I have nothing nice to say about driving in Southern California. It is… what it is. My griping about the congestion, bad manners, stupid inept drivers, poorly designed intersections with stupid pedestrians isn’t going to change much. I also won’t complain about the price of gas, though it ticks me off to no end. It makes me mad at everyone… But most of all it makes me made at myself. As a consumer I have a choice and should exercise it. If this is supply and demand, then I’ll find a way to demand less.

I started by purchasing a gas efficient car. They are lots of good choices out there along with a new line of hybrids. But I started my gasoline downsizing this year by getting back into a Honda. I also didn’t want car payments, high registration fees or high insurance premiums… so I went used with a 1995 Honda Accord.

Now with gas prices at $3 a gallon, I‘ve decided to get busy changing my driving habits. After checking with numerous consumer websites, boards, the Federal Trade Commission and the AAA, there are simple things all of us can do to get better gas mileage.

Driving Behavior:

1. Stay within the speed limit. Driving 55 is near impossible in California. Especially if everyone else is driving 65-80 mph. However we should all try ‘cause you get more miles per gallon at 55mph than faster speeds.

2. Stop driving aggressively. Fast starts and stops wastes fuel, costs money and pollutes the air. An even, smooth acceleration is better.

3. Avoid idling. This is hard to avoid in bumper to bumper traffic. But when I’m craving a burger, I’ll park the car and stand in line instead of idling in a car line at my favorite In n’ Out. I’ll also take the first parking lot space at the mall instead of hunting for the best. A little walking never hurt anyone.

4. Those of us who go through canyons, and mountain passes on our daily commute should use the overdrive gears when appropriate. Avoid accelerating uphill. Your car is working hard enough just to maintain speed. It improves fuel economy and reduces engine wear.

5. Don’t use the trunk of your car for storage. Take out unnecessary items and lighten your load. Getting rid of that extra weight can make a difference. An extra 100 pound in your trunk can decrease fuel economy by 2%.

6. Drive at a consistent speed. Use your cruise control and avoid stop and go driving when ever possible. Gosh… This may mean moving out of California completely.

7. Avoid packing items on top of your car. A loaded roof rack creates wind resistance and can decrease fuel efficiency by 5%.

8. Particularly for older cars, take two minutes to let you engine warm up in the morning. Cold cars eat more gas than warm cars. I use that two minutes every morning to clear the trash out of the car, check tire pressure or apply lipstick.

9. Buy the gasoline with the correct octane level for your car. Unless your car in knocking, there is no need to go to a higher octane level gasoline. I also like to save time with money and so I fill up every time I go to the gas station. Check your gas cap to make sure it isn’t loose or in need of replacement. Gas evaporates.

Car Maintenance:

1. Keep your car tuned and replace air filters as recommended.

2. Change your oil and oil filter regularly. Use the manufacturer’s recommended grade motor oil and look for motor oil that says “Energy Conserving”.

3. Keep your tires properly inflated. Use that (2min) warm up time in the morning to check your tires. A tire pressure gage is at most auto supply stores.

4. Keep tires aligned and rotate regularly. Costco shoppers can have their tires balanced and rotated while they shop.

Daily Behavior:
1. Try to consolidate errands into one trip. Plan out your regular car trips, so they efficiently include any errands that you would usually run separately.

2. Shop stores closest to you. If you’re on a bargain shopping trek, take a friend and hit several out of the way sources at once. Share the cost of the gas.

3. Whenever possible drive against traffic in off peak hours. Do farther errands on low traffic days like Sunday and Mondays. When I’m checking out new bargain hot spots, I plan the trip to included several sources. No more trips for just one store.

4. Try not using your car one or two days a week. Walk, use mass transit or ride share to work. I’ve now have days where I don’t leave the home office to drive anywhere. I try combining these days with local errands by walking to the post office, dry cleaners or drug store. Of course, I reward myself with a real café mocha at my favorite coffee dive.

Including a few behavior changes in with the others tips can decrease your use of gas and ultimately save you money. Take control of your gas use.

Drive safely!

Suzanne O'Connor