The Citizen, 2005-04-14, Page 12PAGE 12. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 14, 2005.
10 ways to save money
Switch to save
One way to save money at the gas pump this season is to
switch to synthetic motor oil and drive train lubricants.
i MS) — High gas prices have
become a way of life. But spending
your salary at the pump doesn’t
have to be the norm, that is if you
learn how to conserve gas.
Follow these easy tips to get more
mileage out of your tank and keep
more money in your pocket.
1. Drive with caution. Don't
exceed highway speed limits. Use
moderate-to-easy acceleration. Gas
mileage is negatively affected by
fast acceleration and fast
deceleration. If possible, use cruise
control on highway trips.
Maintaining a constant speed helps
reduce fuel consumption.
2. Maintain a properly-tuned
engine. Dirty spark plugs do not
create the maximum spark and
cause reduced horsepower and
increased emissions.
3. Go easy on the air
conditioning. Limit use of air
conditioning, especially on summer
days.
4. Use synthetic lubricants.
Switch to synthetic motor oil and
drivetrain lubricants.
5. Maintain your car’s air Filter.
Install a new air filler as needed. To
get optimal efficiency from your
engine, it needs to breathe.
at the pumps
6. Take advantage of
aerodynamics. Keep windows
rolled up if you are travelling over
40 mph. At highway speeds,
travelling with the windows open
can create a wind drag that will
lower your mileage.
Sunroofs also disturb smooth
aerodynamic air flow and reduce
mileage. Avoid using a roof rack;
you can reduce aerodynamic drag
and improve fuel economy by
placing items inside the trunk
whenever possible.
7. Take good care of your tires.
Make sure your tires are properly
inflated, and keep them balanced
and rotated regularly. Use radial
tires for less friction between tire
and road. Also, make sure the front
end is aligned for better mileage and
G&M
Auto Parts
Auto Parts Plus
a longer tire life.
B. Avoid excess weight. Pack light
and clean v out your trunk
periodically. You would be
surprised how many unnecessary
items most people keep in their
trunks. Every 200 pounds of
unnecessary weight shaves 1 mile
per gallon off your gas mileage.
9. Minimize idling. One minute of
idling uses more fuel than restarting
your engine.
When possible,. avoid drive-
throughs. Idling for as little as 10
minutes while you wait in line can
waste five or six miles of gas. Limit
warm-ups to 30 seconds.
10. Plan trips in advance. Make a
list of errands and try to take care of
as many as possible on the same
trip.
Steps to prevent road rage
It's 8:25 a.m. and you're due into
work by 9 sharp. Traffic has been
moving on the road up until now
but, suddenly, congestion begins to
form.
You devise ways to make it
through the crowd to get to work on
time, and begin weaving in and out
of lanes, cutting off cars to “beat
out” other drivers.
Suddenly, a driver whom you
passed flies up beside you and starts
mouthing off obscenities and
gesturing from behind his wheel at
you. You start yelling back. This
example illustrates how quickly
road rage becomes an issue on the
country’s roads.
According to the U.S. Department
of Transportation, road rage and its
counterpart — aggressive driving —
account for about two-thirds of
accidents each year. Many of these
accidents result in serious injury or
death. They can usually be avoided
by keeping road rage in check. Here
are some tips to follow:
OTHER’S AGGRESSION
Be aware of how unpredictable
other people can be.
* Be serious about road rage. If
someone else is the aggressor, you
could be dealing with a volatile,
unstable person You don’t know if
< TYTYTTTTTVTTTTTTTTVTTTTT >
Complete
Collision
Repairs
this person has a weapon or how he
or she will react. Treat every
situation as potentially dangerous
and explosive.
* Don’t feed the fire. Try to
remain calm. Don’t make gestures,
faces, flash your lights or honk your
horn. It’s natural not to want to be a
“wimpy,” but it could save you from
injury.
* Avoid the person. Try your best
to avoid the aggressive driver. Ease
off the gas, hang back to let him or
her continue travelling ahead.
YOUR AGGRESSION
Take steps to rectify driving habits
that can contribute to road rage.
* Don’t tailgate. Riding a few
inches from someone’s bumper is a
nuisance. It makes them feel
pressured to go faster and limits the
safe distance they have for
emergency stopping. Hang back a
bit ... it can prevent you from
plowing into their bumper if they
stop short.
* Use signals. Signal when you
want to change lanes or when you
are exiting. Just remember to turn
off your signal afterward. Trailing a
car with a signal flashing for miles
can be frustrating.
* Don’t weave in and out of traffic
or cut off others. Don’t cut someone
off to achieve a “better” position.
How much time will you really save
in a sea of traffic by getting ahead of
a few cars Also leave plenty of time
for merging into a lane, rather than
waiting until the last minute, just to
be a few cars ahead.
* Don’t flash your lights. Blinding
another driver with your high beams
is not the right way to prove a point
or signal that you want to pass him
or her. Be considerate and you
could save an argument ... or
altercation.
& f,LTER SHANGE $0095
J '“be (if applicable)5 3° °" M V . SST
Omprehens,ve 55 P«- check over with report card MOST MAKES & MODELS
inspections
N/C estimates H work recommended.
Free ride to area shopping available.
Free local shuttle service!
GODERICH
346 HURON ROAD, GODERICH
524-9381
1-800-338-1134
your car ready
for summer!
235 Turnberry St., Brussels
Bill Giousher Gary McArter
Res.: 523-9023 Res.: 887-6027
gURKHOLDfin
AUTO BODY & TOWING LTD.
Owned and operated by Bill & Brenda Burkholder
BLYTH, ON NOM 1H0
24 Hour Towing
"Big or Small, Will Tow 'em all!"
519-523-9474 • TOLL FREE 1-800-350-6993
<AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA>