With the national average price of gas nearing $4 a gallon, drivers are feeling the sting, but there's no need to cancel your vacation. We sifted through mounds of data from the government, automotive consumer advocates, and car rental agencies to find out how to squeeze every last penny out of what you put in your tank. Here is what you need to know before your next summer driving adventure.
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The Mistake: Driving Too Fast
Why it matters: While each car reaches its optimal fuel economy at different speeds, gas mileage typically decreases rapidly at speeds above 50 mph. For every 5 mph you drive over 50 mph, you're paying an extra 26¢ per gallon for gas, according to fueleconomy.gov, the official U.S. government source for information on energy efficiency. Plus gas is consumed faster when accelerating hard.
What to do: Try not to drive faster than the speed limit when on the highway. When around town or in traffic, avoid jackrabbit starts; accelerating gently can improve your gas mileage by up to 5 percent in town and 33 percent on the highway, according to fueleconomy.gov. If using a manual car, use overdrive gears whenever possible to reduce engine speed (and gas use). It's really about how smoothly you drive, so use cruise control whenever possible to maintain a steady speed.
The Mistake: The Air Conditioner Is Used Improperly
Why it matters: Should the air conditioner be on or off? Many experts say it depends on your speed. When driving at slower speeds—say, around town—turn off the air conditioner and roll down the windows because the engine has to work harder to pump out cool air. According to Ford Motor Company's Driving Skills for Life program, at speeds above 50 mph close the windows and use the air-conditioning—at highway speeds, open windows increase the aerodynamic drag and the engine actually works harder than if it were using the A/C. However, when the Discovery Channel's Emmy-nominated TV series MythBusters tested this theory, they concluded the air conditioner should be avoided no matter the speed. Consumerreports.org came to a similar conclusion when it tested a Honda Accord—the effect of opening the windows at 65 mph was not measurable, whereas using the air conditioner did reduce gas mileage by over 3 mpg.
What to do: When driving around town or at slower speeds, abstain from using the air conditioner. When on the highway, we recommend avoiding the A/C. If you need cool air, use the vent setting instead. It also helps to park the car in the shade to keep it cool and reduce the need for air-conditioning. If you must use the A/C, first open the windows to remove the hot air before turning it on—by doing so you will reduce fuel consumption, according to the Green Driving Tips on avis.com.
The Mistake: Too Much Luggage on (And in) the Car
Why it matters: A loaded roof rack can increase wind resistance, diminish the aerodynamics of the car, and decrease fuel economy by 2 percent. Similarly, extra luggage in the trunk weighs down the car and requires more work (and more gas) from the engine—an extra 100 lbs in the trunk reduces a typical car's fuel economy by 1 to 2 percent or about 4¢ to 8¢ a gallon, according to fueleconomy.gov.
What to do: Remove and store the luggage racks, bike racks, ski racks, and kayak holders until you absolutely need them, or try to put some of those items in the trunk instead. And, of course, pack less! (It is possible, with the right techniques, to fit everything you need for two people traveling for a weekend into one carry-on.)
The Mistake: It's Been a While Since the Car Had Some TLC
Why it matters: Engine and car maintenance is important for the vehicle's fuel efficiency. Low tire levels, low fluid levels, a broken thermostat, and sticky brake calipers can all contribute to a reduction in gas mileage. Soft tires, for example, produce greater friction between the road and the rubber, causing the engine to work harder to propel you forward. For every 1 psi drop in pressure, gas mileage decreases by .3 percent, according to fueleconomy.gov. The Toyota Camry, according to Consumer Reports, experienced a 1.3 mpg loss in highway fuel economy when its tires were underinflated by 10 psi.
