Who plans to NOT change their driving behavior with a Leaf?

[hodad66]

After the test drive I'm sure that I will
be driving as I always do. The torque
on the Leaf feels great off the line.

 

[vkruger]

I've had my Leaf for over a month now. There have been some changes in my driving habits:

1) I accelerate much faster from stops and on entrance ramps. There is very little penalty in an electric motor to deliver the energy needed to get to a certain speed much quicker (I^2R losses).

2) I drive more miles. My turbo Audi cost ~$0.17/mi (and more on short trips) the Leaf <$0.03/mi. Short trips are now guilt free.

3) I droped my commute speed from ~80mph to ~75mph and a lane or 2 to the right. All the great usage information slows me down a little.

4) I smile more when driving!

 

[gasmiser1]

My commute length isn't an issue, so chances are I'll drive it like I drive my BMW. Slowly, like an old man around town, and 80 in the left lane on the way home when I haven't hit traffic. :mrgreen:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brendan-

You rebel :lol:

 

[BlueSL]

I am surprised how many people intend to try to drive their Leaf below the speed limit. I think that is plain dangerous and selfish because of what it does to the flow of the lane.

I drive my Altima Hybrid just like a regular car, except for obvious opportunities to use regenerative braking (coasting down hill, long slow braking as I approach lights at the end of an offramp, etc.). I will drive my Leaf the same way. And charge that puppy to 100% nightly because I'm leasing!

 

[smkettner]

Deleted, off topic

 

[DWrath]

I will probably drive the Leaf like I drive my Prius, trying to squeeze out as many miles as I can. It's probably that competitive nature, when I see how many mpg or "trees" I'm getting, I want to get more. Although when I drive my Mini, I'm a bat out of hades (no display telling me how many trees I'm killing).

 

[TRONZ]

Interestingly, I don't care about my driving style any longer. I just do whatever I want to do. No more creeping away from stop lights to "save" gas. Looking around at gas station signs for the cheapest price. Driving the LEAF is just very relaxing and liberating.... plus darn good fun when you stomp on it!!! :twisted:

 

[Stoaty]

I am surprised how many people intend to try to drive their Leaf below the speed limit. I think that is plain dangerous and selfish because of what it does to the flow of the lane.

Perhaps where you drive that is the case, but I often find myself driving 50 MPH in the second lane from the right (on the 101 or 405 freeway) and moving with the flow of traffic. When we drive my brother's Prius at 55 MPH on the 10 Freeway on the weekend in the right hand lane there are often cars that are slower than us. Thus I don't see any evidence that my driving is impeding the flow of traffic.

 

[TomT]

+10!

I am surprised how many people intend to try to drive their Leaf below the speed limit. I think that is plain dangerous and selfish because of what it does to the flow of the lane.

I drive my Altima Hybrid just like a regular car, except for obvious opportunities to use regenerative braking (coasting down hill, long slow braking as I approach lights at the end of an offramp, etc.). I will drive my Leaf the same way. And charge that puppy to 100% nightly because I'm leasing!

 

[garygid]

I tried driving my Prius at 65 in the 2nd to rightmost I-5 or 405 freeway lane, and was being passed "swoosh" by much faster traffic on BOTH sides.

Not really comfortable.

Driving in the rightmost lane, there is too much merging traffic, and too many drivers "diving" through it to get to exits, to be really safe.

Very uncomfortable!

 

[jkirkebo]

I am surprised how many people intend to try to drive their Leaf below the speed limit. I think that is plain dangerous and selfish because of what it does to the flow of the lane.

Hmm, over here the large trucks are speed-limited to 53-55mph by design, is that not so in the USA ? I usually keep in the right lane on the highways, 100m or so behind a big truck. It does nothing to the flow of traffic.

The highway speed-limit is 62mph over here.

 

[TomT]

I'm not sure where "over here" is but in the U.S. 65-70 for trucks is a common real-world speed on the interstates.

I am surprised how many people intend to try to drive their Leaf below the speed limit. I think that is plain dangerous and selfish because of what it does to the flow of the lane.

Hmm, over here the large trucks are speed-limited to 53-55mph by design, is that not so in the USA ? I usually keep in the right lane on the highways, 100m or so behind a big truck. It does nothing to the flow of traffic.

The highway speed-limit is 62mph over here.

