Autoblog Audi High Mileage Marathon Blog Promotes Dangerous Driving

Robert Farago
by Robert Farago

It’s hard to know which aspect of hypermiling is the most dangerous. Switching off your engine to coast? A soup tureen of not good. Driving more slowly than the surrounding traffic flow? A plunge pool of uh-uh. How about drafting an 18-wheeler? Let me put it this way: I’m watching Final Destination 2 right now. And yet, in Sam Abuelsamid’s latest installment of “And Now for Something Completely Mundane,” Autoblog‘s main man is happy to do just that– as are some of his new best buds. Before I share this excerpt, a word to the wise: NEVER DO THIS. “Jim managed to get hooked up behind a semi that was cruising at a good clip for an extended period of time, while we had trouble finding any trucks running faster than 60-65 mph. The day before, on the trip from Chicago, we tied at 28.8 mpg although Jim and Kevin had a slightly higher average speed at 63 mph vs our 60 mph. We’ve since become aware of a couple of tricks that seem to be helping, which I’ll divulge at a later time. Never let it be said that journalists aren’t competitive. As I finish writing this paragraph, a slightly faster truck passed us, and Steve has slipped in behind it. As we slid past, I glanced over to see a very unprofessional finger gesture from Mr. Kelly. Kevin and I will be discussing that tonight over steaks in Amarillo.” Note to Audi PR minders: someone needs a bitch slapping.

Robert Farago
Robert Farago

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  • Joeaverage Joeaverage on Oct 13, 2008

    I agree - if you buy a thirsty beast then deal with what it consumes. If you really wanted good mileage then you should have bought something that would have delivered it in the first place. Besides the auto body repair shop bill is going to evaporate any gains you made saving fuel if you need a new front end from rear ending a tractor-trailer, and the hospital stay from a tread flying through your windshield and the ensuing rollover because the driver panicked is going to wipe out alot of fuel savings too. Wanna save fuel? Drive slower. Or not at all.

  • Rpn453 Rpn453 on Oct 13, 2008

    28.8 mpg? Is that supposed to be good?

  • Chris724 Chris724 on Oct 13, 2008

    The semi thing does work. I was able to acheive a steady 40mpg in a '99 Dodge Caravan at 65mph. But I already knew that from watching Mythbusters. I don't make a habit of it. But I have changed my daily driving style to improve milage. I keep it at 70 on the freeway, since I've noticed a sharp dropoff past that.

  • R H R H on Oct 15, 2008

    I agree hypermiling is BS & dangerous to boot. There are TONS of options to save gas without endangering yourself or annoying the hell out of others. The funniest thing is to see a single person in a supersize SUV going down the highway in the right lane so they can hit there 20'ish mpg highway when I can do some hoonage and cruise @ 75-80 & get double+ that on my gas guzzling sportbike.

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