[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by Cresterk

, it's not possible to hold higher speeds for too long on our roads …down considerably. This will reduce your average speed to about the same as if you had just driven normally.

I totally agree with this.

Two recent drives.

A different vehicle with totally different characteristics used on each drive. Driven at marginally different speed ranges over significantly different distances, along very different average road conditions.

1.Trip to Madras and Back. Mini Cooper S. Distance 340kms. 0443hrs to 1030hrs. Speeds driven at- 90-120kmph range. Time taken with one nice breakfast and stretch break. 5 hours 45 mins. Around 60kms per hour average.

2.Trip to Hyderabad and Back. Mahindra Thar. Distance 590kms. 0436hrs to 1500hrs. Speeds driven at- 90-110kmph range. Time taken with four nice breaks washroom, breakfast, coffee, stretch, light lunch. 10 hours 30mins. Around 60kms per hour average.

Nett result: More or less the same average speed.

In India in the conditions in which we live and drive and commute, it is just more sensible to be prudent and sedate.

My Father has always advocated this. And practiced it too. Always.

Typical of the behaviour of a brash young turk, gen-gap and all, I used to disagree and scoff.

Now with a little age advancement on my side, some better quality of enlightenment seems to be dawning upon me, opening my eyes to a ‘better’ way of enjoying my life and my much loved car-driving hobby.

[RGK]

Nice thread. Actually, on a four-lane highway, my sweet spot was 120 kph, and on two-way streets, it was 80–90 kph. But I reduced my speed to 80 -100 kmph few years ago.

I sense these advantages.

1. Feel like I have more leisure time. 2. Better mileage.

It is always advised to maintain the same speed throughout and never change it. I left Trichy a few weeks ago at 8 p.m., and arrived in Chennai at 12 p.m. sharp, travelling 320 kph while keeping a steady speed of 100 kph (Off course the traffic was very normal).

[krishsreedharan]

I call this my "Zen" mode. This started from when I got back to India from a stint in Singapore and my first car then was the Honda City VX CVT. Be gentle with the car and it would reward you with a rapid travel rate without breaking the bank on fuel economy.

After that I transitioned to the Scorpio and this gentle driving style helped. And I found that all those cars zooming around me on the highways did not make it past the next toll gate before I did. And I enjoyed an FE that most likely they did not - on relative terms.

Today, even with I do long distances on my bikes, I set the cruise to around 120kmph and I have found that I enjoy the ride and make good time - not to mention get some pretty good FE for the size of engine.

I would like to do the occasional push to the redline, but in the last 6 years, the gap between each such instance is getting longer and longer.

[KryptonMonkey]

Originally Posted by sreerknair

Precisely the reason why I love CVTs. Even if I want to drive aggressive, the transmission will ask me to go smooth.

Totally echo this statement regarding CVTs. They ensure sedate driving with their acceleration characteristics.

I've realized over a few highway drives that it's difficult to beat Google Maps these days with respect to the ETA unless you drive like an absolute maniac with blatant disregard for traffic rules and speed limits. So a sedate driving style will get you to the destination without breaking much sweat at a similar ETA.

Another factor that seemingly influences sedate driving is the engine. I usually find that I'm a lot more aggressive when I'm wringing a lower-capacity engine (like an 800cc Alto) to extract more power and acceleration. However, when I'm driving a car with a bigger engine (1200cc or more), I'm usually a lot more relaxed knowing that I can accelerate back to high cruising speeds much more effortlessly.

[cpabhijit]

Excellent thread and a fantastic realisation! This is all the more so in the city. Driving in big cities, I always saw that no matter how I drove, the Tata Ace or the lumbering pickup always caught up with me at the next signal. What's the point? Drive sedately and one will get to the destination in almost the same time and in a much better frame of mind. The differential energy spent to shave off the 3-5 mins time is just not worth it.

On highways while one can save quite a bit of time, the additional energy required is disproportionate. My aim on the highways is to drive so smooth that my passengers fall asleep.

And the countless good that all this smooth driving does to your car is unimaginable.

[viXit]

I tried and almost fell asleep at the wheel.

#Devil'sAdvocate

[PrasannaDhana]

Originally Posted by TallBoy

2. To elicit others' views on this topic, and,
3. Hopefully encourage others to try doing the same, even if you feel you are the safest fast driver

I drive 100+ km a say daily.

1. 60% of the times, with CC set at 86 kmph(I like how that number looks, no other reason for that specific figure) at 1600 rpm (1.5 diesel)

2. 40% of the times, I drive at 3000-3750 rpm.

In case 1, I listen to podcasts, relax and have a nice time. The fuel efficiency is great, engine is relaxed, almost no frequent braking/ gear changes required.

In case 2, I have absolute fun. It's a balance. We all love cars because they are fun to drive, don't we? But this fast (not rash) driving does tire out the car as well as the driver when done over hours.

I have done Trichy to Chennai, cruising at unmentionable speeds, 320 km in 3.5 hours including a break. I have done the same distance doing 90 kmph consistently and got just 30 to 45 minutes later. In the latter case, I felt much fresher than the former trip.

