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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Average gas price for Washington hits $3.86 5/19/08   CONTACT THE HERALD Mike Benbow, Business Editor benbow@heraldnet.com   Published: Saturday, May 17, 2008 Low-cost ways to get better gas mileage By Tim Grant Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Gasoline prices are soaring, and drivers are feeling the pinch. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Options include carpooling, public transportation, bicycling, even walking. But if you absolutely have to drive, there are ways -- short of buying a hybrid vehicle -- to get better gas mileage. They include: No jackrabbit starts. Unless you're racing to the hospital or getting chased by a carjacker, try not to gun the gas pedal. "It lets a lot of unburned fuel out of the tail pipe," said Chuck Wichrowski, owner of Baum Boulevard Automotive in Pittsburgh. No quick stops. Take your foot off the pedal and coast to a stop instead of applying gas right up to the stop light or stop sign and stomping on the brake. "If you continue to add power up to the stop, you're wasting gas," Wichrowski said. A word of caution: While coasting do not move your driving foot too far from brake pedal. Maintain your car. Proper tire pressure and proper alignment will improve your gas mileage. "It sounds minute, but if the tires are going against each other you'll have to give it more gas to go the same miles per hour," said Darrell Baker, a mechanic at Hamlin's Automotive in Bridgeville, Pa. Slow down. Higher gas prices have put the transportation industry under pressure to find ways to cut cost. Many companies are starting to realize slower driving is better for the bottom line. The trucking industry's main trade group recently introduced a plan to reduce fuel consumption and emissions over the next decade mainly by having its members slow down. Even airlines have learned they can save millions on fuel by flying more slowly. Although its added a few minutes to their flights, Southwest Airlines started flying more slowly about two months ago, and projects it will save $42 million in fuel costs this year. Close the windows. As for passenger vehicles, Wichrowski pointed out one gas saving tip that is often overlooked. "If you're on the highway, use the air conditioning rather than rolling down the windows," he said. "The car loses its aerodynamics when wind gets in the car and holds it back. "If the windows are up, the car is slicker. Studies have shown even with the air conditioning running, a car gets better gas mileage with the windows up."

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