Mark Englander, owner of Charlotte Energy Solutions, offered CL these gas-saving tips. We didn't have room in the paper, so I'm posting them here:

1. Buy gas during the coolest time of the day. Gas is dense when cool. You’re charged for volume, not density.

2. Accelerate gently. Jack-rabbit starts waste gas.

3. Go 55 miles per hour to give you up to 21 percent better mileage compared to mileage at 65 miles per hour or higher.

4. Switching to higher gears sooner can save as much as 45 percent more fuel.

5. Put the car in neutral when idling at a standstill. This allows your transmission to cool down.

6. Coast to a stop at lights and stop signs.

7. When approaching a hill, accelerate before you reach it rather than while you are on it. The latter requires more gas.

8. Pump up tire pressure to the maximum pressure listed on the sidewalls of the tire.

9. Drive off-center of the lane. This “ridge riding” lessens resistance by not driving in the traffic-worn tracks of the pavement.

10. Pace yourself to hit as many green lights as possible.

11. Hang back from cars ahead.

12. Combine errands. Cars burn more gas when warming up.

13. Try to park so that you never need to back out of a space. The reverse gear uses more gas than forward gear.

14. Stay about three-seconds of driving behind 18-wheelers. This lets you use them as windbreakers.

15. Buy an automotive computer that shows you in real time your miles per gallon.