As Gas Prices Rise, So Should Common Sense

Gas prices are at an all time high, with little relief in sight. Some people may notice that the price of gas sometimes changes more than once in a single day. For college students, these prices are hard to take. Many of us live far away, and depend on a car to get us to class, work, and home. With petroleum production expected to peak within ten years, we can be fairly certain that the days of cheap gas is a thing of the past. What’s a poor student to do? Many cannot even afford insurance on a clunker car, never mind a new hybrid that uses batteries or eats veggie oil. The majority of us want to keep the cars we have without making sacrifices. There are some things you can do, however, which will help keep a few dollars in your pocket and more gas in your tank. The EPA recommends driving wisely and keeping up with maintenance. The smoother your car runs, the better is gas mileage will be. Avoiding high speeds also improves gas mileage. The EPA estimates that driving at 55mph instead of 65 mph can save gas consumption by 15 percent. Any speed above 40 miles per hour forces your vehicle to overcome great amounts of wind resistance. The same study also recommends avoiding “jackrabbit” starts, or rapid acceleration. Anticipate stops to avoid hard and sudden breaking. It takes more gas for your car to sit in idle than it does to start your car a few times a day. Go into the bank instead of using the drive-through. Taking your ski equipment off the roof and into the backseat decreases wind resistance and gas usage. The Fuel Economy website estimates that an added 100 pounds of weight in your vehicle can decrease gas mileage by 2 percent. Vinyl roofs also promote wind resistance, so replace the vintage with metal if you can. If your car is equipped with overdrive, use it. According to the EPA, “the lower the shift speed, the better the fuel economy.” Keep tires properly aligned and inflated. When car tires are inflated to the maximum suggested level, mileage increases. According to fueleconomy.gov, proper tire inflation can improve gas mileage by over 3 percent. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by around 1 percent for every 1psi drop in pressure of all four tires. Use the recommended octane rating for your vehicle, despite the rumors you may have heard. Using high octane gases in a car that is designed for low or medium octane ratings is a waste of money. Using the correct octane rated gasoline can increase fuel economy benefit by around 2 percent. Buy gasoline during the coolest times of day-early morning or late evening. Gasoline is densest at these times. Gas stations charge by volume, not density, so you actually get more for your money when the weather is a little chilly. Choose your brand of gas carefully. The cheapest gas is usually the cheapest for a reason- you’ll burn through it quicker. Buy the most expensive gas at your recommended octane level, and you will save yourself more money in the long run. Contrary to human urge, don’t top off the tank. The surface fuel usually burns off before you even use it. Overfilling can also cause sloshing over and out of the tank. If the nozzle is automatic, don’t fill your tank past the first “click.” Plan out your week. Do you find yourself running errands every other day? If so, you are probably using more gas then necessary. Combine your errands to travel as short a distance as possible. Carpool whenever you can, or have a friend pick up milk on their way home from work. According to Gas Saving Tips (http:/gas-saving-tips.netfirms.com), gravel and dirt from rough roads can alter your gas mileage by 30 percent. The site suggests avoiding rough roads, but New England winters make this difficult. They also recommend removing your snow tires during summer months. Not only does this make your snow tires last an extra winter or two, but the deep tire tread robs all vehicles of fuel. Also during the winter, be sure to remove the ice that collects around tires. Cars can easily carry an additional 50 pounds in ice and salt alone! While some of these suggestions are easier said than done, even altering your driving patterns to accommodate a few of these suggestions will help reduce your gasoline consumption. With the end of another semester, road trips are on the minds of many students. Keep this article in mind, and you may have more money for booze and souvenirs than you originally intended.