Bikes & Cars...

Anyone with an Internet connection, a newspaper subscription, or an addiction to cable news knows the basics of gas saving by now: drive the speed limit, check your tires, no jackrabbit starts. Here are three more advanced tips to get the most out of that pricey gallon of gas.

• Keep the engine warm. A recent Smart Money article pointed out that cars use more gas to start up when the engine is cold, like if it's been sitting for two hours or more. Try trip-chaining, where you run all your errands at once and don't leave the car off for more than a few minutes. The Smart Money people say you could save over $100 this summer by using this tip alone.

• Drive right, the UPS way. UPS drivers have long planned routes that require more right turns than left turns. This makes sense to anyone sitting in a left-hand turn lane, idling, waiting for that @(#$ light to change ... come on ... come on ... while right-turning cars stream by your passenger window.

• Make sure your next set of tires is fuel-effiecient. The greenest option is always to work with what you've got until it needs to be replaced, but if you're in the market for new tires, make sure they're going to up your mpg, not drop it. Those big, styley, low-profile tires can sap as much as 10% of your fuel efficiency. Shop around, ask questions, and find tires that have low rolling resistance for the best mileage.