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Car Economy Tips - Two
Here is a quick rundown of what's on this page: This is the next package of the tips
- The 100% Saving Method
- Is this an essential trip?
- Gently does it
- Don't brake!!
- What are you carrying?
- A fistful of tips
The 100% Saving Method
This is the one that makes you think I'm crazy!! It's very simple; the way to save fuel is...
Don't use the car!!
You remember I said I want to create a state of mind? Well you've already got one, only this one says:
- I'll go and get a newspaper - I'll jump in the car
- I'm off to the bar - I'll jump in the car
- I 've got a letter to post - I'll jump in the car
- I'll go and see Joe (or Fred) - I'll jump in the car
- I'll take the dog for a walk - I'll jump in the car
- I'm going to buy the winning lottery ticket - I'll jump in the car
- Etc, etc
Do you get the idea?
It may be that you live in the wilds of the country and you cannot do any of these things without resorting to the car or perhaps through disability you are unable to walk for the newspaper or the milk. However unless there is a genuine reason to use the car this is a triumph of convenience over cost.
If the shop is a bit further how about a bicycle? It might not be the best thing to use if you are doing your weekly shop at Tesco but I'm sure a bottle of milk will go in a bag over your shoulder or the lottery ticket will go in your back pocket (or your purse if that's what you use)
Another alternative is to use public transport. The bus is probably going to follow the route whether you are on it or not so jump on when it passes!! Only joking - you had better wait until it stops at the bus stop. I know that the bus does not always go exactly where you are going, you may have to walk at the other end and, unless you are lucky enough to live where the bus stop is right outside, probably at this end too.
Public transport is almost certainly going to take a little longer as well but we are talking about saving your money on fuel. In fact, to tell you my experience: we have a "park and ride" scheme here in Reading and it costs £3 for the return journey into town. The bus uses the bus lanes, which are empty, and is quicker than driving into the centre - about 12 minutes instead of around 30 minutes by car because of the congestion. On top of which, there is no parking charge because I'm not using one of the multi-storey car parks in the town centre which would cost me £2.30 for up to 3 hours and £3.30 for 4 hours.
Lastly, on this point - the exercise is good for you. Better for your heart, better for your muscles and your general health. It might also help you lose weight - although you might eat more because you are hungry after your exercise.
Let's save the car for those times when you don't have any choice:
- The weekly "big shop" at the supermarket.
- Trips to the recycling centre at the "dump" - let's face it, people might stare if you take carrier bags full of empty bottles on the bus!!
- Visiting family and friends a distance away.
Is this an essential trip?
OK, now we have decided that sometimes you must use the car. The next thing to think about is whether you can combine this trip with other trips in the same direction?
- Can you pick up the newspaper/ dry cleaning/your child from school etc on the way to the bank?
- Can you shop at the supermarket on the way home from work?
- Can you fill up your tank on the way to the dentist?
- Can you get a lift to work?
- Can you car share?
- Can you work from home?
Gently does it
Have you noticed that your fuel consumption varies depending upon whether you are driving in town or on a cross-country route or on the motorway? Generally your fuel consumption will be closer to the first figure (Urban fuel consumption) when driving in the town and probably closer to the third figure (Combined fuel consumption) when you have made a longer journey involving both town and motorway driving.
Any idea why?
There are several reasons but the one I want to deal with now is the Heavy Right Foot Syndrome. In town driving you are continuously braking and accelerating away which is very fuel inefficient. Now it's difficult to drive in town without going through this braking/accelerating cycle, out of the towns things are different.
This tip is for you where ever you are driving:
Be very light on the loud pedal.
Are you a traffic light drag racer, do you always want to be the first away? Do you believe that you will get your journey over that much more quickly if you overtake everything that's in front of you?
Wrong!
Some while ago one of the motoring magazines carried out a test. The journalists drove two identical cars from London to Rome a distance of around 1080 miles. The test was that one car drove steadily: kept to the speed limits, drove considerately for other road users, overtook where possible but without taking risks and generally having a relaxed journey. The second car ignored speed limits, overtook wherever possible (and sometimes when not) and basically tried to get to Rome as fast as possible. It turned out that the "eyeballs out" car did indeed get to Rome first - by a matter of about 20 minutes!!
