Jun 27 2008
Help fuels savings with improved driving habits
What is the fuels efficiency of your car (or better say – your driving)? To calculate your fuels efficiency, use the total km traveled divide by total fuels consumed in liter. You will get km/l. Some people calculate it the other way round – the concept is the same. So, what is your fuels efficiency in km/l?
My highest efficiency is 14.8 km/l. It used to be 12.8 km/l, if I am not following the tips. In good condition, I used to go up to 16-19 km/l!!
With the recent fuels price increases, I heard a lot of ads on gadgets improving fuels consumption. I bet these things cost you a fortune, yet not sure how effective they are. Why these gadgets were not known or installed in OEMs if they are trully effective? Also, if they are real, why oil companies and racing teams spend millions in research on this – bear in mind fuel efficiency can help a team win a race!
About 2 years ago, our company has invited John and Helen Taylor (the Guiness World Record holder, who drove around the world with the least fuel consumed), to give us a talk on fuels saving tips.
I wrote about the fuels efficiency talk and the fuels saving tips before, but have to admit that after practicing it a few weeks, I’ve thrown them away!
The methods are useful and proven works. But it takes a lot of efforts and concentrations to achieve that. On good days with very high concentration, my car recorded 16 to 19 km/l (according to the same meter above). Somewhat, not sure if the car is 2 years older now, or the driver (me) is 2 years older now, I just can’t achieve the same these past few days! The best I could do was 14.8 km/l.
Well, don’t get me wrong. 14.8km/l was an improvement from 12.8km/l. But I guess that’s because I was driving in housing area with a lot of traffic lights and stop & go traffics. If I had driven with their tips, on highways, I could achieve better results like before.
What’s my point in this post? Basically, why bother with those so-called fuels saving gadgets? If we want to save fuels, start with our own driving habits first. That is, if you cannot car-pool with others. 
Another tip, stay near your workplace or work from home.
Hey Suzette…I don’t know how old you are, but do you remember the old Sammy Hagar song? It goes like this:
I CAN’T DRIVE…..FIFTY-FIVE!!!!
Yeah, Yeah, I know I should. But I’m buying a road bike with my third paycheck in July. It will help me save gas and burn fat! Nice combination.
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All…I’m catching up on my comment replies. This is in response to the comment you left following my second Arte y Pico Award!
Hey Tricia, it’s my pleasure….Yeah, we definitely must go rafting sometime. When can you get away from your blogging? I’m a trip leader now, I can take you down the river.
Sheila–Thank you very much. Trust me, you are doing all of that. Yeah, every once in a while it’s necessary to mix it up a bit. Fortunately, “meanderings” are such an integral part of my blog.
Mariuca, you completly rock! You’re too kind and so very generous!
Jennifer, my pleasure. Any time you need help with anything, just give me a shout.
Amy–Who was it that said “and good will towards men?” I don’t think it was Tiny Tim.
Suzette thanks for both the congrats and for the well wishes in the BotB…I couldn’t buy a win right now.
Buddy–I just adore dogs. Read my post under “Classic MTMD”: Year of the Dog: Remembering Buffy, Mookie, and Duke.
Cheers everyone!
What fuel do you use, I mean, isn’t Mobil, Caltrex, Shell, BHP or Petronas?
Can only blame on the mismanagement of the country, am I at least 50% right?
The best way to save fuel is to drive sensibly, don’t accelerate too fast and keep the speed under control. I have problems with this! I like to go a little to fast, but I think about it more and more each time I fill-up and it comes to $55 in my small car!
michelle: hahaha! that is definitely the most useful tip. So we just walk, no need a car/bike! Say bye-bye to fuels.
Matt: thanks for returning a visit here.
So, have you bought your bike?
Mun: Shell, normal type. does it make any difference? I thought they are the same?
molly: Mismanagement? I think a lot more than just that. Hahaha!
Gas Scooter: Well, this is exactly what was said in the tip. Actually need quite a lot of focus when we do ‘just that’ – once you apply brake, you are already wasting petrol. The key is not to apply brake – so you should release the pedal long enough before a red traffic light, hopefully by the time you reach it turns green or the car is slow enough to stop by itself (no wastage). Hahaha! That is very difficult, man!