in many other non-hypermilers  who are likely to hyperventilate and run your hypermiling-@#$ off the hyperway.

• Use the cruise control whenever possible. This will not only save you gas, but as a DeKalb County Police officer recently told me while writing a speeding ticket, “It will prevent you from having to fork over that $155 that you were saving for new patio furniture to traffic court.