How far is the descent off either side of Shap on the M6?
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What's the furthest you've coasted in your car?
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Posted 1 year ago #
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I once did 7 miles without touching the controls. Long straight uncambered desert road in Arizona on cruise control. Could have got in the back and had a picnic. I didn't obviously, that would be silly.
Posted 1 year ago # -
*ponders Glenshee down to Braemar
Posted 1 year ago # -
coasting from level 5 to ground exit in my local multi-storey carpark is about a fun as it gets round here.
gotta keep the nerve to stay off the brakes at the tight turns into the ramps, avoiding swiping off the front wing of those badly parked 4x4s.....
Posted 1 year ago # -
How far is the descent off either side of Shap on the M6?
Mmmm, good call, I go that way a few times a year.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Does the throttle stop feeding the fuel required to idle the engine, just because you're in gear and coasting?
Your mechanical losses are greater in gear as you're turning the engine more quickly. Do you burn less fuel? Which is the greater effect?
When on overrun (in gear, but no pedal), a modern engine will inject zero fuel and use the flywheel effect of the engine to keep it turning. Only once the engine approaches idle speed will the idle governor kick in and start putting fuel in. You would use much less fuel by 'coasting' in gear, accelerating gently when starting to slow down a bit and then coasting in gear again than you would be cutting the engine and starting it if you need power steering! Not to mention that losing power steering, brake servo etc is not the most sensible idea....
Posted 1 year ago # -
dazh - In my extensive experiments to save fuel on motorways I've always found that coasting in top gear slows me down too much. Even on big downhills like the M62.
The best fuel saving option I've found is to sit 20m behind a lorry at 56 mph. I once managed 89mpg in my Focus 1.6 estate doing this between Oxfordshire and Manchester. Bloody boring though. Every now and again I'd change lorries for a different view.
I think I'll be trying that soon. Although at 56mph fuel economy would be pretty good anyway in my 307SW, get around 50mpg normally.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Not huge distances but the A68 from the border signpost (towards England) is a good one. Not as much fun as trying to coast up and down the blind crests a few miles later
Posted 1 year ago # -
I sit in the slow lane on the motorway till a coach overtakes and get a 'tow' until either he or I turn off (they do 70mph unlike lorries
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Posted 1 year ago # -
Ran out of petrol going from deep springs to big pine, so we coasted down Ott of the mountains. It was ten miles or so.
Posted 1 year ago # -
ahh whispering sixth as it used to be known, maybe should be seventh now. Do it as much as possible to eeek out the diesel.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I sit in the slow lane on the motorway till a coach overtakes and get a 'tow' until either he or I turn off (they do 70mph unlike lorries )
Yeah coaches are better, but you have to drive closer to compensate for the higher speed. This also has an added dimension as usually there are other drivers doing the same, and you end up competing with them for the spot behind the coach. My tactic in this scenario is to try to anticipate when the coach will need to change lanes, then draw alongside the car behind and let the coach in with a flash of the lights.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Drafting is a great fuel saver but conflicts somewhat with the "Only a fool ignores the two second rule" idea.
Posted 1 year ago # -
How far from Glenshee Ski Centre to Braemar? Must be around 5-6 miles?
Posted 1 year ago # -
I don't think you can coast from Glenshee to Braemar, as there is an uphill section about 1-2 miles from Braemar.
Posted 1 year ago #
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