I like to maintain a conservative usage of fuel as much any person, and it’s not a far stretch to say that with the increasing fuel price, that people who have thirsty cars will eventually give their old horses up in exchange for a tiny little eco-box to save costs at the pump.
Driving around Ballito I’ve noticed a lot of people opting out of big engines like V6 and V8 variants, and switching to smaller, turbocharged engines to haul their kids and yoga mats about.
All in the pursuit of saving fuel, no doubt, but the way some folks drive these cars beggars belief.
Driving back and forth over the Tongaat bridge is my daily route between work and home.
You’ll know that the bridge is flanked with a gentle uphill stretch past Zimbali towards Ballito, going north, and a steep uphill section heading towards Westbrook, going south.
I was amazed, following a little Mercedes ‘Bluetec’ diesel, at how the driver braked all the way down the hill towards the bridge, trundling along like my grandmother, and then accelerated up the hill like they’re diabetic and there’s insulin at the top.
I see this every day without fail.
Pound for pound, any car that’s driven that way is going to eliminate any fuel saving mechanics or aerodynamics that it offers.
Any engine that has to work harder than it should, uses more fuel than it should – period.
Whether or not your car has an ‘eco’ mode or active aero that claims to improve your fuel economy, these nifty extras only work if all other fuel-saving measures are employed, including economical driving.
One day a friend of mine got stopped for speeding inside an estate and as she rolled down the window for the understandably irate traffic cop, her answer was “It’s alright officer, I was doing 100 – but I have ABS.” It’s lunacy.
Vehicle technology isn’t made to counterweight our lack of thought or irresponsibility, it’s there to improve our already vigilant eye and steady hand.
Crash-avoidance systems and advanced braking technology do not speed up our reaction time as humans, they are only there to improve in tiny areas that we cannot see.
Except for the chaps at Volvo in Sweden.
The old tricks and tips for steady, smooth driving have not fallen to the wayside.
The sad irony is that manufacturers like BMW are starting to install electronic aids to correct driver error in economic driving, rather than making their cars any more economical.
In ‘eco’ mode the 5-Series’ accelerator merely becomes less sensitive, removing the potential for the ignorant driver to stamp down incessantly and unnecessarily when he or she feels a buzz coming on.
I think at this rate we can assume that combustion vehicles, with modern aerodynamic technology and engine efficiency, are going to need our help if we want to save more fuel.
We just need to be a little more mechanically sympathetic to remember to guide our cars to run lightly, including maintaining speed downhill, not braking.
Building up speed before a hill, not while on it. Steady acceleration up the hill, not flooring it.
The Tongaat bridge is open to the public if you’d like to practice.
Just keep making u-turns at the Westbrook and Zimbali South circles and have as much fun as you want.
Your wallet – and the polar bears – are relying on you.
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