Get Better Fuel Economy When Driving Hills and Mountain Roads and Highways
To save gas and fuel costs, increase and improve their miles per gallon rating of fuel economy professional drivers on the road not only drive efficiently and effectively. They also take the time and effort to plan and think ahead to anticipate what is on the roadway and to how they can get there quick but yet with good driving safety and style as well as obtaining good and even better fuel economies. This is especially so when driving up hills and in mountainous roads. In this day and age, with the high and ever increasing prices for gas and diesel fill ups, almost all drivers seem to forever driving towards greater economies and cost reductions when on the road.
First of all except for the most extreme driving circumstances, don’t ever accelerate while climbing a hill. No doubt you will be using gas like its on fire to get just a very few more miles speed up. Think about if needless acceleration is wasteful on a level road imagine how poor it is when fighting gravity.
If you drive a heavy car or truck, especially one with an automatic (as opposed to a manual or standard) transmission, don’t poke your way up a hill. Gradually press the gas pedal to maintain your momentum but remember not to accelerate. Automatic transmissions tend to “lock up” and become generally more efficient at higher speeds. Hence it pays to climb a little more quickly than in the case of a manual transmission.
Next learn not to approach a hill with any more initial speed than you need to maintain momentum on your way up. Likewise do not put your foot to the floorboard in an impossible attempt to maintain speed on a very steep grade. If a hill starts to win the momentum contest, take it as a matter of course. Take your time. You cannot ultimately win against the great powers of nature and gravity.
Lastly one tip professional drivers offer is that if are driving in a small car, they allow their vehicle’s speed to drop ever so slightly as they climb rather than speed up or even keeping it constant. They keep the gas pedal steady as they go. If the vehicle has a manual transmission they accomplish the same task and end effect by downshifting if necessary. Even if the engine appears to be roaring under less load, and wasting fuel, in all actuality your power plant is actually running under a much more efficient load and load gearing factor. In both cases once you reach the crest of the hill you can gain speed and energy saving momentum on the way down. The power of gravity has now become your friend and companion.
In the end the driving pros advise that it is all about planning your trip on the road. Anticipate so that you can plan as well as react to both road conditions as well as other traffic on the road or highway that you are driving. Pleasant travels and good gas mileage await you on mountain roads and hills.
