Do you find yourself driving your car like you ride your bike?

I don't roll through stops or anything (I don't on my bike, either), but I definitely have to catch myself from yelling out "car back" when driving with my husband. Just today, we were carpooling in to work together and I yelled "clear" as we were backing out onto our road! :o

Oh, I also find myself getting annoyed with cars that slow as I follow them down a hill....like "come on...there's an uphill up ahead - don't lose momentum!" :rolleyes:

When I first got my Prius, I was intentionally driving it like I rode a bike. Drafting behind big SUV's (even at a safe distance) made a real difference in mpg, so used my knowledge of how to conserve energy on a bike on a long ride to get better mileage on my car! (coasting down hills, using momentum to get up hills, slowing but not completely stopping at turns, drafting behind vehicles or staying in traffic instead of pulling into the left lane to pass when on a highway, etc).

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Originally Posted by GLC1968

When I first got my Prius, I was intentionally driving it like I rode a bike. Drafting behind big SUV's (even at a safe distance) made a real difference in mpg, so used my knowledge of how to conserve energy on a bike on a long ride to get better mileage on my car! (coasting down hills, using momentum to get up hills, slowing but not completely stopping at turns, drafting behind vehicles or staying in traffic instead of pulling into the left lane to pass when on a highway, etc).

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Yep....(except I am a compulsive "must see 0 on the speedometer" at stop signs driver). And coasting when the light is red to save any momentum I've built up. I toyed with once writing an article on how to get better gas mileage by driving your car like a long-distance cyclist...

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Originally Posted by GLC1968

When I first got my Prius, I was intentionally driving it like I rode a bike. Drafting behind big SUV's (even at a safe distance) made a real difference in mpg, so used my knowledge of how to conserve energy on a bike on a long ride to get better mileage on my car! (coasting down hills, using momentum to get up hills, slowing but not completely stopping at turns, drafting behind vehicles or staying in traffic instead of pulling into the left lane to pass when on a highway, etc).

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Here is more info on car driving tips that help you get better gas mileage (techniques now called "hypermiling"):
hypermilinggastips

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Originally Posted by BleeckerSt_Girl

Here is more info on car driving tips that help you get better gas mileage (techniques now called "hypermiling"):
hypermilinggastips

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Yeah, but often the 'hypermilers' cause traffic problems and dangerous situations. I was trying to find the balance between the two...good milage and safe driving.

(Of course, we've since sold the Prius - my bike gets better mileage :p)

I'm always catching myself using hand signals to indicate turns when I am pushing a shopping cart down the isles at the grocery store. This is a little odd given that I don't always signal when on the bike--only on high traffic roads with lots of stops.
I also find myself trying to get down town in the car via a route that uses the interurban trail.

I don't really think I drive like I ride. I do notice every little change in grade and wonder how hard it would be to ride up each one. In fact this summer, in NH we were driving up a huge incline on a state highway and I said, "I sure would hate to ride up this one." Guess what? The next day our planned route went right on this road!
I am more aware of cyclists, too, of which there are many around where I live. And I am constantly struck by how many drivers are on phones, even when I am in my car. But I still drive pretty much the same way: too fast.

gee, and I thought you were talking swapping out the pedals for SPD's:p
But, seriously, I do the same behavoirs. stop at lights and stops sign. I did a 2 year consultng gig with the Viriginia State Police about 10 years back, so I got stuck on the Anal side, Plus I am Quality Assurance engineer.:o
I do find myself looking for my glasses mounted mirror when I'm walking.

When a passenger I've had to remind my husband numerous times not to anticipate the green light and start rolling through. :eek: After a while I figured it out - He didn't realize he was driving like the way he rides. Anywhere we go we/he think of what it would be like to be on bikes. I as a beginner put myself in the cyclist's shoes & study what s/he does riding.

I'm very careful with cyclists & want to smack people in cars who aren't. We also make smart remarks about cyclists who don't wear helmets or ride dangerously in traffic. I'm a careful driver so I guess I ride my bike like how I drive.

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Originally Posted by gingerale

I can't say I drive like I bike. But! I examine every single hill I drive up and down thinking to myself how hard I might have to work up one and how great it would be to fly down another. lol! Then I start wishing I had my bike with me so I could get out there and ride bigger ones to see how well I can make it up them. I'm crazy, I'm sure.

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Not crazy! I do this, too! I'll even say to my husband, "Wow, that's some grade" on hills I would never have noticed before in a car.

I also found myself thinking about drafting behind a semi today. :-) Never would have thought about that before becoming a cyclist!

And leaning the wrong direction through a turn drives me absolutely nuts. Sometimes I force my body to lean the proper way ;)