From the ArcaMax Publishing, Automotive Newsletter:
http://www.arcamax.com/news/automotive/s-360298-830137
Have you heard of the new trend that is taking the highways by storm? It's called "hypermiling" which is the fine art of using all sorts of tips, tricks and driving techniques to squeeze every last drop of fuel efficiency out of your car. And with gas prices at an all time high, this trend is gaining momentum. Hypermiling has been the subject of reports by major publications and news outlets from Forbes to NBC, and it's being talked about on car and driver forums all across the internet. Is all of the talk about Hypermiling really wrapped around a new idea or is it an idea that has been reborn in 2008 with the same tips for saving gas that we have been hearing about since World War Two? During the 1940's and 50's, when a world war made gas rationing part of everyday life, getting good gas mileage was a major concern for most drivers. These techniques for getting better gas mileage during and after the gas rationing back then have turned them into standards that have stood the test of time. You probably already know most of them . . . - Make sure that your tires are properly inflated to the manufacturer's suggested psi (pounds per square inch.) Under inflated tires can reduce your car's gas mileage and create a safety hazard. - Remove excess weight from the trunk of your car. This can help you get better gas mileage. The more weight your engine has to carry the more fuel it will burn. - Faster is not better, although the other guy will get there before you, he will definitely have to fill up at the gas pump more often. Driving the speed limit is not only the smart choice for safety reasons; it will help you burn less gas. Driving sensibly by using smooth breaking and accelerations will go a long way towards getting better gas mileage for your vehicle. - On long trips, use your cruise control if you have it. You will get better gas mileage, and you can on average save 7% on fuel economy. - When you are driving, use your common sense. Don't let your car idle excessively; don't waste gas by accelerating up to red lights and stop signs just to have to slam on the breaks to stop. Keep up to date on your vehicles maintenance. They embrace all of these ideas; but if you take a closer look at hypermiling there is more to it then just rehashing the tried and true techniques. If you are a true hypermiler, then you are obsessed with squeezing every last mile out of each gallon of gas. They are relentless in tracking down techniques and tactics, putting them to the test, getting rid of what does not work and working to refine the results. Many hypermilers consider it routine to get 30 to 50 miles per gallon of gas. And with all of their experimentation and documentation, there are many fine tuned techniques to improve your gas mileage. If you think that some of the techniques of hypermiling are easy and about driving around like a 90 year old nun, then you should think again. Some of the techniques are so dangerous that even avid hypermilers will tell you to go to a professional driving instructor to learn them. Skills like riding the draft of other vehicles are too dangerous for you and the other drivers on the road to be considered learn as you go projects. ======== Learn more about hypermiling at Hypermiling Tips
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nancy_Lawrence
http://EzineArticles.com/?Hypermiling---a-New-Idea-Or-a-Reborn-Idea-For-Saving-Gas?&id=1228430