In town or in the country driving with your foot to the floor is unlikely to get the journey over that much quicker. How many times have you come across a determined over taker who, when you get to the next set of lights, is one car length ahead? Or check next time you find yourself passed by the BMW (no digs) on the motorway as if you were standing still and see how far he is ahead when you get to the motorway exit?
OK - I'm not suggesting that we should all creep around like snails because at the end of the day we do need to get to the end of the journey and it will only clog up the roads, but don't overdo the speed.
- Acceleration should be gentle, with a feather touch on the throttle - don't stamp on it. It's not an on/off switch.
- When you get up to speed, stick to gentle movements to keep the speed steady.
- Change up the gears sooner rather than later. High revs mean lots of fuel being used.
- On the other hand don't let the engine labour in too high a gear.
- When you do overtake give yourself a chance to get by without having to floor the pedal. Don't tailgate and then accelerate hard, take it smoothly!
Don't brake!!
When you have built your speed up what you have actually done is converted your fuel into kinetic energy and if you just let the car run by taking your car out of gear and taking your foot of the accelerator, the car would slow down due to the drag of air resistance, resistance from the powertrain and gears and from road resistance.
However if you brake you are deliberately destroying this kinetic energy you have built up by increasing the total resistance through the brakes. In other words you are wasting that energy and wasting the fuel you have used to gain that energy.
Now of course when I say: "Don't Brake" I do not mean don't brake at all, I mean only brake as and when you must.
Now "not braking" is a pretty difficult skill to develop. It's only human to jump on the brakes if you see something is happening in front of you and think that you are going too fast. This "no braking" skill is in fact one of the key skills to getting better fuel consumption and will contribute more than most to saving you money, because there is no doubt that the most fuel efficient way of slowing down is to let the natural resistance to your progress do it for you.
Look ahead, don't tailgate and try to anticipate what's going to happen so that application of your brakes isn't required. Let the natural rolling resistance ease off the speed by forecasting the need to reduce speed. Look ahead two or three cars, looking for other cars turning or slowing.
Drive smooooothly!!
This technique is one of the best for getting better fuel consumption.
Anticipate - Anticipate - Anticipate - Anticipate - Anticipate - Anticipate
Practise - Practise - Practise - Practise - Practise - Practise - Practise - Practise
Back to the topWhat are you carrying?
It's amazing what some people carry around with them in their cars. Go and check that your boot's not full of junk, or if not junk, things that don't need to be in there.
Extra weight in the car increases road resistance through the tyres, makes acceleration more difficult and requires braking to be fiercer.
I know we are getting to the minor points now but remember what I said in the introduction: I want you to acquire:
"A State of Mind"
Which involves not having to think about saving fuel, not having to think about the best thing to do to get more miles from your tank. It should be sub-conscious i.e. not needing conscious decision-making.
Back to the topA fistful of tips
Within the fuel saving mentality there is a parcel of minor tips which, while not contributing greatly, will add up to more miles in your tank. I've put them all in this section with no great comment.
- If you stop for more than, say, a minute then turn the engine off. At traffic lights for example. Best check your starting first though!
- When you do start your engine don't "blip" the throttle. i.e. do not apply the accelerator when you start up, if the starting mechanism is working correctly it doesn't need it.
- Similarly don't rev the engine before turning the ignition off.
- If the weather is cold don't wait for the engine warm up, this is something else the modern engine doesn't need.
- Avoid rough roads - not always possible - but the added resistance on gravel or pot-holed or dirt roads adds to your fuel bill.
- Try to park going forwards and then go forwards again to get out. Reversing in and out wastes fuel.
- Make sure your petrol cap fits snugly.
- Leave in plenty of time for your journey and relax. If you're in a hurry hard acceleration and severe braking is the order of the day!
- Avoid rush hour journeys if you can. Work flexi-time maybe?
- Keep a check on your fuel consumption.