Fuel Saver Strategy #5
Always consolidate your daily trips and errands. Sounds obvious isn't it? But ever so often we are guilty of making that 4th trip to the same grocery store in a week. Consolidate your trips, rearrange your schedules and you'll find that you could actually have more time on your hands to be more productive than just spending more time in your car. So at the end of the day you save time and you're a fuel saver!
I realized that in the process of being a fuel saver, I am saving more than just fuel. Looking back at the previous strategy (#3), being a fuel saver has many side benefits. It can help save on maintenance costs, your life, the earth and now your time. Ain't it great?
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Friday, June 20, 2008
Simple Fuel Saver Strategies
Fuel Saver Strategy #4
Avoid stop and go traffic by taking alternative routes or less congested travel paths. This is a great fuel saver. Traveling the shorter route is usually the best way for fuel savers, but it doesn't apply when your shortest route experiences heavy traffic. In fact, the longer but smoother route may just prove to be a better fuel saver!
When driving in the city, nearly 50% of the energy used to power the vehicle is for acceleration and unnecessary braking wastes that energy, thus going into anti-fuel saver mode. Also, accelerating quickly causes the engine to enter a less efficient fuel enrichment mode whereby additional fuel is delivered to increase the rate of acceleration. In most cases, this is overkill since a lot more fuel than required is actually being delivered. Highly anti-fuel saver.
With gas prices at all time highs, avoiding congested routes and even having to pay highway tolls may just be still a better alternative than taking that short but congested anti-fuel saver route.
This way you'll have a more enjoyable drive, better state of mind when you arrive at your destination, avoid bumper to bumper traffic that ever so often result in accidents and be a fuel saver at the same time.
Avoid stop and go traffic by taking alternative routes or less congested travel paths. This is a great fuel saver. Traveling the shorter route is usually the best way for fuel savers, but it doesn't apply when your shortest route experiences heavy traffic. In fact, the longer but smoother route may just prove to be a better fuel saver!
When driving in the city, nearly 50% of the energy used to power the vehicle is for acceleration and unnecessary braking wastes that energy, thus going into anti-fuel saver mode. Also, accelerating quickly causes the engine to enter a less efficient fuel enrichment mode whereby additional fuel is delivered to increase the rate of acceleration. In most cases, this is overkill since a lot more fuel than required is actually being delivered. Highly anti-fuel saver.
With gas prices at all time highs, avoiding congested routes and even having to pay highway tolls may just be still a better alternative than taking that short but congested anti-fuel saver route.
This way you'll have a more enjoyable drive, better state of mind when you arrive at your destination, avoid bumper to bumper traffic that ever so often result in accidents and be a fuel saver at the same time.
Simple Fuel Saver Strategies
Fuel Saver Strategy #3
Not tailgating the car in front. This is a fuel saver strategy that can improve gas mileage by five to 10%. This driving strategy is not only safer, but it will also reduce wear on the tires and brakes.
So not only you save fuel, you save on car maintenance and save your life. Best of all, at the end of the day you save the earth!
Not tailgating the car in front. This is a fuel saver strategy that can improve gas mileage by five to 10%. This driving strategy is not only safer, but it will also reduce wear on the tires and brakes.
So not only you save fuel, you save on car maintenance and save your life. Best of all, at the end of the day you save the earth!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Simple Fuel Saver Strategies
Fuel Saver Strategy #2
My next fuel saver strategy is to anticipate traffic conditions ahead of me. By so doing I avoid having poured on the gas only to have to jam my brakes to stop at a traffic light or lose my momentum behind a slow moving lane. This fuel saver strategy requires your mind to be active in looking out for traffic in front of you and avoiding them or making decision to slow down instead of pressing harder on the accelerator.
For example, the fuel saver habit in me, having seen that the traffic light 200 meters in front of me is red and cars are stopped behind it, it would be highly unlikely that I would be able to continue driving at the speed that I was doing. So I would release the accelerator pedal and let the car cruise. If before I reach the traffic light, it turns green, then I take advantage of the momentum still available to gradually pick up speed again.
The anti-fuel saver in me, in such a situation, instead would have had continued to press on the accelerator and reached the traffic light earlier, thus had to stop. Seconds later, the light turns green and I would have had to waste more gas by overcoming the inertia of the car, having no momentum to ride on. It's much like riding the wave.
The worst are anti-fuel saver habits that seeing a red light in front accelerates further and jams brake upon reaching it. If you're guilty of such a habit, it's time to change and cultivate new fuel saver habits.
My next fuel saver strategy is to anticipate traffic conditions ahead of me. By so doing I avoid having poured on the gas only to have to jam my brakes to stop at a traffic light or lose my momentum behind a slow moving lane. This fuel saver strategy requires your mind to be active in looking out for traffic in front of you and avoiding them or making decision to slow down instead of pressing harder on the accelerator.
