Saving Gas Question?

Question

I'm looking at different ways to get to my boyfriend's house. I went on mapquest and had it avoid all highways and toll roads.

Will going back roads save gas as opposed to going on the high way?

Answer 1

Braking and speeding up are two things that waste energy. It is usually easier to avoid braking and speeding up on a highway than on back roads. Stop signs, ill timed lights, rude drivers, and stop & go traffic kills the gas mileage.

My car gets 29 mpg on the highway, if I drive nicely and stay off the gas (racing around someone). The best I can get around town is about 20 mpg. If I drive dumb, then I get about 14 mpg. See the pattern here? Stop and go traffic hurts and racing kills gas mileage.

Answer 2

it depends. whichever route has you going at a steady speed with few stops and starts will probably save the most gas. a bicycle would save even more gas.

Answer 3

you get better gas mileage on the highway than you do on back roads bc you're not constantly slowing down and speeding back up