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    Upgrading your ride is not the only way to achieve higher fuel efficiency, because the person driving the car has a big impact themselves. Small changes in one’s driving habits can have drastic effects on one’s fuel consumption and ultimately save money, help the environment, and use less fossil fuel.

    Most Americans simply need to slow down. Most cars achieve their top mpg at 55-60 mph, and the mileage drops significantly at speeds greater than this. We also need to eliminate the turbo-boost starts at the stoplight, not rely on the brakes as much, and try to keep from idling excessively. All these simple, easy changes will help greatly in getting better mileage. If you have a chance to drive a car with an instant gas mileage reading, it’s very easy to see how much these habits matter.

    Keeping your car tuned up will save you money at the pump and extend the life of your car. Basic, simple maintenance is easy and will pay for itself in no time. If you don’t have one already, invest 2 or 3 bucks in a tire pressure gauge. Besides the facts that underinflated tires are dangerous and wear faster, they also cause a drop in mileage. Tires can be several psi under the recommended number and not show appear to be just by looking at it, so make it a habit to check them often. Be sure to also keep up on scheduled maintenance for oil changes, fuel and air filters, spark plugs, coolant, etc… It’s the same case for all these things. A little money and time spent keeping up with the vehicle’s needs is a smart investment both short and long term.

    Try your hardest to keep you car’s weight down. Lugging around your golf clubs on your back all day would hinder your efficiency, so why leave them in the trunk unnecessarily? Other little habits such as cranking the A/C more than it needs to be and driving on the highway with the windows or moon roof down burn more gas.

    I like to keep a log for my car, keeping track of gas mileage and the maintenance schedule. It is so much easier to keep up on this way and I can see my efforts paying off. I am constantly trying to break my record for mpg of one tank, and that helps keeps me motivated while driving.

    I saved the best for last; There is always the option to drive less. Whether it is by carpooling, mass transit, riding a bike, walking, or combining your trips, there are ways to save some miles on the odometer and lessen your personal role in our oil addiction.

    I don’t know about you, but every time I get passed by some moron pushing their V8 to the limit or somebody next to me at the stoplight roasts ‘em like they are at the drag strip, I get a little irritated. Hopefully more and more Americans buy into this mindset with the costs at the pump rising and increasing awareness of environmental issues.

This entry was posted on Monday, November 12th, 2007 at 10:55 pm and is filed under Addiction, Cars, Conservation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.