Bad driving could be fuelling the oil crisis

Bangalore has a large vehicular population and there is no freedom from the internal combustion engine. With the hike in fuel prices, Rs 100 will fetch a little over one and a half liters of petrol. Before the oil shock sinks in and drowns us in bills we need to reexamine our dependence on motor fuel.

In the US, the scientific council has told the regulators to revise fuel economy testing procedures to reflect real-world driving practices and conditions instead of the ideal laboratory settings currently used. This recommendation should be applicable to India too.

We need to do now is to look at all possible help to reduce fuel consumption. One way to conserve is to improve the efficiency of motor vehicles that we drive.

Some of the tips are there in the motor world, circulated as folk lore and each specific to particular motoring community.
Keep your tyres inflated: If a range is recommended by the manufacturer, the higher pressure should be used to maximize fuel efficiency. Tyres lose about 1 psi (pound per square inch) pressure per month due to air loss caused by the tyre hitting holes and bumps (plenty in Bangalore). Even if one tyre deflates by 2 psi it will result in a 1% increase in fuel consumption.

Avoid hard acceleration and braking: Smooth driving can reduce fuel consumption by up to 30 per cent. It takes up to six times as much fuel to move a car from a dead stop than it does for one moving at just a few kmph. In highway driving, over 50% of the power is used to overcome aerodynamic drag. Fuel consumption increases at speeds above 90kmph. On the average, a car uses about 15% more fuel at 100kmph and 25% more fuel at 110kmph.

Lighten the load: Take off roof-racks and bull bars if they’re not needed. Remove unnecessary items as every 50kg added load will increase fuel consumption by 2%.

Switch off: When stuck in traffic for any length of time turn the key to the ‘accessory’ position (not to “off”) and if an automatic transmission, shift to “park”. Vehicles fitted with engine-off as standard typically reduce fuel consumption in urban areas by up to 15%.

Use thinner tyres: Tyres with thick width will improve the handling of the car but will also increase fuel consumption.

Drive in high gear: The engine runs most efficiently between
around 1,500 and 2,500 rpm. To maintain these low revs you should change up through the gears as soon as practical and before the revs reach 2500 rpm. However, this may not possible in Bangalore because of traffic.

Don't let your engine idle: Idling more than a minute consumes much more fuel than restarting the engine. By having the engine switched off, you will save more fuel than is lost from the burst of fuel involved in restarting the engine. The net increased wear and tear from this practice is negligible.

Use A/C sparingly: Air conditioners can use about 10 per cent extra fuel when operating. However, at speeds of over 80 km/h, use of air conditioning is better for fuel economy than an open window

Service your car regularly: Service your vehicle every three months. A properly maintained engine can improve mileage by up to four per cent.

Then there is the urban legend. The fuel consumption of an average car increases sharply at speeds below 50kmph.
Happy and intelligent driving.