What to do: Maintain proper car maintenance. Replacing the oxygen sensor, for example, can be crucial. The sensor monitors the amount of oxygen in the exhaust and tells the car to adjust its air/fuel mixture based on its reading. If it's acting improperly, the car will run poorly and waste gas (fixing a faulty oxygen sensor can improve your mileage by as much as 40 percent, according to fueleconomy.gov). Also, different motor oils have different grades of thickness, so use the recommended grade of motor oil, which can improve your gas mileage by 1 to 2 percent. It takes more energy to push through thick oil than it does through thinner oil, according to Car Talk's Guide to Better Fuel Economy, so it's important to use the right grade. The Federal Trade Commission suggests finding motor oil that says "Energy Conserving" on the performance symbol to help improve gas mileage. For minimum tire-inflation pressure, check the driver's side doorpost sticker or the owner's manual. Do not use the maximum pressure printed on the tire's sidewall—that is the maximum allowable pressure, not the recommended pressure. When the weather gets colder, this is even more crucial: For every drop of 10° Fahrenheit in air temperature, tires will lose one pound of pressure, according to Tom and Ray Magliozzi, the cohosts of NPR's Car Talk. Similarly, replacing a worn tire when necessary could save you more than $100 a year in fuel, according to consumerreports.org.
The Mistake: Warming Up the Car Too Long
Why it matters: Burning gas and going nowhere? Not fuel efficient. For every two minutes a car is idling, it uses the same amount of fuel as a mile's drive, according to the California Energy Commission. When Consumer Reports left a Buick Lucerne idle for 10 minutes while warming up, it burned about an eighth of a gallon of gas.
What to do: Don't idle for more than 30 seconds, even in cold weather. According to the California Energy Commission, the best way to warm up a car is to drive it gently.
The Mistake: Not Taking the Time to Plot a Route That Avoids Traffic
Why it matters: Sitting in traffic is the same as idling—not fuel efficient. The shortest route is not necessarily the best one for the wallet if you're in bumper-to-bumper traffic.
What to do: On most smartphones, Google Maps gives consumers up-to-date traffic patters and information to help plan the most efficient route. Certain GPS units, like the Garmin nüvi 3750, also study traffic trends and can help improve your route. Using E-ZPass, FastLane, FasTrak, SunPass, or any other electronic toll-booth collection program can also reduce starts and stops, and help improve gas mileage.
The Mistake: Too Many Stops on the Road Trip
Why it matters: Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as one trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
What to do: Because warmed-up engines operate more efficiently (and, in turn, offer better gas mileage), according to edmunds.com, try to avoid an excessive number of stops on the next road trip and limit the bathroom breaks if you can.
Related places
25 Most Photographed Places on Earth
Mining data from 35 million Flickr photos, scientists at Cornell University made some surprising discoveries: Not only did the world's most photographed cities (and the most captured landmark in each) emerge, but also so did the most common angles for shooting each place. So what do the results say about us as travelers? The findings suggest that through our cameras, we "vote" for our favorite places, things, and the best representation of them—and, by and large, we agree. We reached out to the researchers to see if the results had changed since the study was released in April 2009, and they crunched the numbers for us again—with a few exceptions (the Lincoln Memorial, for example, has replaced the Washington Monument as most photographed place in D.C.) not much had changed. But how can you photograph world wonders in a way that makes something special out of the overly familiar? In our slide show, we showcase the most commonly shot landmarks from the top 25 cities—first showing you its classic angle and then offering fresh alternatives, with tips from our photo editors on how to put your own unique spin on these iconic destinations. Consider this your photographer's guide to the Flickr Wonders of the World. SEE THE PLACES: 25 MOST PHOTOGRAPHED PLACES ON EARTH 25TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: PORTLAND, OREGON Landmark: Pioneer Courthouse Square. Portland's 27-year-old public space, host to alfresco concerts and festivals, is the city's most visited spot. Standard shot: The square overlooking the Portland Clock Tower. Tip: The rule of thirds. The foundation for well-balanced images, this rule states that images should be equally divided by two vertical lines and two horizontal lines. Compose your shot so that the elements are placed along these lines. Here, the arm of this sculpture coincides with an imaginary vertical line, while his umbrella lines up with your horizontal line. 24TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: DUBLIN, IRELAND Landmark: O'Connell Street and the Spire of Dublin. The city's wide main street, which runs into City Hall and Dublin Castle, is home to a hard-to-miss monument: the sleek and pointy spire, completed in 2003 as part of a street redesign and rising nearly 400 feet above the cosmopolitan scene. Standard shot: The spire framed by O'Connell Street. Tip: Experiment with angles. In this case, doing the unexpected—getting as close to the monument as possible and shooting upward—delivered a gem of a vantage point. 