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Driving slowly really doesn't save gas. That statement is akin to saying breathe slowly and you will save air. It doesn't work that way, the combustion engine, or your lungs. You have to rethink the way you drive, your habits and tendancies behind the wheel, to begin to see an increase in miles per gallon. Driving slower will not necessarily save you gas but, changing the way you drive just might have a profound impact on your fuel consumption.

Once upon a time, I had a right foot made of lead, and I used it to push the pedal to the metal. I had a fast car. From the dawn of it's creation, the American auto industry built big cars with bigger engines. They even used the word 'muscle' to describe a certain type of vehicle that could go from zero to sixty in the blink of an eye. Everybody wanted one of those speed machines and we've all owned our share of motorized behemoths that sucked gas like a dry sponge. The intent was to go fast, and then even faster than anyone who had the audacity to pull up next to you at a red light and challenge your cars ability to defy the speed limit. Burning rubber was a sign of machismo, and burning gasoline was an after thought when gas was cheap. My car was faster than your car and the weight of my right foot on the accelerator proved it.

An oil shortage or two, and the advent of the four cylinder engine first imported from Europe and perfected by Japan has changed the shape of the auto industry. As the price of a gallon of gas skyrocketed, fuel economy replaced fuel consumption and the acronym MPG became a selling feature on every automobile. Right there on the sticker above the price of the car sits a bigger number, the estimated highway and city miles per gallon. We no longer want to know how fast the car will go. We now want to know how economical it will be. But, buying a car with a higher estimated MPG rating doesn't necessarily mean you will use less gasoline. You have to change the way you drive.

I have learned to take the lead out of my right foot. It's a simple process, and it doesn't really mean you are driving slower. What it does mean is you are coasting more. Keeping up with traffic, especially on the highway, is essential for safety. Driving slower than the cars around you on the highway creates a bottle neck, frustrates the other drivers behind you and can be just as dangerous as the guy careening down the road weaving in and out of traffic. That guy used to be me but, I've adopted the slower philosophy of joining the herd. Keeping up with the flow is the safest way to go, even if it means stepping hard on the accelerator every now and then. You may open up the fuel injectors to accelerate but, having attained the speed of the herd around you, you back off and let the car coast with the pack. Does this save gas? I can't give you a scientific answer but, I have noticed that the average MPG on my car has climbed about two miles per gallon since I adopted this pack mentality on the highway.

City driving is a different story. Speed limits are lower and there is so much more stop and go. Forget about the wear and tear on your brake linings. Just stomp on the gas you are going to get there faster. Not so, as there is another red light two blocks away, a stop sign just around the corner or a school bus about to pull over. Coasting works well here, too. Accelerate to the speed limit and take your foot off the gas. Coast to the next red light and you'll not only save gas but you'll avoid the hard braking that wears out those brake discs. The days of the hot rod are over. Today it's all about saving money.

Learn more about this author, Bob Duden.
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