How to Change Your Driving Habits and Save Gas?
We know what you’re thinking: we’re going to nag you about slowing down in the name of fuel economy. Well, you’re partly right. But we’re not going to pull a Jimmy Carter on you and say you should drive 55 mph. That would be dangerous and probably not help the cause of energy conservation.
Here are some tips to help you reduce the amount of gas you use. If you are already following these tips, you are probably getting the best gas mileage your car can deliver:
- Swear off drag racing. Gas is consumed more quickly during hard acceleration so if
you spare the horses when you get the green light, you stand to improve your mileage significantly. By tapping an SUV’s big V8 routinely, for example, your mileage could drop from 16 to 12 miles per gallon. That doesn’t sound like much but, in fact, it is a 25-percent reduction. Over the life of the car, the savings will add up.
- Look farther down the road. Do you really need to accelerate right up to a stoplight? Why not back off the accelerator if that traffic light two blocks away is red? Glide until you get the green and then accelerate moderately. This not only saves gas but also your brake pads.
- Pick your lane and stick with it. Traffic studies have shown that changing lanes doesn’t result in a significantly reduced travel time. So why not choose your lane and put it in cruise control? This avoids constant surging as you speed into the open lane. It will lower your fuel consumption and your blood pressure.
- Pretend you’re a hybrid. Ever notice how people like to leave their cars idling while they talk to their neighbor or jump out to run an errand? This wastes more gas than you would think. Most hybrids save gas by automatically shutting off at stoplights. We’re not suggesting you do this. But if you are going to be motionless for a few minutes, shut ‘er down.
- Don’t drive. How can “don’t drive” be a driving tip? Well, we won’t argue the point.
Walk, bike, take a bus, or carpool when possible. Use your car only when necessary. Public transportation authorities often have carpooling information as well as transit services. If you own more than one vehicle, drive the one that gets the best gas mileage whenever possible
- Drive on off-peak hours. Sitting in traffic isn’t much fun for you or your car. You could try adjusting your schedule to avoid the traffic jams. You will save time and quite a lot of fuel. If you can’t change your work schedule, arrive early and spend the time in the gym, reading a book or doing extra work. Wouldn’t you rather be doing something for yourself than burning gas sitting in traffic?
- Look for telecommuting opportunities. Does your employer insist on lots of “face time”? With rising gas prices and congested freeways, working from home one day a week might be an option that your employer will consider. Tell them that the time you save commuting you will use to increase your productivity.
- Don’t try to prove yourself on the streets. Street racing isn’t as fun and easy as it looks in The Fast and the Furious. In fact, we know professional racecar drivers who drive cautiously around town. One veteran racer said, “I prove myself on the track, not on the streets.” Furthermore, the pros know that logging good track times is all about being smooth and efficient, not hammering the gas and squealing the tires.
- Avoid carrying unneeded items in the trunk. Extra weight decreases gas mileage. Also, reduce drag by placing items inside the car or trunk rather than on roof racks.
- Release the emergency brake. This tip saves a bundle. You’ve already done it? OK. But at least we got a longer-looking list of recommendations. Seriously, though, check the trunk and see if you’re carrying around a lot of extra weight. Take out the sacks of concrete and you might notice an improvement in your fuel economy.
Don’t refill your tank until the last quarter tank but don’t push this any further. Doing this can extend your gas because you are hauling a lighter fuel load. It also gives you the opportunity to buy more gas if you run across a bargain. However, in cold weather, you run an increased risk of condensation in the fuel tank. Running a car with less than a quarter tank can shorten the life of the electric fuel pump and running on empty will often destroy the pump because it is forced to run constantly trying to pressurize fuel since it often has access to only air. The hard-running pump motor then overheats because it needs a bath of liquid fuel to transfer operational heat to and it also loses pressure building ability because its internal seals needs gas to lubricate against friction. Keeping the tank one-quarter full also is a safety issue as you never know when you might experience an emergency and need gasoline in your car!
EXTRA TIPS
Install pressure regulator valve (sold in auto parts stores)… Use graphite motor oil… Beware of oil additives, regardless of advertising claims… Add Marvel Mystery Oil into gas fill-ups… Investigate fuel/water injection methods and products… combine short errands into one trip… Use special gas additives to prevent winter freezing of gas lines!
As you can see, looking for ways to improve fuel economy is a state of mind. We hope our list has jogged a few new thoughts and showed you that there may be more options than you realized.
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