23RD MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: AUSTIN, TEXAS Landmark: Capitol Building. The 1888 Renaissance Revival–style capitol commands 22 gracious acres on Congress Avenue; it's constructed of red-tinged granite that was quarried just 50 miles away. You'll want to shoot this beauty from every angle. Standard shot: Up into the rotunda. Tip: Compare and contrast. Create a lively composition by contrasting your subject with an interesting object in the foreground—and then adjust the depth of field to focus on that object, leaving your original subject blurred in the background. Here, a metal ornament on the state capitol's gate becomes the new star of the shot. 22ND MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA Landmark: Independence Hall. Constructed as the Pennsylvania State House in the mid 1700s, this structure, a beautiful example of Georgian architecture, was the meeting place for the Second Continental Congress from 1775 to 1783 and the site of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. Standard shot: A side perspective of Independence Hall. Tip: Frame with nature. Try to go for the less obvious composition by looking for trees or other sources of organic beauty to complement your subject. Here, the ginkgo trees perfectly frame the clock tower. 21ST MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: VENICE, ITALY Landmark: Piazza San Marco. St. Mark's Basilica, with its grand arches and Romanesque carvings, dominates Venice's sprawling main square, where camera-toting tourists jostle for space with pigeons. Standard shot: A full frontal view of St. Mark's Basilica. Tip: Capture the vibe. Sometimes it helps to set your sights on the action of a place rather than its overall beauty. Here, focus on the fluttering pigeons that famously fill the plaza, and the feel of the place will be more evident than it could be in any wide-angle shot. 20TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: MADRID, SPAIN Landmark: Plaza Mayor. The 17th-century principal square is classic Madrid—symmetrical, historic, and abuzz with activity as it's host to cafés, street artists, and various hawkers. Standard shot: A view across the square taken from the southeast corner. Tip: Cozy up to something. In a sprawling square, highlight a specific detail—such as this statue in the Plaza Mayor—and shoot it from below, creating a silhouette framed by an expansive sky. 19TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA Landmark: Granville Island. From industrial wasteland to urban-redevelopment success story, this city island is now home to various colorful and creative attractions, from a sprawling public market and the Adventure Zone (a playground for kids) to theater productions and art exhibits. How to capture the vibe in one great shot? Standard shot: A long shot of the skyline from the harbor. Tip: Find some color. Look for an out-of-the-ordinary corner to focus on, and then, if you have a compact camera, choose a setting that accentuates the colorful hues of the canvas before you, such as "landscape" for a garden or, if appropriate, "night." On Granville Island, for example, explore the docks and capture the lights at night. 18TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: MILAN, ITALY Landmark: Duomo di Milano. Commissioned in 1386, this soaring, pink-tinged, gargantuan Gothic cathedral (with a capacity of 40,000) has enough spires and statues to humble even the most experienced photographer. Standard shot: A skyward photo of the cathedral from the front. Tip: Get past overwhelming façades. Zoom in on visually interesting lines and sculptures, as this photographer did, turning a collection of spires into an arresting graphic image. 17TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: TORONTO, ONTARIO Landmark: CN Tower. Toronto's center of telecommunications (its broadcast tower serves 16 Canadian TV and radio stations) is also a skyline star and tourist favorite. Its glass-walled elevator zooms riders to an observation deck in less than one minute, but a look up at the tower from below is pretty thrilling, too. Standard shot: A vertigo-inducing angle shot from below. Tip: Get some exposure. Achieving a colorful shot at night is tricky. Use a slow shutter speed, which increases exposure, and a tripod to eliminate blur, and skip the flash to make the lights in your skyline glow. This photographer captured Toronto and its iconic tower from Ward's Island (part of the Toronto Islands), across the Inner Harbor. 16TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: FLORENCE, ITALY Landmark: Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore). Filippo Brunelleschi's masterpiece—today, the world's third-largest church—was built from 1296 into the 1400s. Its striking red-tiled dome and colorful façade of pink, green, and white are photo-worthy, indeed. Standard shot: The stunning façade. Tip: Capture it all. Juxtapose a section of the landmark building with a view of the city (or other contextual elements) by shooting out from within the icon itself. 15TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA Landmark: Paris Las Vegas hotel. Part of the Strip for a dozen years already, this French theme park of a resort—and especially its Eiffel Tower reproduction—is still a big hit with shutterbugs. Standard shot: A full frontal of the Paris Las Vegas. Tip: Go away. Sometimes it helps to get some perspective. In this case, you can cross Las Vegas Boulevard and go up into Paris's neighbor, the Bellagio, to get an elevated shot of the hotel spectacle. 14TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: BERLIN, GERMANY Landmark: Brandenburg Gate. Representing the lofty idea of peace and standing 82 feet high, this 18th-century sandstone landmark—Germany's most well-known—can easily make shutterbugs feel like they should fall in line. Standard shot: Straight on. Tip: Break the rules. Shoot directly into the sun as it sets to create a compelling silhouette. 13TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA Landmark: Balboa Park. Set aside as a public space in 1868, this 1,200-acre park has undergone many stages of development and beautification. Today, it's home to theaters, activity centers, landscaped gardens, and at least a dozen museums, with more than its fair share of photo-worthy landscapes. Standard shot: A zoomed-out focus on the tower of the California Building. Tip: Try fresh angles. This unusual composition, including just the tip of the ornate California Building, fills the frame with the vibrant blue sky as reflected in this body of water. 12TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: BARCELONA, SPAIN Landmark: Sagrada Família. It's hard to know exactly where to point your lens at Gaudí's elaborately ornate, multitowered Gothic cathedral, which couldn't possibly be captured all in a single frame. Standard shot: From the front entrance, looking up. Tip: Zoom in. Avoid the standard, straight-on shot (and, in this case, unattractive scaffolding) to zoom in on the ornate details, such as the basilica's steeples. 11TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS Landmark: Fenway Park. Boston tourists love snapping photos of this classic ball field, which is the site of All-Star games, a World Series win, and historic moments ranging from a record Mickey Mantle home run to a speech by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Standard shot: Far, wide. Tip: Seize the moment. Preset your camera on its rapid-fire, or "sports," setting—but, when the big moment happens, look to the stands instead of the field for inspiration. When you see something animated, such as a fan waving his arms in the air, you'll be ready to snap multiple shots, capturing the silhouette (and the energy of the crowd) against the backdrop of the field. 10TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS Landmark: Dam Square. Created in the 13th century as a dam around the Amstel River, this expansive plaza is now flooded with street performers and tourists (and pigeons). It's hard to capture the frenzied feeling in a wide shot. Standard shot: Wide, with buildings and lots of space. Tip: Try keeping other people in the frame. There's a natural temptation to shy away from shooting photos of strangers, but including people can give viewers a contextual clue about the relative size of the subject you're photographing. Plus families and groups of travelers can make a space seem more alive. Here, the photographer has used the plaza as a backdrop to capture its local talent. 9TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: ROME, ITALY Landmark: Colosseum. This ancient site is filled with the ghosts of dueling gladiators, tormented prisoners, and slaughtered animals, contained, centuries after the fact, within a stunning framework of Corinthian, Doric, and Ionic columns. It's a gorgeous dichotomy indeed, and it's hard to not want to capture it all. Standard shot: The structure, in its entirety. Tip: Take advantage of a natural "frame." The archways at Rome's Colosseum give shape to the photo. Shooting through windows, courtyards, doorways, and other openings can create an appealing inside/outside dynamic. 8TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: SEATTLE, WASHINGTON Landmark: Space Needle. What began as the symbol of the World's Fair in 1962 has now become the symbol of this supercool city. The 360-degree view from the top is expansive, taking in sights from the Puget Sound to Mount Rainier. Standard shot: From directly below. Tip: Create a mirror image. Reflective surfaces are common in urban areas. For a unique take on a classic monument, look around for how an object might be mirrored in a car window, a building's glass front, or the surface of a fountain. 7TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: WASHINGTON, D.C. Landmark: Lincoln Memorial. This marble memorial to the 16th president—featuring Ionic columns, oil-paint murals, and a 120-ton statue of Abe himself—is a striking part of the National Mall. Standard shot: The full building, from a distance. Tip: Put things in "perspective." A straight-on shot is the most obvious one to take of the Lincoln Memorial, as it puts the main subject front and center. But including other objects in the picture, like this $5 bill, adds a creative element of whimsy to what might otherwise be a dime-a-dozen postcard image. 6TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. Landmark: Cloud Gate sculpture. Anish Kapoor's 110-ton bean of stainless steel is the shiny centerpiece of Millennium Park's AT&T Plaza and makes for a striking photo in just about any composition. Standard shot: A direct shot of the bean, taken from the side. Tip: Avoid the obvious. Whether it's a sculpture, a person, or a building, you can always walk around your subject to get a different view. In this case, the photographer went underneath the bean sculpture—made of highly polished steel and inspired by liquid mercury—and shot upward for a truly unique view. 5TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA Landmark: Hollywood Walk of Fame. Begun in 1960 as a Hollywood marketing tool (with filmmaker Stanley Kramer the first honoree), the series of coral-colored stars was at 2,441 in May 2011 and continues to grow. Standard shot: One star, shot from above. Tip: Use distance as a frame of reference. Rather than rush in and snap away, pre-visualize your image, thinking about how to photograph a subject from different directions. In this case, the photographer chose to present the stars in a line—a decision that brings context to the shot. 4TH MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: PARIS, FRANCE Landmark: Eiffel Tower. Gustave Eiffel's 1889 masterpiece, constructed in celebration of the French Revolution's 100th anniversary, is magnificent at any angle; but why choose one that you can easily find on a postcard? Standard shot: Full-on, from far away. Tip: Keep an eye out for unexpected patterns. Most pictures of the Eiffel Tower are taken from a distance. But its detailed iron latticework also captures attention. In general, close-up shots of patterns in architecture help a viewer see iconic attractions with fresh eyes. 3RD MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA Landmark: Union Square. The main downtown plaza—used as a rallying site to support troops during the Civil War—is now a mecca for hardcore shopping and people-watching. It's also a great place to hop aboard a cable car. Standard shot: A wide-angle view of Union Square from the Macy's Building. Tip: Less is more. A close-up photo can sometimes be as powerful as a wide-angle one. As Belgian fashion designer Dries Van Noten once said: "It's more interesting to have just a picture of a small detail. Then you can dream all the rest around it." Here, a tight shot of a sculpture in the square takes that advice to heart. 2ND MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM. Landmark: Trafalgar Square. John Nash designed and developed this former palace courtyard into a public space in the early 1800s; it has since been further transformed with sculptures, fountains, and staircases, and has become a local hotspot for protests—all worthy subjects for your lens. Standard shot: A wide-angle shot of the National Gallery and St. Martin-in-the-Fields church. Tip: Shift direction. Tilt your lens down to get some surprising texture in the foreground of your shot. Here, the photographer juxtaposed an urban icon, St. Martin-in-the-Fields church, with the surface of a Trafalgar Square fountain. (And, in case you were curious, the tree stumps in this photo were part of an exhibition that warned about deforestation.) 1ST MOST PHOTOGRAPHED CITY: NEW YORK, NEW YORK. Landmark: Empire State Building. Built in one year and 45 days in the midst of the Great Depression, this iconic skyscraper draws about 3.5 million visitors a year to its observatories. On a clear day, you can see as far as Massachusetts, but backward glances at the soaring architecture are pretty seductive, too. Standard shot: The view of the Empire State Building from the street below. Tip: Broaden your perspective. Photographing an expected sight from an unexpected place can add a lot to your photo. To get this shot, head 16 blocks north and up 70 floors to the Top of the Rock Observation Deck in Rockefeller Center, where you'll get the best view of the Empire State Building—along with a 360-degree panorama of the city.
