I needed to return a daughter and six suitcases filled with clothes and supplies back to school this past week. About halfway through our trip, my daughter turned to me and calmly remarked, "I never realized you harbored such road rage." Slightly ashamed, I responded, "Now you know part of the reason why I don't own a car."

Frankly, there are two reasons why I don't own a car. One is that I feel slightly superior when I'm behind a wheel, because I'm a good driver and most other drivers' habits irritate me. Although I've been involved in four accidents, none of them were my fault (go ahead and check - I have a perfect driving record despite those two fifteen-year-old speeding tickets?). Secondly, I just can't justify spending $3 per gallon or more for gas, and if a car was in the driveway I'd be tempted to use it. Add insurance, tags, a leather wheel cover and a dashboard bobblehead, and that car adds up to more than I want to spend.

So, I rent a car when I want to head across town or state lines. Car rentals have their advantages. One, they haven't risen much in price over the past two-three years. You can still rent a decent car for less than $20 per day with unlimited mileage. Additionally, when I use certain credit cards to rent the car, I'm automatically insured. Plus, I know that if I break down I have 24/7 help available along with a replacedment vehicle.

Another reason to rent is to try out a variety of automotive models. For instance, I received a mini-SUV for this trip and I learned that this model has a short wheel base, so it doesn't take curves well. Additionally, I realized how easily I can block other drivers' views with this car, and the lack of a trunk meant that we had to empty the car when we arrived at hotels.

On the other hand, I was amazed at how that car conserved gas despite its size. But, several factors come into play when you want to save on gas:

1. The car still had a "new car smell" when we received it and it had only 4,000 miles on the meter. This meant that the car was still in top shape, tuned, and that the tires were properly inflated and aligned. All this amounts to gas savings from the start.
   
   
2. If the car doesn't run on regular gas or on diesel, don't rent it. Regular and diesel are the cheapest fuels around these days.
   
   
3. Added weight increases the need for gas. Once I dropped Cora and her tons of luggage off, I noticed the mileage difference (but I missed her company, so this was a cruel trade-off).
   
   
4. The cruise control saved gas, my knees, and the brakes on hills. However, I discovered that cruise control isn't viable when people on crowded expressways either drive well below or well over the speed limit. A pox on those folks.
   
   
5. I noticed a marked difference in gas expenditures between a 60 MPH speed limit and a 70 MPH speed limit. The lower speed limit was easier on the car, the gas, and on my nerves.
   
   
6. And another note about speed and distance between you and the car in front of you?if you can keep two cars' distance between you, this is to your advantage. This room allows speeders to weave in and out without removing your front bumper. It also keeps you from constantly braking and accelerating, actions which can eat gas like there's no tomorrow.
   
   
7. Keep your windows closed, especially if you're driving over 30 MPH. The drag that wind creates on the car consumes gas. Yes, air conditioning also drives gas consumption, but if you dress comfortably and keep the AC at a minimum, this action costs less than open windows at higher speeds. If you can stand the heat, open the windows when you drive around town.
   
   
8. Keep all luggage in the trunk rather than on top of the car for the same reason. Outside luggage creates drag as well (do you really need four pairs of shoes at the beach?).
   
   
9. Plan your trip so that you don't create extra mileage or extended idling. Travel agencies and Websites can advise you on traffic conditions across the nation. A little homework goes a long way to avoid construction sites and accidents that will cause you to sit while your gas (and patience) goes down the drain.
   
   
10. Finally, try to purchase gas either in cities or beyond the suburbs. The suburbs are the worst, along with any tourist areas, for high gas prices.

I learned something else about car rentals during this trip - I made a mistake about the time and date when I wanted to pick up the car, and I couldn't get the same low, low price that I received online when I arrived at the desk. It appears that even one minute's change in plans can cause prices to fluctuate - usually upward. Remember that you're not locked into anything until you get into that car. If you're at an airport, simply move to the next dealer and ask them for a price lower than the one that the previous dealer offered. This plan usually works, especially when the counters aren't busy.

Car rentals also maintain "clubs" where you can pick up advantages with miles, just like airlines or hotels. A free day's car rental helps to save money, along with hotel points at places that offered free breakfasts (easily a $15-$20 savings for two people). For this trip, I traveled a little over 3,000 miles, spent $260 on gas, $303 on the car rental, $83 on two hotels, and $60 on food and water. All total, I spent $706, or $.23 per mile (706 divided by 3,000). I couldn't fly Cora and her tons of luggage back to school for that price.

But, I wouldn't experience road rage if I wasn't on the road?

Until Next Week,
Linda Goin