Gas Tips and Myths

Doug has a great list of what can really save you gas and what can't. Click the link to learn about some of the myths about gasoline.

Here is a success email on the benefits of hypermiling:

Doug,

I have been hypermiling for the last 25 years. My father taught me about it when I was learning how to drive!

I can remember when you could come of the freeway on the 9th South exit of I-15 on to West Temple and If you were driving the posted speed limit you could drive all the way to 2nd north with out hitting your breaks. Yes you would have to adjust your speed but you could do it every time!

Out in West Valley City at 4100 South and 6400 West the traffic signal timing has been changed to where East/West traffic (main flow) only has a green light for 10 seconds, only alowing 4 cars thru. The North/South light is green for over 20 seconds. It is very frustrating to sit thru at least two light cylces to get thru East/West with a line of ten cars but there is no traffic gong North/South.

I used to put on over 24,000 miles a year on my personal vehicle. Using the Hypermile thinking the whole time. With the cost of fuel I started cutting back about a year ago. Even with Hypermiling now I am down to where I just go to work (ten mile round trip - less than 12,000 miles per year) and run my errands one day a week. I used to drive over 400 miles most every weekend to visit family and friends.

The 9 O'Clock Hour Rundown

Just months ago, predictions of $4 per gallon met with healthy skepticism. Now, some are predicting $5 per gallon by the end of summer. Congress needs to dazzle us, not propose irrelevant and trivial gas tax holidays. How we can afford to take money out of our broken roads for political smoke and mirrors?

Doug conceded one point to radical environmentalists. It took high gas prices to get people to wake up and start living smarter and more energy-efficient.

Politicians can afford not to act. We can’t. Doug reviewed how the average citizen can actually save on gas. Cutting aggressive driving can stretch a tank of gas 30% longer. Lower speeds and using cruise control help as well. As for myths of gas savings, keeping tire pressure up only makes a slight difference, and windows and air conditioning won’t make or break the tank.

Doug pleaded with his listeners to stop e-mailing him about CBS television programming. First, KSL is an ABC affiliate. Second, it’s a radio station. That’s what 1160 AM means. If you’re offended by “Swing Town,” at least send complaints to the right network. Trust him when Doug says it’s hard to watch "Swing Town" on your car radio.

A caller told Doug he’s part of the problem by opposing nuclear waste being stored in Utah. Doug set him straight. He’s not against nuclear energy or nuclear waste, just improper disposal of it. Expended nuclear fuel rods were going to sit above ground on a slab of concrete at the mercy of malfunctioning missiles and aircraft. Doug said he’s pro-nuclear energy, and against irresponsibly disposing of the waste. He admitted he isn’t used to being called an environmental wacko.

The 10 O'Clock Rundown

More gas myths: Premium fuel saves on gas mileage, filling your tank in the morning gets more gas molecules per dollar, and gas additives dramatically increase mileage. Those things make a negligible difference if any.

Isn’t it telling that the last thing congress got done had nothing to do with gas prices? They passed the economic stimulus package. Doug said it was immediate and it was bipartisan because lawmakers thought it might save their seat in congress. The only thing Congress can do right is buy votes. Meanwhile, we're still waiting on an energy plan.

A caller gave his experience “throttling back” to 55-60 miles per hour on the road and getting 20% more gas mileage. Another caller commented that he actually gets higher gas mileage the faster he goes. The “throttle back” philosophy, Doug said, works for the vast majority of vehicles. Airlines save millions on fuel by flying slightly slower.

Another caller said the windfall profits tax proposed by Democrats in Congress is really killing the goose that lays the golden eggs. Doug agreed. When congress taxes business, they really tax the consumers who use that business’ services. Businesses don’t cut their own profits. The executives won’t take a smaller bonus. They simply pass taxes through to customers.