[click]

Yes, in two ways:

1. I keep the kms/l meter on the dashboard as standard. Since my driving is in the city for most of the time and there is no scope for spirited little sprints, but rather it is sedentary driving anyways, might as well I try to get best mileage. It doesn't mean that I drive slow, but basically I gingerly tap the accelerator rather than having it weighed down.

2. Quick nearby grocery runs are now made on the motorcycle. I have dusted off my old enfield and started enjoying riding it more. Easier to park, quicker to move around...makes sense.

Will these make huge difference on my fuel costs. No, I don't think so. But this is slowly reprogramming my brain to start thinking about saving fuel and environment. In future when the prices will rise again (and that is certain), it will not be a jolt to my sensibilities to change my thinking or make drastic changes.

[Shreyans_Jain]

Absolutely.

Diesel at 83 pinches, especially when your car averages 9kmpl. Add to that an additional 1.5rupee/km for maintenance, 1 for tires+insurance and 1.5 for toll. Using a full sized SUV actually costs Rs15/km today.

I have started taking out the City more in place of Hexa. Driver has been strictly instructed to not use the AC while waiting. Also, tire pressures of all cars have been bumped by 3-5psi and are being checked weekly.

[arunramaswamy]

Voted yes.

1) I have now stopped driving within city and have restricted myself to a radius of 3 km, which I cover in my Scooty.

2) My car is restricted only to highways drive, which will mostly be once a month. That too only in the morning, Even in those drive, I do not cross 80kmph / 2000 rpm under any circumstance.

3) Stopped using AC completely because it is an early morning drive. As a result, I am seeing 20+ kmpl mileage regularly which is quite satisfying.

All the above helps me refill once probably in 45 days.

[Sebring]

My answer is YES. I don't drive in SPORTS mode now, only ECONOMY. Funny thing is, even if I forget to switch off the engine at signals, my family chimes a warning out. To add, I'm taking the Diesel gaadi out all the time. That pinches less and is real VFM, right now (In comparison)

[VKumar]

My vote is a clear NO

The reason being simple, I belong to that category which believes that the car expenses shall be only as much, that they never make you feel their heat. So, I buy the cars which cost lesser, but fulfill all my requirements. Result, I am least bit concerned about their fuel, insurance, tyres or maintenance costs. Heck, the day I feel one is done with her usable life, I simply go, exchange it, and get a new one and continue like a new car was never even bought.

So, it's overall like. The car which used to run 5 rupees per kilometer earlier, is now running at 6.5, that's it.

[gkveda]

Yes for me. I always drive sedately. Maintain 100 or less than 100 kmph. But, I have started to think twice before taking vehicle out whether I should pick 2 wheeler or Petrol car or diesel car if it's a jolly ride.

Also, I have started searching for reasons (like too hot this summer) for not going long trips. All because of continuous hike in fuel price.

However, If it is the Need to travel scenario, then I don't think twice.

[jigar1791@gmail]

Voted YES - insanely high Petrol prices does hurt me, atleast.

With my office resuming post Diwali, daily travelling was about 40 kms (Borivli - Powai). Ciaz Petrol swallows a litre in 12kms it travels, costing about 8/- a km. So, daily, about 3.5 litres of fuel consumption turns out to about 350/-.

Did the maths for CNG, and a realistic 2.5/- a km makes daily commuting to about 100/-, straightaway saving of 250/- (afterall, GUJJUS are known for savingsss ). Decided to purchase the WagonR CNG in December '20 and got some mouth watering discounts and year end offers (pre BS6 transition).

Keeping the monthly running at 1000 kms (for cost comparison), CNG helped save 6,500/- a month.

Advantages -
1. The ownership cost can be negated by the savings earned from switching to CNG from Petrol
2. A beater car added in the family, parents and wife happy to have a vehicle standing by for their errands

To sum up - the traveling distance remains the same, there's no compromise on it, but, switching from Petrol to CNG did help save a handsome amount of money, and the dependence on public transport reduced in these times with 2 cars available between 3 drivers (dad, wife and myself)

Regards,
Jigar Shah

[amol4184]

I read about rocketing prices and drive sedately for a week or so and go back to usual self.

Fortunately, my car doesn't like pushing hard as the sweet spot where I get "kick" is really narrow in the rev range, pushing beyond that band is pointless. Perks of diesel car I guess.

[SN88]

Voted yes. Driving style remains the same, but I avoid AC idling and try grouping of things to be done in one drive..

My monthly drive is around 3000- 3500 kms which ends up really irritating the wallet!!

[condor]

NO.

Fuel works out to a small part of one's living expenses. There are lots of other places we spend money on, and can adjust around these. The difference in fuel price hikes is not a major hit. No matter how much one drives, Driving is often for work, with some travel/leisure thrown in. And work must be done.

I dont go to the movies. But a typical movie outing for the regular family is comparable to a full tank of fuel.

Having said that, I do hope the increases are not for ever, and prices will stabilize.

I will not go into the area of where my fuel money is going to.

Then there are other ways to offset the costs - hold one to one's car for longer. (Back to GTO's thread about keeping one's car for long). Changing one's car unless necessary will actually be a bigger hit to one's pocket.

[locusjag]

No, it doesn't affect my driving patterns. That's because I'm clocking 14 hours a day at work with my laptop at home...and probably shaving off a few years from my lifespan in doing so

If I weren't saddled with so much work, I'd say that the fuel prices still wouldnt've impacted my driving patterns because of work-from-home.

[Stolidus500]

No. All the cars combined in our household do around 7-9000 km a month. Everyone already is a sedate driver, so there is nothing we can do to reduce cost with respect to fuel.

[dhanushs]

My driving has come down a lot with the pandemic. So NO.

Now, when I drive, I make sure I enjoy and not compromise for better FE

[SoumenD]

Voted No.

I have been driving/riding since the days petrol was under INR45/L and everytime there’s a price hike we see a lot of hue and cry , shouting matches on news channels, social media memes/outrages etc and after few weeks people forget about it and continue with their lives. Its more like a trend which stays for sometime and then fizzles out till the next hike. Am sure even now that would be the case.

[rajshenoy]

Honestly I fail to understand the hungama behind fuel price hike, especially among Private car owners. Yes it must be difficult for fleet operators.

Let us say prices are at 100 per ltr, A Petrol powered car(assuming majority of us own a 1-1.2L car) returning an avg of 13kmpl and monthly running of say 1000kms consumes roughly INR 7700

Now let us assume the prices are at 80 per ltr, with the same running it would come up to 6200. I don't think INR 1000-1500 per month is a big amount to start making noise

Before someone points at aam admi, well the aam admi in our country mostly drives 100cc bikes that returns over 60kmpl. So even at 1500 kms per month, the difference only comes to say 500rs increase.

I did not consider those of us driving big cars over 1.5Ltr+ because this is a very small % and govt will not bother !!