Gas prices are soaring across the country, striking at the very heart of American life. Politicians are considering drastic measures, including a gas tax holiday on the federal level and, in California, a tax rebate.
But those measures, if they end up happening at all, will take time to ease the pain. And President Biden is warning there will be more of that pain at the pump in order to punish Russia for invading Ukraine.
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And while there isn’t a whole lot you, John and Jane Q. Motorist, can do about gas prices, there are some things you can do in the meantime to use less gas.
Keep Your Tires Inflated
Inflating your tires to the proper pressure reduces rolling resistance, improving fuel economy by up to 3 percent per tire versus underinflated tires.
Accelerate and Decelerate More Gradually
Most every modern car has some kind of real-time MPG gauge that shows you how much gas you’re using by going at a certain speed. This is helpful for seeing just how big of a difference it makes to accelerate hard versus accelerating slower. If you’re a hard accelerator, you could easily add 5 or even 10 mpg by easing up and coasting more. This takes some of the fun out of having a big, juicy car engine that makes loud noises. But this is no time for fun and games, gas prices are high.
Observe the Speed Limit
The mere suggestion of following the law probably has you on the verge of organizing a freedom convoy. But desperate times call for desperate measures. The country used to have a national 55 mph speed limit on highways because of rising gas prices during the oil crises of the 1970s. Nixon even banned Christmas lights. You don’t want Biden to cancel Christmas this year, do you?
You don’t have to go 55, although you could, it wouldn’t hurt anyone, and it would save you even more money on gas, which is what we’re all so mad about to begin with, right? You might be surprised how much better mileage you get at 55 or 60 mph versus typical highway speeds of 70 or 80. And unless you’re driving for hours, you’ll only be sacrificing a few minutes in travel time.
Swap Your SUV for a Sedan
It’s a tale as old as time: You bought a beautiful new (or Certified Pre-Owned) SUV when gas prices were low, thinking they would remain low forever because low gas prices are in the Constitution. Now, filling your $70,000 Ford Expedition is costing a lot more than you anticipated, and, turns out, they don’t even mention gas prices in the Constitution.
Fortunately, there is still an active market for cars and trucks. With a little effort, you could sell the vehicle with its unanticipated costs and buy a smaller, more fuel-efficient, more practical sedan that still does all the important things the Expedition does, like transport you and your family from one place to the next in comfort and safety while sacrificing a few small perks like a high riding position or the ability to intimidate nearby pedestrians.
Many think sedans are for teenagers, senior citizens, hippies, and other undesirables who cannot afford a real vehicle. But that’s just urban legend. Sedans are still fairly popular. The fourth-best selling car in the U.S. so far this year is the Camry, a car you probably once dismissed as a dull econobox for Uber drivers. But that weakness is now its strength. A dull ecobox is just the ticket. So go ahead and make that trade. And perhaps splurge for a hybrid while you’re at it which will pay for itself in the savings, especially if you often drive in cities or stop-and-go traffic.
If you’re having a hard time finding a good trade-in value on your suddenly undesirable gas guzzler while hybrids are jacking up in price much like the gas they barely use, perhaps make a mental note of that for the next time you’re considering a vehicle purchase when gas prices are low.
Or Go Electric!
So far, we’ve been talking about ways to use less gas. But what if we stopped using gas entirely?
Electric cars are expensive and in short supply. But there has never been a better time to make the switch, because even with rising electricity prices, it still is much more economical to charge an EV than gas up a similarly-sized gas car. EVs are the future, so why not take this opportunity to hop in a bit sooner than you might have otherwise anticipated? If you can find one, that is.
Carpool
We’re not back to carpooling again are we? Meeting some coworker I half know at some park-and-ride off the interstate and spending the whole ride either in silence or complaining about Hank in Accounting? I did that for like two weeks in 2010 before I almost went insane after my carpool buddy played and sang along to Hotel California for the 37th time. If anyone is going to sing along to Hotel California in the car, it’s going to be me, in my own car, by myself, off key.
Hitchhike
Pros: Time-honored moocher system. Meet new people. See new places. Get where you’re going, eventually.
Cons: Unreliable. People will assume you’re a serial killer due to unfair negative stereotypes of hitchhikers. Driver may ask you to chip in gas money.
Freedom Convoy
I’m an American, and I have grievances, and deep in my heart they are legitimate and important. And, moreover, when I began this convoy a week ago, I was sure those grievances were about coronavirus. But now that I’ve been paying gas across the country for the past week to protest, I know for sure I am also mad about gas prices, and I will drive wherever I have to to make my voice heard.
Walk or Bike
OK, look, I get it. We’re all trying to be helpful here during a tough time. But let’s not go overboard. Walking or biking to get places is what Americans do when we’re in a war, not when we’re trying to stop one.
Take Public Transportation
It’s just common sense.
