How do you start off at a stoplight? Gradually accelerate or hit the gas? (lane, mileage)

[IonRedline08]

I like to do a peel out and see if I can chirp the tires...

I would say I am average, I don't tear off the line.

That being said, my car has a supercharger, and I LOVE to wind it out in second and third gears. I love hearing it kick on, the sound it makes is awesome.

[sonarrat]

Where I live, you have the same chance of being the first one at a stoplight as you do of becoming the Pope. Folks seem to have lead feet though, that is, unless you're behind them.

[Innovator831021]

Considering how annoyed I get waiting behind a line of cars at a light and it takes 5 minutes after the light has turned green for the movement to reach me... i try and get moving right away and I do not wait for the person in front of me to get 3 car lengths away before I start to move, I really hate when people do that.

[Oldsmobile]

Originally Posted by wheelsup

I hit the gas, and accelerate to cruise speed quickly to get into a more efficient top gear. However if it's a red light 200 ft up obviously that goes out the window.

I used to go slowly and noticed my mileage was less doing so. Instant mileage is better, but long term is worse.

I tend to accelerate gradually, but my wife has quite a lead foot and she gets BETTER mileage than me!

[Majordomo]

I like to hit the gas because I quit racing but still have the need for speed. I don't like seeing cars take off in front of me so I don't let them. I pulled off from a light once and accidently raced a 305 Regal, they thought they had something. I wish I could have seen the look on their face after I actually hit it. I don't think anyone with a built roots type blower can resist mashing the gas. The sound is addictive.

[Swampmonster]

Since the fuel prices have went down (my truck has a 454 in it) I do it like this....As the other traffic light turns to yellow ,I mash the throttle to the floor until I'm floating the valves and when my light turns green,I side step the clutch and smoke the tires thru the intersection (all four back tires that is,I drive a dually) and never let off the gas as I speed shift through the next 4 gears ...effectively spilling the coffee/soft drinks/ash trays into the laps of all of my passengers

When the fuel prices were in the $4 per gal range I would just sit at the stop light until the folks behind me were so pissed off that they would start ramming me from behind until I had some momentum up and then I would ease off the clutch and continue on to the next stop light where I would repeat the process all over again.Fun for the whole family

[M3 Mitch]

I take off from the dead stop rather gently to get the clutch engaged as quickly as possible, then get the throttle open about 1/2 way (assuming I can do that, safely and adequate traction, wouldn't do this in snow) and short-shift at something like 2000 RPM in the Roc, about 2500 to 2700 in the M, BMW did a study back in the '80's that concluded that opening the throttle more and shifting up sooner (don't overdo it though) gave the best mileage on acceleration. On CIS systems you can even to go full throttle since they don't enrich, on EFI systems you would ideally open the throttle just short of the system going into open loop (ignoring O2 sensor and going to rich mixture)

Now with a carb, the speed that you mash down the loud pedal needs to be kept below one that would actuate the accelerator pump, and like the EFI you would want to open the throttle just shy of the power valve opening.

[Coldjensens]

I can do 0-60 in about 5.7. I am not about to baby it.

I usally shoot up tot he speed limit or just above it and stay there. Speeding rarely gets you there any significantly faster, unless it is a long trip and you go 90-100.

[shiphead]

balls to the wall! Then a red light appears.

[T. Damon]

I keep reading that it is better to accelerate quickly (not mash the throttle) and get to efficient gears quickly- if you have a manual, shift quickly at fairly low RPMs, hard to lug an engine these days.
Our mid sized crossover seems to get better gas mileage if you don't accelerate like a grandma.