The Latest Craze on South Dakota Highways? Hypermiling

With gas and diesel prices as high as they are, some people are doing just about everything they can to squeeze a few more miles out of a tank of gas. Maybe you're one of these Hyper-Milers or maybe you've been caught driving behind one of them either here in Sioux Falls or along I-90 or I-29 or one of our state highways. So, what is a hypermiler? Here you go.

First of all, here's the description: the practice of making adjustments to a vehicle or using driving techniques that will maximize the vehicle's fuel economy.

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Here are a few of the things you can do, to officially become a hypermiler.

Roll up your windows. Windows down equals additional wind drag on your ride. Sorry Rover, bring that nose in, Daddy has miles to make!

Use Cruise Control. No, not that kind, but the one on your steering column. Use it, given when driving in town. Almost all the time, using your cruise control is much more efficient than trying it yourself. Hypermilers also suggest driving barefoot to have a 'better feel' for the accelerator and the feel for the power plant.

Empty the Trunk. Extra weight equals lower mileage. Keep your ride light and efficient.

Keep an eye on the traffic and traffic lights. Hypermilers rarely use their breaks. If you see someone gradually decelerating and you see a stop sign 4 blocks ahead, you might be following a hypermiler. You can tell because you most likely will never see a brake light come on. (hey, it saves on brakes on your vehicle too)

Some 'overinflate' their tires. This can be dangerous, especially as the weather becomes hotter and isn't suggested. BUT, make sure you have your tires aired up to their maximum pressure for maximum mileage.

Have you ever noticed that colder weather equals lower mileage? Some put a piece of cardboard in front of their radiator for in-town driving. (remember to take it off if you're taking a trip down the highway so you don't overheat.

Play the hills. Riding with my Dad in the truck growing up I noticed that he would hit the gas going down the hills and try to play the roll-up, with less acceleration heading up the hills. That along with coasting to stop signs and staying off the breaks is key. The goal is to not stop. Starting up again requires additional fuel.

Slow Down, but Not Too Slow. Driving 70mph instead of 55mph can cost a 17% loss in fuel economy.

These are just a few of the suggestions. What about you? Are you a hypermiler, or a hyper, let's just get going and a 'get there faster driver'? I'd love to hear from you. Oh, and thank you for hitting the 'share button' on this story. Daddy needs pageviews for, you guessed it, gas money.

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