Want to Do Your Part on Gas? Try the Speed Limit
I’m sure everyone is feeling the pain at the pump these days. Ever since Katrina, gas has been in even shorter supply, so I’ve been trying strategies to reduce gas usage. I started car pooling years ago (a 40-mile commute makes it almost a necessity), and my car is paid for - making a trade-in for something else with a payment a rather silly idea. So, the only thing left for me to do is to change driving habits. I’ve found it can make a decent dent in the cost.
Coasting a bit more on the side streets helps - not as much gas/brake, gas/brake action. However, the main thing I’m doing is running at the speed limit. I know it’s unheard of, but it seems to be helping. My car is a 240-HP V-8. I think you’ll understand when I say it wants to be driven at 75-80 MPH. However, rather than zipping around the cars in traffic, I’m now doing 60 MPH in the right-hand lane.
The results after one week? Rough estimates are giving me about a five percent increase in gas mileage. With gas prices at $3 per gallon, that’s saving me around $0.15 per gallon. I’m curious if this will hold up (or even improve) over time.
How far out of your way would you drive to save $0.15 per gallon on gas? For a week or two, try leaving 10 minutes earlier and slowing down a bit, instead. I know slowing down seems like such a cliché, but I’m turning into a believer pretty quick.