Driving sedate is great. But personally, I wouldn't want to be sedate all the time.

[funkykar]

Can relate to this at times. I suffer from a dual personality often. Either being too fast, but from experience, I can say not at all rash, not fast to cause harm to self or others. On the other hand, I am quite obsessed to see how much best FE my driving can fetch. It's like my own assessment, how good can I be? Off late, I subconsciously have shifted to this mode most often. I just love it. Its absolutely not about the savings by driving FE, its a high this sedate driving can give a person. Only those who have experience can understand that.

Some of the figures achieved:
Crysta 2.8 Automatic - 12kmpl last 7-8k kms, including city
Linea MJD - 24-28kmpl last few 1000s of kms, only highway
Ford Endeavor - 11.x for few 1000s of kms
Nano Automatic - 25-27kmpl last few 1000s of kms

[KeepReading]

Interesting thread.

I see the change happening on my side too.

In the initial years of driving, I didnt like getting overtaken. I was not slowing down much while taking turns.
Now, I am OK with someone overtaking me and happy to give to way to someone revving up. Enough slowing down while taking a turn.

I see this way. Experience helped to minimize the scope for mistake and stress free driving.

[Grand Tourer]

Great topic to discuss. There are several factors that lead us to drive rashly, both internal and external. I would classify the internal ones as being things like high energy music (I am a metal fan and love all genres of music being a musician) but I've come to realize that my driving style gets atuned to the music I'm listening, not intentional, so unless I'm in a super good mood on the "open road", I keep my Playlist sedate with rock, blues and pop.

Another internal factor is the mood you are in. You may have read a bad email or some messed up call or discussion at home or at work. This will take a toll on the action we do/try to do on the road.

External factors are things like idiots on the road when driving or ****** bikers who try to irritate when going for a peaceful Sunday morning ride. For the former, I once upon a time tried to be an advocate for proper road manner and ensuring everyone around does the same. Overtime, I've learnt that this just stresses me out. So now, I don't bother and ensure I am following the rules without it letting me stress what others do as long it doesn't impact me. On the topic or ****** bikers, their intent is to get you to speed up so that they ride past you really close or want to race. I gradually slowdown so 20 on the side, so they get irritated and go off. Not sure if this is the right thing to do but it works. If anyone has any advice, please provide some guidance.

There may be many more but I felt these are some areas which may be related to how I see things. Feel free to add/contribute

Thanks
Joe

[Neversaygbye]

I usually reserve my fast driving for highways and that too only when there's a lot of visibility and the road ahead is mostly empty. Even then, I am more careful on Bengal highways because of the unscientific placement of barricades where one least expects it.

I usually drive sedately in the city or when there's a lot of traffic on the highway.

It is my considered opinion that one should drive at the speed that best suits the road, the environmental conditions and the other traffic on the road - obviously driving slowly in the fast lane (which I have seen many motorists do) is just as dangerous as driving fast and weaving in and out of traffic.

[Dafreaking]

@Neversaygbye seems to have summed up my exact thoughts beautifully.

Sedate driving, when done correctly is the way to go, specially given the road and traffic conditions in the big cities.

I believe one needs to make a distinction between fast driving and rash driving. Cruising at 100-120 KM/H on empty highways is ok and I would not consider that rash driving.

[audioholic]

This is a true phenomenon. Even cab drivers in Bengaluru are getting sedate by the day and have realised that they dont gain much by going all over the road and dodging gaps. And I then realised that over longer stretches of road in the city, following these cars gives me a FE benefit.

I am waiting for the day when auto rickshaws and two wheelers also realise this and understand that a constant glide at a suitable speed is more calmer and safer than going in between all sorts of vehicles, fighting for right of way in a junction and what not.

[aps88]

Originally Posted by One

Only wish that sedate driving (apt speed rather than slow speed) did not make one subject to higher chance of collateral damage

Agree on these points, especially on Mumbai traffic , a small gap you maintain in front of you to keep safe distance and some other fast n furious fan cuts into that space without even giving a cursory signal or honk.
Driving sedately needs an inner calm away from the chaos around you.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by TallBoy

My current ride, a 2016 Innova Crysta ZX

With the dimensions of Innova in play. There is no other way to drive it

That said, the advantages I see driving sedately are not steed related.

• You can drive a lot more without abusing your body.
• As an extension of above, you can do longer multi-day trips
• We the drivers in this country are inherently aggressive. A lot of time and route planning comes into play, to avoid situations which can get on your nerves.
• Your co-passengers have both cause and effect on your state of mind you are driving.

Originally Posted by audioholic

Even cab drivers in Bengaluru are getting sedate by the day and have realised that they dont gain much by going all over the road and dodging gaps.

These cabs are likely owned by the driver. I've sat in a few over the years. If the cab driver is the owner, their sense of driving will put private car owners to shame.

I am waiting for the day when auto rickshaws and two wheelers also realise this

This wait autorikshaws to be sedate is eternal. We all will become old and grow past our driving senses.

You can find few 2W who are good riders, but you'll hardly notice them when you are driving yourself. There is enough on your plate than consciously look for sedate riders.