No big secret to better gas mileage

How would you like to cut your fuel bill in half?

What would you think if we told you how to do it, without trading cars, installing some questionable fuel saving device or walking everywhere?

The truth is, you can do it just by modifying your driving habits.

One Gazette staff member tried out the theory over the Fourth of July weekend. Traveling down Interstate 80 at 75 mph, he punched turned on the gas mileage button to see a disappointing 20 miles per gallon reading. A few minutes later, dropping to 55 mph on a two-lane road, the mileage climbed to nearly 40 mpg in the small car.

We've noticed the truck drivers have already learned the lesson. Many of them are traveling at closer to 60 mph than the 80 they used to drive down the interstate.

It takes quite a shift in attitude to slow down, however, with car after truck after mini-van after SUV passing by 15 or 20 mph faster.

Gazette online readers are opposed to imposing lower speed limits -- but not that much, according to a recent online poll.

In response to the question, "Do you think the national speed limit should be reduced to save fuel?" 47 percent or 326 voted yes, and 53 percent or 368 voted no.

Many of the comments noted that there is no law against driving slower, and many aren't likely to obey the speed limit, anyway.

Slowing down makes financial sense, but we don't recommend the "hypermiling" methods employed by drivers seeking a radical improvement in fuel economy.

They include shutting off the engine and coasting in neutral, tailgating or "drafting" behind larger vehicles like trucks and SUVs to take advantage of their airstream, driving at erratic and unsafe speeds, rolling through stopsigns and overinflating tires to reduce the surface touching the road.

For one thing, warns AAA, turning off the engine causes power brakes and steering to disengage and makes it hard to control the vehicle. "Drafting" makes a rear-end collision only a matter of time, as does driving much slower than the flow of traffic.

Still, as some online voters noted, there's no law against driving reasonably slow, and the practice will pay off at the pump. Just how much time drivers are willing to trade for gasoline dollars remains to be seen.

McCook residents won't have to drive far for tonight's concert of the 43rd Army Band, set for 7 p.m. in Norris Park.

We hope the rain holds off for the concert in front of the bandshell, one of the first for the summer season.

The concert is free, but you'll probably want to bring along a few dollars for one of the famous floats offered by the McCook Area Chamber of Commerce.

The 43rd Army Band is the only musical unit of the Nebraska National Guard, representing citizen soldiers who are playing an increasingly important role in our national defense.

Even if you do have to drive a few miles, we can think of no better way to spend the final night of an extended Fourth of July weekend than enjoying a big band concert in Norris Park.