For example, the fuel saver habit in me, having seen that the traffic light 200 meters in front of me is red and cars are stopped behind it, it would be highly unlikely that I would be able to continue driving at the speed that I was doing. So I would release the accelerator pedal and let the car cruise. If before I reach the traffic light, it turns green, then I take advantage of the momentum still available to gradually pick up speed again.
The anti-fuel saver in me, in such a situation, instead would have had continued to press on the accelerator and reached the traffic light earlier, thus had to stop. Seconds later, the light turns green and I would have had to waste more gas by overcoming the inertia of the car, having no momentum to ride on. It's much like riding the wave.
The worst are anti-fuel saver habits that seeing a red light in front accelerates further and jams brake upon reaching it. If you're guilty of such a habit, it's time to change and cultivate new fuel saver habits.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Simple Fuel Saver Strategies
Over the next week or so, I'll share with you what I've learnt after scouring over the net for info and ideas for fuel savers.
These fuel saver strategies may take the fun out of driving and take some getting used to. But I assure you that the results will put more money in your pocket. And that is our ultimate aim.
Fuel Saver Strategy #1
The most common anti-fuel saver driving habit performed by new and experienced drivers alike is how you step on the accelerator pedal. When the traffic light turns green most drivers love to nail the accelerator pedal onto the floor of their car or truck.
Getting that adrenaline rush as you're pushed to the back of your seat is a lot of fun, but it's also an expensive kick to pretend that you're a Michael Schumacher. Fuel savers never succumb to such trival pursuits as it burns a hole in their pockets in terms of gas.
Jackrabbit starts cause the engine to literally suck the fuel in large amounts, rather than the fuel saver way of taking fuel in a smooth, civilized manner. While we're all guilty of engaging in the stop light drags, next time you feel the temptation, ask yourself if it's really that important to show the guy in the Mustang, who the real king of the road is. Remember, it's your wallet, so why is it so important to impress a total stranger.
These fuel saver strategies may take the fun out of driving and take some getting used to. But I assure you that the results will put more money in your pocket. And that is our ultimate aim.
Fuel Saver Strategy #1
The most common anti-fuel saver driving habit performed by new and experienced drivers alike is how you step on the accelerator pedal. When the traffic light turns green most drivers love to nail the accelerator pedal onto the floor of their car or truck.
Getting that adrenaline rush as you're pushed to the back of your seat is a lot of fun, but it's also an expensive kick to pretend that you're a Michael Schumacher. Fuel savers never succumb to such trival pursuits as it burns a hole in their pockets in terms of gas.
Jackrabbit starts cause the engine to literally suck the fuel in large amounts, rather than the fuel saver way of taking fuel in a smooth, civilized manner. While we're all guilty of engaging in the stop light drags, next time you feel the temptation, ask yourself if it's really that important to show the guy in the Mustang, who the real king of the road is. Remember, it's your wallet, so why is it so important to impress a total stranger.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
UEFA EURO 2008 Flags are Anti–Fuel Savers
Huh???? What is that? What has soccer got to do with fuel savers?
EURO 2008 fever has begun to grip soccer fans the world over. Patriotism demands you to wave the flag of your country.
But don't hoist that large Anti–Fuel Saver flag from your vehicle. I just read from the papers an article taken from The Guardian stating that “engineers have declared that the flags, which are usually attached to window frames, cause wind resistance, which alters a car's aerodynamics and causes it to burn more fuel”
Anti-Fuel Savers in the form of 2 flags on a car, according to Australia's automobile club, can lead to an increased gas consumption of “up to half a litre a kilometre on motorways”! (That works out to be a loss of almost 5 miles per gallon!!)
On the subject of wind resistance, keep your windows closed when possible. Your mileage should improve if you keep the windows closed at motorway speeds, since drag is reduced. That is a plus for Fuel Savers.
Another tip for fuel savers is to remove any external accessories such as a luggage rack, surfboard or rooftop carrier. These are other items that reduce your vehicle's aerodynamic capabilities and increase your gas usage.
EURO 2008 fever has begun to grip soccer fans the world over. Patriotism demands you to wave the flag of your country.
But don't hoist that large Anti–Fuel Saver flag from your vehicle. I just read from the papers an article taken from The Guardian stating that “engineers have declared that the flags, which are usually attached to window frames, cause wind resistance, which alters a car's aerodynamics and causes it to burn more fuel”
Anti-Fuel Savers in the form of 2 flags on a car, according to Australia's automobile club, can lead to an increased gas consumption of “up to half a litre a kilometre on motorways”! (That works out to be a loss of almost 5 miles per gallon!!)
On the subject of wind resistance, keep your windows closed when possible. Your mileage should improve if you keep the windows closed at motorway speeds, since drag is reduced. That is a plus for Fuel Savers.
Another tip for fuel savers is to remove any external accessories such as a luggage rack, surfboard or rooftop carrier. These are other items that reduce your vehicle's aerodynamic capabilities and increase your gas usage.
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