Car Tips 6 - 147 Million Gallons of Wasted Gas?

147 Million Gallons of Wasted Gas?

Fuel prices are climbing year after year. How do we save fuel? How can we reduce our motorcar expenses?

Your motorcar gossip magazines will tell you. Loose gas caps, underinflated tires, faulty thermostats, worn spark plugs, malfunctioning engine controls, poor wheel alignment and the list goes on. These are among the conditions that daily cost consumers millions of dollars in wasted fuel.

Something as innocent as an improperly tightened gas cap, for example, or one that's missing or defective, might seem a minor factor. But consider that 17 percent of the vehicles on U.S. highways have either misused or missing gas caps, causing 147,000,000 gallons of gas per year to vaporize into the atmosphere (source: Service Tech Magazine, September 2000).

"To the maxim 'waste not, want not,' we need to add 'be car care aware,' because most drivers are unaware of the economic consequences of neglected maintenance."

Nearly 150 million gallons of gas ooze out of the filler caps - and so few people are aware of this.

There are other culprits as well. Among the six worst offenders are underinflated tires and incorrect wheel alignment, conditions which increase rolling resistance. Like driving with the parking brake not fully released, it can cost a mile or two per gallon on a car that normally delivers 20 miles per gallon. Among other gas guzzlers, are dirty oil, a mile per gallon; a slipping automatic transmission, another mile per gallon and as much as two mile per gallon for a cooling system thermostat that causes the engine to run too cold.

Finally, there could be a malfunction of one or more components in the fuel, ignition or emission control systems, especially critical in cold weather driving. The fuel penalty for just one misfiring spark plug is two or three miles per gallon. Installing a Spark Optimizer will solve this problem.

"Combining all of these discrepancies into one vehicle, the cost of wasted fuel easily could exceed recent increases in pump prices, it's what being car care aware is all about."

Car Tips 5 - How to Overtake

Car Tips 5 - How to Overtake

The general rule is to overtake on the left of the vehicle in front of you (For American roads only; For UK roads it is the opposite).

However, there are exceptions.

One of the exceptions is if the vehicle in front has indicated that he/she wants to turn to the left, then you may overtake him/her on the right.

How do we know that the vehicle in front is going to turn to the left?
When you see the vehicle signaling to the left and he/she is moving the vehicle slowly towards the centerline of the road for this purpose.

Another exception is during peak hours when the traffic piles up on one lane in multi-lanes road. During such a pile up, the traffic on one lane may be held up while the other lanes are freely moving. You may then overtake to continue to move forward. This is not strictly called overtaking.

Anyway, the driver should never change from one lane to another unless he has made sure that it is safe to do so and that he has given the appropriate signals.

Always overtake on the straight part of the road. Do not overtake on climbing part of the road hump and never overtake at bridges, curves or anywhere else where your view is restricted or blocked.

When there is a vehicle following behind you and you have intention to overtake the car in front of you, make sure you have indicated your signal to overtake. This will tell the driver in the vehicle at the back that you are about to overtake the front vehicle and that he should not overtake you at that moment.

If you are going out for a casual stroll in your car and intend to drive slowly, then keep your car nearer to the safety kerb. Always keep watching the rear view mirror to see whether there are any cars approaching you from the back.
When you see another car or vehicle approaching you, give him the right signal (to show that it is clear to overtake you) to allow the other traffic to overtake you safely.
(If in UK the opposite side of the kerb applies).

Regards,
motorspark

Car Tips 4 - Respect Traffic Lights

Car Tips 4 – Respect Traffic Lights

When you see the traffic light is red, bring your car to a stop slowly and smoothly. Don't be a hero. Heroes are only for cinemas. Do not cross over the pedestrian line when you are approaching a red traffic light.

Start moving your car only when the traffic light is completed green. Do not move before it turns green.

When the light is amber, it is an indication for the driver to start slowing down and come slowly to a halt. It is not an indication for the driver to speed faster!

