Improve Gas Mileage - Stop Idling!

If you have any dream of improving gas mileage and saving money on gas, you will soon run across a new term. It's "hypermiling".

Hypermiling is a new word meant to describe the various techniques and driving habits used to improve gas mileage. In other words, to get "hyper" gas mileage.

This is the third in a series of articles inviting you to join the sub-culture of hypermilers. Those of us who want to improve gas mileage and save some money!

Driving habits that will save on gas and improve gas mileage don't have to be complex to be effective. Some truly dramatic increases can be accomplished with only a few simple hypermiling techniques.

Here's a hypermiling technique used to improve gas mileage that is so obvious that many of us never even think about it.

Imagine this; you are working away and before you know it, it's time for lunch. You hop in the car and drive down to the local fast food place. Once there, you sit in the drive through lane waiting your turn to order. There's a fairly long line of cars - after all, it is the lunch rush!

Finally, you get to the window, and wait for your food. And wait for your food. And wait for your food.

Good hypermiling idea? Nope. That five or ten minutes spent idling in the drive through is burning gas and totally killing any of your attempts to improve gas mileage.

If you truly want to improve gas mileage and practice hypermiling, park the car and go inside to order. You will save more on gas than you may think.

You may ask…"But doesn’t it use extra gas when you initially start a car?"

It's true, when you first start a car, it does take a little extra gas. To start a car uses about the same amount of gas as idling for 30 seconds. So, to improve gas mileage, anytime you are faced with a idling more than 30 seconds - turn the car off!

The opportunity to improve gas mileage by not idling is not only available at the drive through. Every day we are given the opportunity to practice a little hypermiling and improve gas mileage.

How about those train tracks where you're stuck watching a train that seems to go on for miles and miles? Turn off the car and improve gas mileage.

How about that particularly long stop light that you are trapped at for about 5 minutes every day? Turn off the car and improve gas mileage.

How about doing some hypermiling and improve gas mileage when you go somewhere to pick up friends? You don't have to sit there idling while they say their goodbyes. Turn off the car and improve gas mileage.

What about the kids at school? I see parents sitting in line at the school - idling - for 30 and 45 minutes at a time. They aren't moving. Why not turn off the SUV and really improve gas mileage!

Here's a truly innovative idea to improve gas mileage - take a bag lunch to work! You'll save money on gas, save money on food and probably eat healthier too! Use the time you used to spend irritated and idling at the drive through -  to relax and read a book. That's more than hypermiling, that's hyper living!

Want to feel like a true HERO? Pass this article along to your friends. Help them get into the habit of hypermiling and learn to improve gas mileage - and save some money. Just leave the article intact, including the author bio box.