Rising Gas Prices: Don't Panic, Get Perspective, Perspective My Butt TACH Says!

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Wanna Save Almost $1 per Gallon on Gasoline - READ THIS - No Tricks, No Gimmicks
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Give Consumers Real Choice; Replace MPG with CPM and Replace Regular(E10) With Flex-Fuel(E85) It's That Simple!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Patriotic Americans Choose Flex-Fuel Vehicles
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: Time to get Pissed America - U.S. Projected to Reduce Gasoline Use Levels Just 20% in 20 Years

But First Snide�s Remarks: While the world�s spin doctors and PR mills fiddle, America is burning� gasoline that is. We driving Americans will spend 1 trillion dollars on gasoline this year...with the majority of it going off shore, out of our economy and directly, do-not-pass-go, into the Swiss Bank Accounts of despots, nuts and all around bad guys.

More than 50% of the United States� trade deficit is due to oil imports. Our government is la de da-ing about its support of alt fuels that will get us off of oil...bull dodo we say... actions speak louder than words and today�s bought and paid for politicians along with their precedents, continue the same systematic pro-oil and anti-American actions that they have over the past 100 years, actions that continue to reinforce and reward the gasoline monopoly, to the detriment of the American people.

As this well-meaning article below explains that by doing many small thing correctly drivers can increase their MPG by a few percentage points. Big Deal, with 4 buck plus a gallon of gasoline putting a hardship on our families, our economy, our business� and on most importantly on our brave service Men and Women who are dying in hot sandy places ostensibly to �protect and free� people who hate us and our way of life, all this to protect a monopoly that continues to suck us dry.

Time to get pissed we say, time to get pissed. What do you think? msnide@theautochannel.com.

BETHESDA, MD--April 12, 2011: Prices at the pump are moving upward in time for spring and summer road trips. While many motorists may panic as gas prices continue to rise, a little planning, perspective and a few simple steps from the Car Care Council can go a long way to combat the soaring price of fuel. �

"It's easy to be alarmed by the cost of gas, but when motorists take a look at the big picture, they'll see that much of the increased cost can be offset by adjusting driving habits and implementing a proactive vehicle preventative maintenance plan," said Rich White, executive director, Car Care Council. "Fuel economy is related to vehicle maintenance, yet when gas prices rise, some motorists think they can save money by putting off needed maintenance. What they don't realize is that neglecting their vehicle can end up costing more."

The Car Care Council offers these gas-saving maintenance tips:

Keep your car properly tuned to improve gas mileage by an average of 4 percent.
Keep tires properly inflated and improve gas mileage by 3 percent.
Replace dirty or clogged air filters and improve gas mileage by as much as 10 percent.
Replace dirty spark plugs, which can reduce mileage by two miles per gallon.
Change oil regularly and gain another mile per gallon.

Driving behavior also impacts fuel efficiency. The council offers these gas saving driving tips:

Observe the speed limit. Gas mileage decreases rapidly above 60 mph.
Avoid excessive idling. Idling gets zero miles per gallon. Warming up the vehicle for one or two minutes is sufficient.
Avoid quick starts and stops. Aggressive driving can lower gas mileage by 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent in the city.
Consolidate trips. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much gas as one longer multi-purpose trip.
Don't haul unneeded items in the trunk. An extra 100 pounds in the trunk reduces fuel economy by 1 to 2 percent.

"A 20 cent increase in the price of a gallon of gas results in roughly $2 more per week the average commuter must spend," continued White. "Simple, inexpensive maintenance and altering the way you drive can save as much as $1,200 per year in gas, going a long way to offset soaring fuel prices and keep more money in your wallet."

The Car Care Council is the source of information for the "Be Car Care Aware" consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of regular vehicle care, maintenance and repair to consumers. For a copy of the council's Car Care Guide, which is now available electronically, or for more information, visit Car Care.