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I gave up driving my car to work 9.5 years ago and started riding my bicycle. It is not as hard or dangerous as people think it is.In fact I get my one hour workout in everyday and I don't have to spend time at the gym. So not only am I saving gas money but I am also saving the payment to the gym also.

My total savings in gas amounts to one house payment a year.With the price of gas going up I'm saving even more money per week now. At the rate it is going I will be saving two payments a year soon.

Do an experiment with your car: on a long freeway drive (one where you'll have to fill up), go 5mph less than usual and see if your mileage improves. In my 2000 Ford Focus I can get about 2 miles/gallon better. Plus I tend to be more relaxed when I'm not trying to pass everybody, which is an added bonus!

Also, I try to check my tire pressure at least once a month. A few psi low can wreck your mileage (and your tires!).

Use an EV for transportation. It uses no gas. You just plug it in a 110V outlet in the evening to recharge. I use a 1975 Vanguard Citicar around town and pass by the gas pumps with a smile.

Ride a motorcycle. You don't need a 4+ passenger car to drive yourself to work.

Also, the state should allow bikes to split lanes in traffic like CA.

Dear Traffic Planners: Synchronize the d@mn traffic lights!! (Especially on major inbound and outbound arteries!). Six Forks and Falls in North Raleigh need to be sync'ed inbound in the mornings and outbound in the evenings! It's stop and go and stop and go and stop and go and ....

I can't imagine how much gas is wasted getting from Strickland Road to the Beltline by one car at 8am going inbound with the stop and go nonsense. Ever been on Falls inbound on Sunday morning around 9am? Every traffic light turns red even tho there is no cross traffic. Asinine.

If the planners left the lights greens inbound and outbound for say 5 minutes (and promoted that fact) and stopped letting the minor intersections get priority when one car pulls up, the Falls and Six Forks would not be so backed up in the mornings and evenings (which would also help the air quality). I simply can't believe that this would be that difficult (yes, I have heard the excuses). Just let people know that the major arteries have priority and you will wait on crossing intersections at peak times. People will adjust.

I also agree Jim Brown -- PEDAL!

If you can, get rid of the sporty guzzlers and get a Prius or Honda hybrid. Even with these cars, the slower you drive (5 miles below the speeed limit) the better the mileage (as into 50s rather than 40s). Hybrid SUVs are better than non-hybrid models but still use more than the hybrid sedans. The more power you use, the less the mileage - there is nothing magical about hybrids that change that concept.

Ride the bus! I started riding the bus back in May, and between the cost of paying for parking and the cost of gas, I estimate that I save about a car payment every month. It takes about the same amount of time to get to work as driving AND I get to read or listen to my Ipod the whole way instead of yelling at the idiot who pulled out in front of me on Western Blvd.

Acknowledging that gas is more expensive than it used to be, and that some people are kinda freaked out by it, these 10 simple gas-saving tips have been shared by the folks at Ford as part of their push for "eco-driving." But while the tips are easy-to-follow for most people in everyday driving situations, some of us need to make exceptions. We've amended each of Ford's tips with some damn good reasons why you should ignore them. Hit the jump for more.

1. Slow down and watch speed - Drive 55 miles per hour instead of 65 to save fuel. The EPA estimates a 10-15 percent improvement in fuel economy by following this tip. Also, aim for a constant speed. Pumping the accelerator sends more fuel into the engine. Using cruise control whenever possible on the highway helps maintain speeds and conserve fuel.

Exception: You're in a hurry because you have places to be and better things to do than drone along in the slow lane, not to mention the speed limit on the highway is 70 MPH and if you did drive 55, you'd likely be paying more to have your rear bumper replaced than you would ever save in fuel costs. [image]

2. Accelerate and brake smoothly - Accelerating smoothly from a stop and braking softly conserves fuel. Fast starts, weaving in and out of traffic and hard braking wastes fuel and wears out some of the car components, such as brakes and tires, more quickly. Maintain a safe distance between vehicles and anticipate traffic conditions to allow for more time to brake and accelerate gradually.

Exception: The idiots on the road during your commute cut you off for no reason, and when you do finally get off the expressway of death, the pedestrians and cyclists in the city are all suicidal maniacs. You'd like to go easy on the brakes and just ram into them, but manslaughter doesn't appeal to you.

3. No idling - Today's engines don't need a warm up. Start the car immediately and gently drive away. Don't leave your car idling. Prolonged idling increases emissions and wastes fuel. Turn the engine off in non-traffic situations, such as at bank and fast food drive-up windows, when idling more than 30 seconds.

Exception: You car doesn't have one of these magical "today's engines." If you don't warm it up, you leave a cloud of blue smoke in front of your house so thick that the vegetation in your front lawn dies off.

4. Check your tires - Keep tires properly inflated to the recommended tire pressure. This alone can reduce the average amount of fuel use by 3-4 percent. Under-inflated tires increase rolling resistance and reduce fuel economy. They also wear more rapidly. Check the vehicle's door-post sticker for minimum cold tire inflation pressure.

Exception: You're drag racing your muscle car, so you take some pressure out of the rears. Perhaps you're rock-crawling or sand dune-climbing in your Jeep, so you need to let pressure out of all fours. Maybe your junky old beater won't go down the road straight unless you've got the front left tire 5 PSI lower than the right side.

5. Be kind to your vehicle - Maintain proper engine tune-up to keep vehicles running efficiently. Keep the wheels aligned. Wheels that are fighting each other waste fuel. Replace air filters as recommended. Use a fuel with good detergent additives to keep the vehicle engine clean and performing efficiently. Always consult the Owner's Manual for proper maintenance.

Exception: Your car is a $500 lump of metal held together by zip-ties and drunken welding. Your idea of proper maintenance is opening up the distributor and taking a blow-dryer to the points on humid days. Your suspension is falling apart, so the alignment varies based on how hard you took that last corner. Your air filter is a piece of wire mesh. It's not worth it to be nice to this beast.

6. Travel light - Avoid piling a lot of luggage on the roof rack. The added frontal area reduces aerodynamics and will hurt fuel economy, reducing it by as much as 5 percent. Remove excess weight from the vehicle. Unnecessary weight, such as unneeded items in the trunk, makes the engine work harder and consumes more fuel.

Exception: You have 5 people going on a cross-country vacation in your midsize car. On top of that, you've decided to go tent camping each night rather than staying in hotels.

7. Minimize use of heater and air conditioning - Use heating and air conditioning selectively to reduce the load on the engine. Decreasing your usage of the air conditioner when temperatures are above 80 degrees can help you save 10-15 percent of fuel. Use the vent setting as much as possible. Park in the shade to keep car cool and reduce the need for air conditioning.

Exception: It's swelteringly scorching outside and you really don't want to have your entire back drenched with perspiration, so you need the air conditioning on. Or perhaps it's numbingly frigid outside and you really don't want to experience what frostbite is like, so you need the heater on

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