by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Inflate your tires and check the air pressure often to save on gas and reduce harmful emissions. The correct pressure should be found in your vehicle's owner's manual as well as, theoretically, on the side of the tire.
Check your tires. Keep wheels aligned and tires properly inflated. And keep that engine tuned. You will save up to 165 gallons of gas per year by minding those spark plugs, oxygen sensors, air filters, hoses and belts. Each gallon of gas emits 19.6 pounds of CO2 into the air. I know everyone keeps saying “into the atmosphere” but the atmosphere is high up and I have a problem with a gas that is heavier than air getting into the atmosphere.
In some vehicles the details of the correct and optimal tire pressure also, so I understand, can be found at the side of the driver door for that particular car.
Once you go to the filling station, get the tires checked for the correct pressure or, in most cases you will have to do it yourself, at the air points. It really simple to get all the tires to the right pressure.
Having talked here, initially about motor vehicles, whether car, truck, or motorbikes, the idea about the correct tire pressure also applies to bicycles, though not in regards to saving gas mileage but in regards to easier riding and, especially, in regards to getting a longer life out of your tires. If your bicycle tires develop a kind of diamond checkerboard pattern along their sides then you are running them on the incorrect pressure for the weight you are putting on them.
Keep them tires up to the right pressure and especially as far as bicycles are concerned you will be surprised how high the pressure actually is supposed to be on cycle tires. So get them pumped up.
© M Smith (Veshengro), July 2008
Correct tire pressure saves gas and the environment
