Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Save 20%-30% on gasoline costs

When my wife and I bought our Honda Accord two years ago, we did a miles-per-gallon test on our first tank of gas. We got right at 21 mpg for city driving, exactly as advertised on the window sticker.

A few months back, we heard a tip on the radio about saving gasoline. According to the report, the typical driver can save 20%-30% on gasoline simply by changing the rate at which they accelerate and brake.

Old habits are hard to change, but change them we did. We are now getting nearly 25 mpg, almost 4 miles per gallon more than our car’s rating. That translates to roughly an extra 50 miles out of each tank of gas. At today’s gasoline prices, we’re saving nearly $500 a year.

A good way to drive more efficiently is to accelerate and brake as if there is a raw egg between your foot and the pedal, pretending that the egg will break if you press the pedal too aggressively.

John Eidson is a 64 year old white conservative who takes great pleasure in black success. In addition to postings on YourBlackMoney, he also posts occasionally on YourBlackPolitics.

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