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Last week we talked about hypermiling, a set of techniques to help you optimize your gas mileage. This week I want to take a closer look at some of these fuel saving suggestions to see if these practices actually work.

At a recent “Hybridfest”, the annual event that puts into practice gas saving techniques, a standard Honda Accord was able to get 21.7 km/l as opposed to its official fuel-efficiency rating of 10.2 km/l (city) and 14.4 km/l (highway). Impressive!!

So this past week I have been trying some of these techniques to see if there has been any difference in my fuel efficiency.

One suggestion is to travel at or below the speed limit. I generally don’t speed so that’s not an issue for me, but in this city I would feel as if I were taking my life in my hands if I were to travel below the speed limit. This technique would definitely anger and frustrate other drivers.

Another suggestion is to avoid rapid starts and stops so I have been trying to slow down as I approach red lights and stop signs. The new countdown lights at most city intersections really help in this regard. Apparently, studies show that you can use from 5 to 30 per cent less gas depending of course on variables such as type of vehicle. So not exceeding the speed limit and avoiding “hard driving” are by far two of the best gas saving techniques there are.

Also, if your car comes equipped with cruise control you should use it for highway driving since research shows it can offer an average fuel economy savings of 7 per cent.

My mom suggested that you should put your seatbelt on before you start your car so you can just start up and go. This is true but I still like to give my car a few seconds to warm up a bit. It does bring up another point though. If you’re going to be idling for a while, just turn the engine off. Contrary to popular belief, having to restart your car isn’t worse for your fuel economy than if you’re going to idle for longer than one minute. At fast food places it might also be a good idea to skip the drive-through, park, and go in to place your order.

Another popular gas-saving technique we talked about last week was the practice of cruising downhill in neutral. Apparently this doesn’t help save gas because coasting with your foot off the gas uses the same amount of fuel. It is also a dangerous practice since the vehicle can really speed up very quickly. This might be one reason why coasting downhill in neutral is illegal in many areas.

There are just too many gas-saving ideas and myths to cover here today so next week we’ll take a look at some other techniques and suggestions, like driving with your windows closed, to see if that really does help save fuel.

By the way, I have seen no difference in my liter per kilometer ratio but I will continue to try and alter my driving and I’ll let you know if I notice any changes by next week.

Until recently I had never heard of the term “hypermiling,” but now I hear it often and see it referred to frequently. It’s a term coined a few years ago by a Wayne Gerdes of Illinois who founded the website CleanMPG.com to help drivers overcome rising fuel costs.

Also known as ecodriving, hypermiling involves a set of techniques to help you meet or exceed your vehicle’s official fuel-efficiency rating, thus cutting down on fuel consumption and ultimately saving you some money.

Some basic hypermiling practices include driving at or below the posted speed limit, anticipating stops by coasting to red lights, and reducing acceleration when going down hills. Some go even further by turning off the engine or switching to neutral while coasting. And I have even heard of one hypermiler who actually pushes his car out of his driveway and onto the street before turning on the engine. Yikes! It’s one thing to try and be fuel efficient, which is a noble pursuit, but it looks like some may be going too far. You have to make sure you don’t lose sight of safety!!

Some of these fuel saving practices do improve safety, like checking your tire pressure and driving at or slightly below the speed limit. But driving too far below the speed limit can be a hazard unto itself and, on certain highways, it can even be illegal. You also have to be really careful about actually turning off your vehicle while coasting down hills. You must make sure that your car can handle the stopping and starting, that you can do it safely, and that this activity is actually legal where you are traveling.

Looking back on my childhood, long before the phrase “hypermiler” was coined, my dad was forced to practice gas saving techniques. We were a poor family in a rich country at a rich time, when conserving fuel was the farthest thing from most people’s minds. I remember on countless occasions, my dad taking his foot off the gas pedal as we coasted down hills and, when the situation was critical and the fuel gauge was hovering dangerously below empty, he would actually turn off the car as we careened down the hills. I don’t ever remember running out of gas.

Whichever techniques you may choose to help conserve fuel just make sure you, first and foremost, practice common sense. Saving a few dollars on fuel is ultimately not worth it if you end up putting yourself or others in danger.

Last week I found myself hobbling around on crutches. You might wonder what this has to do with traffic so I will tell you. I was almost run down by a car!!

My sister and I were walking home from a movie last weekend when a car came speeding down the alley. It crossed the sidewalk where we were standing and continued on at a high rate of speed.

My sister, being younger and lither, was able to get out of the way quickly but it took me a split second longer to realize that I was in danger. When I jumped out of the way I landed very heavily on my heel, apparently popping a tendon.

The pain was very intense. My sister had to run home to get the car because I couldn’t walk.

When I relay this story the questions are the same. Did the driver of the car slow down or stop? No, he or she did not. Did I get the license plate? No I didn’t. When the car was coming at me all I saw was headlights and when it passed all I felt was pain.

Incidents like this can happen so fast. We are just as vulnerable strolling down the sidewalk as we are when we are behind the wheel. So even when we are doing something as simple taking a walk we still have to be aware of our surroundings and be as prepared as we can for the unexpected.

Because accidents can happen anywhere. So “safe walking” everyone.