Road Rage Can Lead to Gas Guzzling

Are you a driver, or do you know a driver, who has road rage? You know who you are, or you may live with someone who is, and you may just be causing yourself more pain at the pump by not keeping calm while driving.

Maintain one speed

You use more gas if you are constantly going from 65 mph, up to 75 mph, and back down again. If you are like many men I know (and some women!), then you have some odd issue with people passing you on the highway so you spend most of your time speeding up to pass others, getting angry when they pass you and starting the process again.

Cruise control is not just so that you can relax a little and take your foot off the gas while driving on the highway, it can also keep you at a constant speed and save you cash! Cruise when you can and don't let some other driver take away your control by speeding up and slowing down!

Do not tailgate

If the car in front of you has done something to make your blood pressure rise resist the urge to get up close to their bumper. Besides the chance of getting in a collision, everytime you hit the brake then hit the gas you are actually giving away your money. Would you rather show them how angry you are by getting up on them or show them the extra dollar bills in your wallet that they don't have?

Roadways are not racetracks

For some reason many road ragers have decided that stoplights are only there in order to get ready to race against the person next to them, once again generally because they do not want to be passed. A fast start uses more gas than a slow start and its been shown that you usually do not get where your going any faster. This also leads to the habit of slamming on your brakes at the next light because you sped up so fast to show that guy that you could beat him to the light a half a mile down the road. All you've really shown him is that you do not mind throwing your money out the window.

Don't rage quietly either

Even if you do not do the previous acts you may seethe internally and this can be just as bad. If someone is angry they tend to drive faster which uses more gas. They also get a little hot around the collar which causes them to turn the AC on when they could do just fine without it. Rolling your windows down reduces the drag on the car which raises your fuel efficiency instead of raising your ire.

Take a walk but turn the car off

If you need to, get out of your car and walk off your rage instead of letting it out on the vehicles around you, but if you do, turn your car off. You use more gas by idling than by starting and stopping the car. Unless of course you have a diesel then you can walk all you want while your car stays cool!

Be a road raver!

Instead of raging at the other drivers sharing the road with you, rave about all the money you are saving by being calm while you drive! Laugh at the next guy who cuts you off because he will have less in his bank account than you! What better way to get back at someone?