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By Shell’s estimation, if all drivers on the face
of planet Earth achieved this, it would translate to a savings of
about 170 billion liters of fuel every year.
YOU know something is terribly
amiss when even Batman switches from four wheels to two. In the
latest film featuring the Caped Crusader—The Dark Knight, which
opens in theaters this week—Batman discards the Batmobile in favor
of the Batpod, a menacing motorbike that makes Harleys look like
scooters. A sign of the times perhaps? I suspect so. And if somebody
like Batman—who, as Bruce Wayne, is a billionaire—is so affected
by the rising fuel costs that he makes the shift to two wheels,
imagine how poor non-superheroes are coping with the crisis.
Rather comically, I suppose.
I, for one, have started
observing new practices to adapt. For starters, I now leave behind
my trusty iPod Hi-Fi speakers primarily because lugging around an
extra 15 pounds in your car is not very helpful to fuel economy. I
used to bring this audio gadget wherever I went, wishing to always
be ready should an impromptu party be organized out of the blue. Not
anymore. These days, a DJ isn’t such a necessity anymore for the
simple reason there are not too many people in the mood to party.
With fuel selling at 60 bucks a liter, even party animals would just
rather stay home.
I’ve also removed the books,
magazines and CDs scattered around my rear compartment. In fact, I
would have gladly taken out my spare tire as well if only our
wretched roads didn’t pose a constant threat to my tires. And just
the other day, I decided to shave off my hair again—which I had
been trying to grow back to its ’90s length and form—in the
hopes that the disposal of even the seemingly insignificant weight
of hair strands would help me achieve maximum fuel efficiency.
I love using my car and I shall
cope with the fuel crisis not by leaving it at home, but by striving
to use it in the most frugal means I could muster. I see that many
people have taken to commuting, as evidenced by the lighter daytime
traffic. And to digress, I think the MMDA should, for now, suspend
the number-coding scheme because the roads are now less crowded.
There is no better way to keep vehicles in garages than with high
fuel prices. I say lift the vehicle coding scheme now.
Going back, I love my car and the
convenience it offers. And to allow myself to keep using it in the
face of Starbucks-like fuel costs, I need to be a much more
economical driver. Which is why I’ve taken part in the Shell Fuel
Save Challenge, a campaign by the oil company that aims to help
drivers around the world lower their fuel consumption by at least 10
percent. By Shell’s estimation, if all drivers on the face of
planet Earth achieved this, it would translate to a savings of about
170 billion liters of fuel every year.
Imagine that: An oil company
whose profit is largely dependent on our fuel consumption actually
wants us to consume less fuel. That’s like Marlboro launching a
campaign that aims to treat smokers of their nicotine addiction.
Which, we know, will never happen. The only reason cigarette
companies print a health warning on their packaging is because
they’re required by law to do so. I’m actually surprised that
people still smoke even after being informed that smoking causes
lung cancer. It’s the one product people willingly pay for to kill
themselves, come to think of it.
But Shell is doing an entirely
different thing. It’s voluntary—and with the full knowledge that
teaching people how to drive more economically could eat into its
bottom line. The Shell Fuel Save Challenge is a global campaign. In
the Philippines, Shell has selected 200 private motorists to
participate in the program, and I happen to be one of them.
The mechanics are quite simple.
For four weeks, you are to use non-Shell fuel products and drive
normally like you always have. You are to monitor your fuel
consumption in that four-week period. After using non-Shell fuel
products for a month, you are to undergo a one-day eco-driving
seminar under the supervision of Shell and the A-1 Driving School.
The seminar consists of classroom-type lessons as well as hands-on
driving practicum.
On Saturday, while on the wheel
of a new Toyota Altis, my A-1 instructor rated me highly after
registering a 12.6-kilometer-to-a-liter mileage. My score sheet
indicated I steered smoothly and that I shifted gears properly. My
instructor’s only comment was that I had to “slow down when
approaching intersections.”
When participants have taken the
seminar, they shall then use P8,000 worth of Shell fuel and
similarly monitor their consumption. If everything turns out the way
it’s supposed to, the participants will realize how much they’ve
improved economy-wise as drivers after taking part in the Shell Fuel
Save Challenge. All the Shell fuel is generously provided by Shell,
of course, and I have no doubt in my mind that most of those who
joined are in it for the free gas. Can’t blame them. I’d do
anything for fuel these days myself. Heck, I’d even work for fuel
these days.
But seriously, I’m in it
because I want to know if I can still make my car and my driving any
more economical than they are now. It’s nice to know an oil
company wants us to use less of its products, spend less of our
money and consume less of the Earth’s resources.
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