04-14-2008, 01:12 AM
Good questions and commentary. Perhaps it's time for a change in the experiment.
turning off the car: When at a long light, or waiting for someone I'm picking up, I shut it off. I do NOT turn the car off while it's moving. Sure, I can without locking the steering (you don't turn the key all the way), but I don't like the idea of having no power available if some nimrod comes at me in an SUV.
I really didn't wash it. Really.
I coast with the shift in neutral. It's using gas to turn the engine, but not parasitically keeping the engine running by taking kinetic energy away from the wheels.
Surge and coast means that I cost when I can, and will speed up to 5-10 over the limit, then coast back down. When on the highway I use the cruise control.
And yes, I try to avoid using the brakes.
turning off the car: When at a long light, or waiting for someone I'm picking up, I shut it off. I do NOT turn the car off while it's moving. Sure, I can without locking the steering (you don't turn the key all the way), but I don't like the idea of having no power available if some nimrod comes at me in an SUV.
I really didn't wash it. Really.
I coast with the shift in neutral. It's using gas to turn the engine, but not parasitically keeping the engine running by taking kinetic energy away from the wheels.
Surge and coast means that I cost when I can, and will speed up to 5-10 over the limit, then coast back down. When on the highway I use the cruise control.
And yes, I try to avoid using the brakes.