I get better gas mileage not using cruise control.  My experience is that with cruise control, the device will run up and down the gears to keep the speed constant.  That may be a function of my driving speeds, under 65, usually at 60.  With the camper (no cruise control, manual transmission) I usually get around 20 mpg on the highway, better at high altitudes.  With the Prius (which has cruise control) I usually get around 52-55 mpg on the highway at 60 mph, but if I engage cruise control, it drops to around 42.  Probably because with the Prius, I have learned to modulate rpms to keep the mpg up.  With the camper, I try to maintain rpms at a level that will allow me to stay in a higher gear, even on hills to the degree possible.  mcneely

---- Stuart MacMillan <stuartmacm@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
> I'm enviously contemplating your time to contemplate in the desert SW!  This is why you get better gas mileage with cruise control.  We humans have to be doing something all the time or we fall asleep.
>
> Stuart
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of dhanson928@gmail.com
> Sent: Friday, January 25, 2013 10:58 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Fri. Gas pedal control..
>
>
> I am camping within earshot of a long flat section of county highway.  Desert southwest, where it is often very quiet...I can often hear individual vehicles as they travel the road for perhaps 4 miles.  It is quite surprising how many drivers seem unaware of what their right foot's doing....they'll push the gas, then let off, push, let off.....erratically, too, not like they're tapping their foot along to a song on their mp3 or anything.  Curious, and only worthy of comment because I'm stuck inside my van by a warm rainfall this morning

--
David McNeely