Monday, April 03, 2006

How to stop guzzling gas

How to stop guzzling gas
Helpful tips to maximize your miles per gallon

Conservation has three basic parts: driving habits, vehicle maintenance and vehicle selection. For many, the toughest thing about saving gas is breaking old habits.

This is one of the best articles I have found. Click the link and read the article.

I would add a few things.

The first is to establish a weekly budget for your gasoline spending and do your best to stay within the budget. The article mentions combining trips, but I would go a step further. Instead of running errands to the supermarket or dry cleaners every day, why not turn those trips into once or twice weekly trips. How about leaving the car in the driveway every other day instead of taking it on the road everyday.

The second is what I call minimizing the joy rides. I bought a pedometer and I am supposed to walk at least 5,000 daily and during the winter I go to different malls in the area for diversityto perform my mallwalks. You can usually identify mallwalkers because they usually wear running type shoes and comfortable clothes while walking briskly around the inside perimeter of the mall and usually do not carry any merchandise. Sometimes they take their pulse or check their pedometers. With the warm weather, I hope to get my steps at the local park and next winter I will concentrate on walking outdoors when it is still nice, but to go to the closest mall the rest of the time.

The second set of joy rides is seeking the best food across the state which is another reason why I should walk more than 5,000 steps daily. I like Harolds for pastrami sandwiches, the Cheesecake Factory for cheesecake, IHOP, Dennys, or Bob Evans for an occasional breakfast, Pinnochio's for chicken parmesan, White Castle for an occassional vanilla shake, Old Country Buffet for a quick dinner, Stewarts for a hot dog and root beer, Famous Daves for barbeque, and other places. All in all, I should seek healthier foods and either eat them at home or find closer restaurants.

I think more than half of the vehicles on the road can easily be downsized to the next lower sized vehicle. I think that personal vehicles with 8 cylinders are a waste unless you need to pull a trailer, if you are lucky enough to have a boat or trailer home. When we need a new vehicle, I think most of us should downsize. All government passenger vehicles should be downsized except for maybe half of the police patrol cars. Many government workers including elected officials should not be provided with a government vehicle for personal use...it is a huge waste of taxpayer money. Most government officials are paid very well and can afford their own vehicles. Some are paid so well that I think it is obnoxious for them to demand government paid vehicles.

Finally, I think the best solution is when it is clear for us to go out ot buy either a hybrid, flex fuel, electric battery powered vehicle charged from an electric outlet, or fuel cell powered car.
Right now it is as clear as mud.

What do you think? Please add your comments.