Fuel Saving Tips

the brakes are evil

These tips have all been mentioned before, but this is a new way of thinking about it. If you drive a normal, non-hybrid car, every time you step on the brakes you are turning useful forward momentum into wasted energy (heat)! Shifting down is cheating as you are just using your engine as an air compressor instead of friction brakes. If you tailgate the car in front, when he turns off the highway you will have to use the brakes much more, and turn more momentum into heat, than if you had left enough distance to just coast until he turns, and have to accelerate less. If you crest a hill at or over the speed limit, you will have to ride the brakes on the way down and use your gas dollars to heat up your brake discs and pads, versus slowing down naturally on the way up and accelerating on the way down. Go to your rollercoaster park and observe the train's speed as it goes up and down the hills. I try and keep (in a 55mph state route for example) to go about 45-50mph over the peaks, and 60 mph through the valleys. Depending on how steep the hills are!) If you know you will be turning off or coming up to a red light start slowing down early. Again, this has been said before. But be courteous! Always use your turn signal and be reasonable if the road is a double yellow stripe or rush hour. Honestly, isn't keeping your sanity, and fellow motorists happy, more important than saving half a cent of gas? If you drive a hybrid, coasting and light to moderate use of the brakes will recharge the battery. But most hybrids can only charge a certain amount (at least the prius, which I am moderately familiar with) so If you use the brakes heavy or at low speed it still works the friction brakes!