 

[jkirkebo]

I'm not sure where "over here" is but in the U.S. 65-70 for trucks is a common real-world speed on the interstates.

Europe. Max permitted speed for trucks are 80km/h, they have speed limiters installed so they can't go much faster than 85km/h.

 

[DaveEV]

I'm not sure where "over here" is but in the U.S. 65-70 for trucks is a common real-world speed on the interstates.

And it's also very common for trucks to be speed limited to 55 mph as well.

 

[jrreno]

If(dependent on Nissan opening up the order process again!) I ever get one I plan to drive the way I do now. Of course that is more along the lines of non-agressive driving but 5 miles over the limit. I should add that my commute is 12 miles so I will have plenty of buffer

 

[planet4ever]

I'm not sure where "over here" is but in the U.S. 65-70 for trucks is a common real-world speed on the interstates.

I guess it must be different in the Southland. Up here in the Bay Area, at least where I do most of my driving on 101 and 680, most trucks travel at a steady 60 MPH in the right lane - unless the traffic forces them to go slower.

As for people darting in front of me to take an exit, yes, that does happen, but so what? If I'm 2 seconds behind a truck there is plenty of room for them to slide across two lanes between us without me having to slow down. Or maybe you are referring to the folks who try to get into the right lane 1/4 mile before the exit. They also pull in front of me at times, and I do slow a bit to give them space, but it doesn't bother me, because I'm sure they won't be there long.

Ray

 

[TomT]

On the 5, 10 and 101 down here in Southern California, when traffic does not preclude it obviously, 65 is very common. On the 15, 70 is not uncommon.

I'm not sure where "over here" is but in the U.S. 65-70 for trucks is a common real-world speed on the interstates.

I guess it must be different in the Southland. Up here in the Bay Area, at least where I do most of my driving on 101 and 680, most trucks travel at a steady 60 MPH in the right lane - unless the traffic forces them to go slower.

As for people darting in front of me to take an exit, yes, that does happen, but so what? If I'm 2 seconds behind a truck there is plenty of room for them to slide across two lanes between us without me having to slow down. Or maybe you are referring to the folks who try to get into the right lane 1/4 mile before the exit. They also pull in front of me at times, and I do slow a bit to give them space, but it doesn't bother me, because I'm sure they won't be there long.

Ray

 

[AndyH]

I don't particularly plan to change the way I drive (spirited at times, but mostly "eco mode").

I do, however, plan to drive a lot more!

I work from home and suffer from extreme carbon guilt. I hate spewing any unnecessary emissions, so don't leave the house much. I plan to get out a lot more with the LEAF!

A kindred spirit!

I also work from home and have significantly cut-back on driving. I absolutely look forward to taking joy rides and any other excuse to get out of the office!

(As an aside, my boss is pro-EV but can be a jerk from time to time. At least he lets me plug-in at work. :lol: )

 

[GerryAZ]

I have no intention to grow "trees" on my dashboard. I am looking forward to an April delivery for "guilt-free" acceleration combined with regenerative braking!

Gerry

 

[BnBinSD]

I live in Alpine, east San Diego county (elev. 1,900 ft), so Hwy 8 is what i usually drive for the ~10 miles into El Cajon. I generally expect to drive 65 unless I find that the climb back causes a calamitous battery drain. That will be a change from the 70-75 I typically drive at, but I'm willing to drive the right-hand lane.

Some funny/scary right-hand lane experiences I've had - in El Cajon - driving 65 approaching the 67 exit, I watched a car in my rearview mirror in the far left lane doing at least 85-90 cut across the lanes and pass immediately behind me, zip to my right into the 67 exit, then whip back in front of me, accelerating and weaving back to the left. I've also experienced a pickup (3 times) pass all backed up traffic (homeward-bound traffic doing ~45) by driving onto the center median, spraying everyone with gravel, dirt, and dust.

But my scariest-ever right-hand lane experience was driving the 80 over the mountains from California to Reno. It was snowing, a fair buildup on the road and I was driving 55-60 in the right lane. Truckers were zipping past me doing 65-70 - I know 'cause I matched speed a couple times. Then going down the steep grade into Reno, those suckers were hitting 78! I sped up to ~82 to get past a cluster of about 7 trucks that i'd gotten trapped in the middle of. Wish they'd have had speed limiters!