The real purpose of the amber light is to clear the junction so that the traffic from the other cross roads can have a clear unobtrusive view and unhindered path for them to cross.

In whatever the situation, you should never pass the amber light when you are in the position to stop in time.

In many new junctions today, we are seeing an increasing use of countdown timers at the lights. This is a tremendous improvement to driver anticipation and has reduced many accidents and deaths. Respect the timer. Wait until they turn to zero before acceleration. We have seen many stubborn drivers still insisting on crossing the lights even though it is already red.

Remember Prevention is Better than Cure.

Car Tips 3 - Give the Right Signals

Always give signals and the correct signals when you are turning, stopping or slowing down.
Other drivers are observing you and trying to anticipate what you are going to do.

Give the signals with plenty of time before you perform the chosen action. Maintain the signal for a sufficient length of time so that other drivers can understand what you are going to do.

Years ago, before the use of car air-condition, we were asked to use hand signals in our driving.
However, now with most motorists using air-condition, the windows are always wind up and it is impossible to use hand signals. So now it is even more important to use our vehicle/car signals with plenty of good time.
It is also for the benefit of other vehicles waiting at the side roads or pedestrians crossing the roads that we give them early signals.

Keep your passengers away from the windows and refrain them from putting their hands out of the windows. They could be misconstrued or misunderstood as giving the wrong hand signals.

Make sure children do not hold out their hands or heads out of the windows. Keep their toys away from open windows. They may be mistaken for driving signals.

Regards,
http://motorspark.com/

Car Tips 2 - Be Considerate

Car Tips 2 - Be Considerate

Drive considerately and courteously.

Be polite and well mannered when driving on the road. Don't copy road bullies. They are not a good example to follow. Like the saying goes: "Do unto others what you like others to do unto you."

Be thoughtful of other road users even though they may be pedestrians, cyclists or motorists.
Your understanding and caring actions and examples will help to reduce accidents.

Control your temper and obey all traffic signs and rules. Do not try to beat the traffic lights. Many accidents occur at traffic junctions due to the haste of the driver.

Other drivers may be rude, bad mannered or stupid. Don't let them affect your good driving conduct.

There is a saying, "If you drink, don't drive; if you drive, don't drink".

Be alert and sober whenever behind the driving wheels. Alcohol always reduces the alertness of the driver. This causes the driver to be careless and dare to take unnecessary and silly risks.

Cyclists and pedestrians are slow reaction users on the road. Be sober all the time.
Statistics show that pedestrians always suffer fatal accidents in an accident and usually the driver had been drinking alcohol.

Watch out for elderly people using the road. Watch out for blind people walking with white canes or leased to walking dogs. Always give way to such ones. Even though you may have the right of way, give them the right of way because they do not intentionally want to wander into your path.

Regards,
http://motorspark.com/

Car Tips 1 - The Right Attitude

Car Tips 1 - The Right Attitude

In order to reduce accidents, our attitude when we get into the car is very important. If we have a very anxious or worried mind, then the likelihood of getting an accident is very imminent.

Make sure we are calm even before we start the engine. A person who drives his motorcar just to have the thrill of speed or just to show off to his friends is very dangerous to other road users. That person should be behind bars.

If you need to have the thrill of speed, go to the racing track and do all you want. Some people drive to calm down after an emotional turmoil. This is also dangerous because you can become immune to other dangers or road users around you.

Always treat your car with respect. It can be a potential killer machine if handled dangerously. A person who drives considerately towards the safety of other road users is not likely to cause any accidents.

Keep alert when you are driving.
Drive defensively by observing other drivers in the front, on the left and right and behind you from the rear view mirror.

Be aware of children crossing the road, children playing by the roadside and animals trotting along the road (animals have no road sense especially cows). Anticipate their actions and slow down when near them to avoid possible accidents.

Regards,
http://motorspark.com/