For those of you not in the Atlanta area, that might not seem to be a big deal… or might even seem like too much information.
But, for Atlantans right now… it matters.
The Lilburn area does NOT seem to be having the issues of many other Atlanta area communities. As I drive around, I see a lot fewer stations around here without gas. My friends on the west side of town are telling a different story.
I stopped in to fill the minivan at the Kroger on Rockbridge near Five Forks and everything was fine. Walmart on Rockbridge at 78 also seemed to be doing fine. Running along 29 towards Tucker there seemed to be few stations without gas.
But, the big news is that the EPA has agreed to the waiver for bringing in a non-local brew so that we can get the same gas used outside of Atlanta, and the Governor has suspended the restrictions on when tankers can deliver. The pipelines are supposed to be running at capacity…
I’m hoping that the next time I need to fill up, there won’t be lines or people freaking out… and that the price can drop back down near the national average (we are currently 33¢ higher, but usually slightly lower).
Some things to keep in mind…
- Don’t constantly top off your tank. It doesn’t help the problem when everyone in town panics and runs to the gas station… it makes it worse.
- Don’t drive like an idiot. Get better gas mileage by driving smoothly…
- Obama said that we needed to check the air in our tires… he was right.
- Clean the junk off of the car and out of the car. A well cleaned and waxed car gets better mileage on the highway, and a car not carrying a lot of extra junk gets better mileage in town.
The biggest tip for getting good mileage is to drive smoothly. And, depending on your car, sticking a little closer to the speed limit on the highway might help, too…
And just for the record, driving on the highway with your windows open does NOT help your mileage, it may actually hurt it. Around town it might help a little… depends on your car.