South Africans Are Paying Over R20 a Litre for Petrol: Here Are 10 Tips on How to Save Fuel

• The price of both grades of petrol rose by R1,46 this week, while diesel has increased by R1,44 as South African motorists, felt the pinch with 95-grade petrol costing R21,60 per litre and a litre of diesel costing R19,55 per litre
• On the international front, the crude oil prices are spiralling above the $100 a barrel mark and this will have an effect on the local fuel price in the future
• Small changes in your driving style can save a lot of fuel, follow our tips and learn how to go further for less

This week South Africans paid R1, 46 per litre more for both 95 octane and 93 octane petrol which resulted in R21,60 per litre for 95 octane inland and R20,88 per litre at the coast. It was one of the single largest fuel price hikes so far.

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Many motorists filled their vehicles with fuel on Tuesday night before the increase came into effect which presented one last chance to evade the price increase. However, the reality is we need to make adjustments to our driving habits and look after our vehicles better to reduce our fuel consumption. We've made a list of 10 helpful tips to make feeling the pinch slightly easier.

CEO of MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert says:

“Motorists in South Africa may feel powerless to change the situation. While one can’t stop the war, you do have the power to change the way you drive and potentially reduce your fuel consumption by up to 20%. The power to limit the effect of international affairs is partially in your hands,” says Herbert.

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MasterDrive provides the following tips to reduce fuel consumption:

Scan the road ahead

Watch 12 seconds ahead as you drive to anticipate changes to traffic conditions and minimise unnecessary braking and acceleration.

Drive slower

Reducing speed by 20km/h can reduce fuel consumption by 20% in certain circumstances

Avoid harsh braking and accelerating

Drive defensively and responsibly. Fast lane changes, sudden acceleration, harsh braking and weaving between traffic increases fuel and maintenance costs

Plan your route

Use traffic apps and alerts to avoid traffic jams and congestion Keep your revs per minute around 3000 as it can also reduce your fuel consumption by 20%. If you’re a commuter, avoid the rush hours when you can. You’ll really notice the improvement in fuel consumption.

Regular maintenance improves fuel efficiency

Remove unnecessary items from your car. Every extra 50kgs of weight increases fuel consumption by two per cent.

Be mindful when using the air conditioner

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The most fuel-efficient way to drive is with windows closed and the air-conditioner off. That, however, is not always possible and an air-conditioner uses less fuel than an open window creating considerable drag.

Check your tyres

Incorrectly inflated tyres affect fuel consumption

Do not let the engine idle

Idling gets you nowhere, but still burns fuel, says Shell. As a rule, if you’re in a queue, or waiting for someone for more than 10 seconds – switch off your engine.

Check your battery

As a rule, anything that puts a drain on the battery will put a drain on your fuel economy – like air conditioning. But worse still is a battery in poor condition. So keep a check on your battery's health.

Be mindful when changing gears

The higher gear you drive in, the lower your engine speed is, which can improve fuel efficiency. So always change up a gear whenever your car comfortably can.

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Playful dog chases Google Maps StreetView car for 15 seconds of fame

If you search for directions in the district of Kumage in Japan’s Kagoshima Prefecture, you may notice a playful-looking white and brown dog in the Google StreetView images, Briefly News reports.

The playful pooch found an unlikely playmate in the Google Maps car, which has a 360-degree camera located on its roof. Images on Google Maps show the white and brown-coloured dog near a quiet road close to a marina. The car then moves along the road, but the dog doesn't give up and clearly wants to make the most of his time on camera.

It's likely that the dog thought this interaction with the car was a game as it playfully ran and then came to a halt before charging ahead of the vehicle, all in the hopes of landing the perfect pose. Well, it clearly worked, the dog is a natural on camera.

Source: Briefly News