With gas prices reaching more than $3.55 per gallon across Northern Michigan, more drivers are taking small steps to change their driving habits.
AAA Michigan says gasoline prices are up 8.4 cents per gallon over the past week to a statewide average of $3.53. Traverse City prices are around $3.55.
The auto club said Monday the statewide average is 80.5 cents per gallon higher than last year at this time.
Many people are putting the brakes on extra trips to town and also taking note of "hypermiling". Hypermiling is using driving techniques to maximize fuel economy.
Here are a few hypermiling techniques from a forum discussion:
1. Less Friction: It's simple, maintain proper air pressure and inflate to the maximum allowed by the specific model of tire you own. This will decrease friction and help your car get up to speed faster than tires that are at an improper pressure.
2. Remove the Junk in your Trunk: OK, it's not what you think. I'm not talking about getting rid of excess pounds off your rear end. I'm talking about removing items from your car that are not needed. These can range from books to trash to clothing to shoes, etc.
3. Lighten the Load: This is similar as above. However, we're talking about lightening the car from it's original weight. Some things that could be removed and might not be necessary are trunk carpet, floor mats, rear seats (if you don't ever use them), etc. This varies based on car and use. You can also replace items with lighter models. Also, if you have a full size spare, you might want to consider downgrading to a smaller spare (these are pretty cheap at junkyards). There are many different ways of reducing a cars weight and I will go over my findings throughout the year.
We also spoke with Mike Cook, Owner of Good News Automotive in Traverse City. He said, "The harder you accelerate, the faster you take off, the quicker that gas gauge is going to go down, so yeah, easy acceleration, steady cruising speed. You get behind the guy that can't make up his mind if he's going to go 45 or 55 or 65, he's eating up a lot of gas varying that speed back and forth. If you get behind that guy, you're doing the same thing. So you just need to back off, let him drive the way he wants to, keep your speed steady."
Cook also warns against common practices that are dangerous; like tailgaiting and shifting your car into neutral as you go down hills.
He says those behaviors don't save much gas and can end up costing you a lot more if you get in an accident.
Are you taking steps to change your driving habits? Tell us "Your Point of View" by voting in the poll below and leaving your comments and tips!
To get more information on hypermiling CLICK HERE.
To check out the AAA Daily Fuel Gauge report by AAA Michigan CLICK HERE.
