conserving energy, fuel, and $$$

In response to Primus's 6 things i hate about the bloody oil price... here's some tips on how to conserve fuel, save $$$

1.Don't signal – ever
Not that Malaysians use their indicators anyway but it is an even more compelling reason to not waste energy on that blinking light

2.Don't park in multi-storey car parks (eg: terminal 1, Seremban)
Going up and down ramps burns fuel. Better to just leave the car outside on a single yellow line. Besides, the spins give you a headache!

3.Don't brake for bumps
Braking burns fuel so just keep accelerating over speed bumps.

4.Commute off-peak
Avoid the rush hour traffic by going into work at 10am and coming home at 3pm.

5. Delay switching on headlights
Wait until it gets really dark or until someone flashes you before switching on headlights.

6. Sing
Radio music is lousy anyway. Sing to entertain yourself instead of letting your Blaupunkt burn more fuel.

7. Carpool
Cram as many people as possible into your Kancil. Besides, the added weight helps with braking. You’ll have someone to chat on the journey. No more flipping stations finding the right junk to listen to.

8. Use the emergency lane
Why sit idle in traffic when you can gain ground efficiently on the extra lane?

9. Coast downhill
Turn off the engine and free up the gear when going down a slope. Let gravity do the work, not petrol.

10. Invest in body kits
Making the car more aero-dynamic with sporty skirting and spoilers reduces drag and fuel consumption.

11.Use 18-inch rims
Big rims mean less tyre material, i.e. rubber. Therefore less rubber is burnt while driving and less resistance/ friction.

12. Drive on the line
Align the middle of the car on the line that divides two lanes on a dual carriageway. This reduces the need to make sharp turns as you are effectively using the racing line.

13. Go through red lights
If you are in front at a traffic light, go straight on. Braking hard for a yellow or red light burns fuel.

14. Use high gears
If using a manual car, try to go from first straight to fourth. Keep the revs to below 1,000rpm.

15.Take MCs
Utilise your entitlement to the max. Every day that you don't go to work is RM saved on fuel, toll, parking, etc.

16. Know your roads…
Decide the best route to take and make sure you know the roads... getting lost in KL makes you take a super long route, thus more fuel consumption.

17. Plan your journeys
If you have 7 things to do, plan it out, make a checklist and do it in one journey instead of 7.

18. Fill your tank early in the morning
Fill your tank early in the morning when the ground temperature is still cold. Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground. The colder the ground, the denser the fuel.When it gets warmer petrol expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening.... your litre is not exactly a litre.

19. Fill in slow, save in more
WHEN YOU'RE FILLING UP, DO NOT SQUEEZE THE TRIGGER OF THE NOZZLE TO A FAST MODE. note that the pump had (3) stages: low, middle, and high. When you pump in low mode, the vapours that are created are minimized. All hoses at the pump have a vapour return. If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank vapurized. Those vapours are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you're getting less worth for your money.

20. Do not wait until your yellow petrol sign shows at your dashboard
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TIPS IS TO FILL UP WHEN YOUR TANK IS HALF FULL. The reason for this is, the more fuel you have in your tank, the less air occupying its empty space. Less space, thus less evaporation.

Ok, so I've got 20 points down already. When I have more, I'll put them up. If you've got an idea for me, it's time for a shout-out! ^^

p/s: calculate your extra expenditure on fuel here: http://boxstr.com/files/2299275_wqfom/?token=f01ca28e818007472c20a69f693bfc77