For the past few months, our pockets were given a small break at the gas pump.  Gas prices actually inched its way down to a national average of about $3.50 per gallon.  However, as Hurricane Ike moved its way through the Gulf of Mexico, it temporarily shut down major offshore oil and gas refineries.  Due to the temporary halt of production, there is less supply of refined gas. On top of that, the demand for gas has also gone up because there is a greater need for gas in hurricane ravaged areas.

Less supply and more demand means higher prices. In only two days, the average has jumped to about $3.80. A station in Tennessee is selling regular unleaded of $5.19! According to analysts, this spike in price will fall as soon as the refineries are back up and operating at capacity.  That will take a few weeks.  So what can we do to ease the pinch?

Basically… the only thing we can do is to stretch our gallon of gas as far as it can go.

To accomplish this, you could buy a fuel efficient vehicle.  But if a new car in not in your budget (it is definitely not in mine), then you can use some of the tips and tricks of the hypermilers.

What is a hypermiler… you say?  A hypermiler is a person who engages in hypermiling. LOL

Yeah real funny blogger lady, so what is it really…

Alright, alright, I thought it was funny.

Ok so what is it:

Hyper – excessive, above and beyond, giving more… Mile – 5,280 feet… Put it together and you got “giving more than 5,280 feet” – hypermiling or getting the maximum fuel mileage from your vehicle.

Wayne Gerdes, the father of the hypermiling movement, professes to get 59 miles to the gallon from his car!  And how does he do it… well here are a few hypermiling tips:

1 – Don’t just get in the car and drive. Inspect your car.  Make sure that the tires are properly inflated, make sure the oil is clean, get rid of extra weight that can cause a drag. Then get in and drive.

2 – Use brakes sparingly. Accelerating and decelerating adversely affects fuel economy.  Slowly coast to a stop sign or red light and then brake.

3 – Leave the lead foot at home. Speeding can wreck havoc on fuel efficiency.   Most cars are at peak efficiency at 52 MPH, give or take a few miles.

4 – Be alert. Watch the cars that are near you, but also watch the cars that are ahead of you.  This way, you can make a plan about how to weave in and out the following traffic… this is something you can do to avoid breaking and maintain that 52 MPH speed.

These tips seem simple enough, but most times hypermilers are labeled as extremists… and reckless drivers.  Hypermilers are often criticized as having a one track mind – increasing fuel economy… (regardless of the danger that it poses to other drivers).

Some hypermilers are accused of coming to rolling stops or swinging narrow curves at a high speed… all in an effort to conserve fuel.

I would not suggest to anyone to try out any of the radical hypermiling tactics.  But some of the more practical ones are doable.  Many hypermiling techniques can be used to get us past this spike in gas prices… but they can be used to help save fuel and money once the spike has fallen.