...don't Buy a pizza and eat it! Or....walk....?

--------TOPIC-----GAS PRICES -----

Do I have your attention now or are you just mad at me? :}

Please read this. It is so all very important.

When I began research to write this hub I cam across data that blew my mind; some things I already knew but wow....Initially I wanted to just go simple a write a like:

*20 ways to help save on gas* but my research dictates that is NOT what is needed and I am pretty sure most people already know them - they just plain and simply refuse to do them (like car pooling) UCK! Who wants to do THAT!? (said tongue in cheek)- I already have to WORK with these bozo's, now you want me ride to work with them TOO! Oh, how utterly ridiculous of you to even mention it!

On to the being serious part....

In my research I came across 10 ways - upwards to 100 ways to *save on your mileage - gas consumption, etc... Some of them even wanted you to pay for their lil downloadable booklet! yawn. Anyway - I am only going to post a few, the ones I thought were the least likely to be known by the general public and then I will ask you to Please take the time to watch (that means pay attention to) the video below.

My compelling compiled list of probably the least known gas saving tips :

#1

Where I live, it gets to be -10 to -20 degrees BELOW zero sometimes in winter. It is, of course Nice to get into a warm vehicle. But let me face it - It isn't necessary and I am not going to die fro lack of heat! So my tip #1 is for me.

#1 -Avoid prolonged warming up of engine, even on cold mornings - 30 to 45 seconds is plenty of time. (NOW i GET THE FEELING THE PERSON WHO WROTE THIS DOES NOT OR HAS NOT LIVED IN A FRIGID CLIMATE!) As I CAN tell you that 45 seconds and the wheels still won't even rotate. But...

here's what we do, set a time on the outside plug-in so that your vehicle inner heater only runs the required 3 or 4 hours, (Not the 12 hours the manufacturer *recommends as my *guess* is they have an arrangement with the hydro people but anyway)

- no one really wants to run outside at 3 am in -30 to plug their car in (if you even CAN as the cord is SO stiff) so instead of trying to do that and have the immediate beginnings of a horse-shitty morning, use the simple timer set up, turns on for 3 or 4 hours, then you can start your vehicle, let it run for about 3 minutes and you are good to go.

NOTE: For the REST of you who live in REASONABLE weather areas the above part of 45 SECONDS - STILL APPLIES!

#2 - The mechanical side of things...

Make sure your tires are properly inflated. According to www.gasbuddy.com, a single tire under-inflated by 2 PSI increases fuel consumption by 1 percent. (Maybe if ALL 4 are under-inflated you can save 4%...?)

WOW. 1 percent ;{ but HAY! on the upside, your car will be in fine shape and THAT's pretty darn important! For alot more of these tips, go here. SO, my number 2 is - learning all the things we needs to know to keep our vehicles the finely-tuned instruments they were meant to be! And it will save you a few cents...a week? on gas but hay - it all adds up; lil' here, lil there. Oh yes & Be sure the automatic choke is disengaged after engine warm up... chokes often get stuck, resulting in bad gas/air mixture.

But don't forget to come back Here! :}

#3 - Invest in a locking gas cap. It will cost you maybe 1/2

the price of 1/2 a tank but then no-one can come sneaking

around at nigh (or day) and siphon out your tank - was full, now empty. Common common practice here. If you can', won't, don't wanna, then well. Seeing empty might change your mind. You probably only have a locked garage for at night, not whilst at work.

#4 -

Now - I do not know what to make of this - I am only *throwing it out here* as something to consider (since we ALL know the govt. for YEARS shot people who figured out how to make our stretchy stretch cars get 50 mpg.)

But - no crazy hub of mine would be complete without something of this sort! Check it out.

#5 - Buy your gas during coolest time of day - early morning or late evening is best. During these times gasoline is densest. Keep in mind - gas pumps measure volumes of gasoline, not densities of fuel concentration. You are charged according to volume of measurement.

(I thought that one was worth a mention - that a lot of people probably don't know or never thought about.)

#6 - Automatic Transmissions should be allowed to cool down when your car is idling at a standstill, e.g. railroad crossings, long traffic lights, bridges, etc. Place gear into neutral position. This reduces transmission strain and allows transmission to cool.

I personally think the left out part is just SHUT IT OFF; I have long waits on bridges and I just shut the car off and I save gas. That old man's tale about ideling saves more than shutting off a d turnning back on again is not try according to my research - but neutral IS far better than foot on the break as your vehicle is still reving rpm's, you can see that right on your dashboard; assuming you have the rmp guage on there.

#7 - I did not know this one. Mis-aligned axels, bad shocks and broken springs (among a few other things) create *drag* on your car and that uses way more gas. So especially before you go on a road trip, get it checked - Don't we ALL need at least one friend who is a mechanic? I know I do! Sad but true true true - garages RIP US OFF!

So - there is my little list of the seven I thought people were probably least aware of. and again - watch the video please!

The HORRIFYING statistics I found.

The Americans = 4% of the Worlds population, yes,

FOUR PERCENT.

That 4 % uses 1/4 of the entire worlds oil! Get out a pie chart Please!

This is Not because they are *the greatest* (anything) except maybe greedy. Waste does NOT equate with Greateness and

NEVER WILL.

They use 19.6 BILLION gallons of the entire world's fuel per Year!

70% of this *Waste* is used on TRANSPORTATION.

Are you sick yet?

Ready to do anything about it yet? Even for your KIDS!?