Gas Prices Got You Flustered?

Toto, I Don’t Think We Are In Canvas Anymore

Take it from fabric awning company in Cleveland, Ohio, fuel economy and petroleum products are always a sensitive issue.  Just about everything we make out of fabric is a petroleum generated product as we aren’t using real canvas anymore.  Every material we get delivered and then eventually install is tied directly to gas consumption.  However, we aren’t going to run out and replace our 1988 Chevy Cheyenne (yeah, you are reading that right) and 2001 Dodge Ram trucks to take on a payment just to save some gas expense.  We can help ourselves by following through on some easy “eco-driving” suggestions and benefit from some savings each year.

Eco-Driving

Not to be confused with “hypermiling”, which is a method using unsafe driving practices to save on fuel economy, eco-driving is something that is better for the environment, safer to all those on the road, and finally saves you in the long run.  

The single most effective way to promote better driving savings is technology that many new cars are equipped with to curb bad driving habits and program you to drive more efficiently with empirical evidence.  If we can see that our last trip wasn’t very efficient, we will curb bad habits like whomping on the gas when the light turns green.  Maybe we try to find a better route in times when traffic is heavy or for that matter adjust the time we commute to avoid idling on the freeway.  Advice on how to save fuel only work for so long as we fall back into bad habits, however, seeing the evidence on a daily basis will help retrain the most aggressive drivers.  

Despite the fact most people do not have such handy devices, www.ecodrivingusa.com has put out some tips to follow if you don’t have a device to help:

 Plan your trips to minimize distance (gps devices are great for this or even Google maps)

 Don’t let the car idle to warm up.  Modern cars do not need this.

 Avoid quick starts and stops. Aggressive driving can lower fuel economy by as much as a third at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town, according to the EPA.

 When you can do it safely, keep moving. Accelerating from a full stop uses more fuel.

 Drive your car’s optimum speed — usually around 60 mph — when you can. Every 5 mph over 55 mph decreases fuel economy by about 7 percent. This is the equivalent of paying almost a quarter more per gallon for every 5 mph above 60 mph, according to EPA.

 Cool the car appropriately based on speed => Under 40 mph, open the windows.  Use the a/c when driving highways to reduce drag.

 Maintain your car including oil changes, tune-ups, & tire inflation (this one is a biggie)

 Don’t travel with any unnecessary weight in the vehicle.  Every 100 lbs decreases efficiency by 2%

See www.ecodrivingusa.com for some great information to save you money.