My wife Libby does not accept me giving her advice easily - she thinks I am getting at her. I guess she has a mild persecution complex
What niggles me is that every time she uses the car - the average economy falls by a few mpg. I know why - she presses too hard on the loud pedal when accelerating, does not anticipate ahead that she is likely to be slowing or stopping and uses the brakes to stop. Thus defeating the benefits of having a hybrid.
On Monday we visited friends 42 miles (68km) away and I drove. I decided to make it a driving lesson and gave a running commentary on when and how I was using the brake and the accelerator, how I was anticipating the road ahead and taking my foot off early to let the car gradually slow to a junction which regenerates the battery. I explained that the perfect drive was when you never had to use the brake, accelerated gently from a standing start and never allowed people tailgating you to cause you to drive any faster. All things she is frankly not good at. When I returned home the car had averaged an indicated 61.7 mpg (4.6L/100k)
Today she had the car to go out with her sister and did a round trip of 71 miles - 75% being on the M42 and M5 motorways. It was teeming with rain when she got home and me, being chivalrous, put the car in the garage for her. When I switched the engine off I noted that she had averaged a theoretical 64.9 mpg (4.3 l/100k) over the 71 miles (114 km).
I guess my preaching bore fruit at last. She was really chuffed at having been more economical than me. I didn't spoil it by telling her that my journey was in heavy holiday traffic in a high wind and with the temperature at 6oC whereas today her trip was mainly motorway in light wind and a temperature of 12oC
