Most “Walkable” Cities

Think nobody walks in LA? Not true! Los Angeles made #9 on a recent list of “most walkable US cities.” Scores were based on how easy it is to walk to businesses like grocery stores, bars, libraries, coffee shops, etc. The top most walkable city is San Francisco, followed by New York City, Boston, Chicago and Philadelphia. Long Beach came in at #8. See the full results – or find out your own city’s walkability score – at walkscore.com.

It’s Not Too Late for Summer Fun

There’s still some summer left – so make the most of your time by skipping traffic and parking hassles and taking bus or rail instead of driving. Find transit information to your favorite hot spots: in Los Angeles, get the Go Metro Summer Guide; in Orange County, get the OCTA Discounts and Destination Guide; for fun places to go in Ventura County, visit goventura.org.

A Green Label

Beginning Jan. 1, 2009, all new cars sold in California will carry a label that lets you know the vehicle’s environmental impact. Labels will give two scores on a 1-10 scale: a smog score and a global warming score. The average new car will score a five on both scales – the higher the score, the more “green” the car.

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Are some of your driving habits causing you to spend more money than you need to?  Here, from the commuting experts at CommuteSmart.info, are 10 common mistakes people make…and ways to fix them.

1. Speeding.  Besides the risk of a costly fine if you get pulled over by the police, there’s also all that gas you’re wasting when you speed. In a typical family sedan, every 10 miles per hour you drive over 60 is like the price of gas going up a whopping 54 cents a gallon, according to Consumer Reports magazine.
2. Driving alone.  If you’re always driving alone, that means you’re the only one paying for gas.  Carpooling with just one other person can cut gas prices in half since they’d drive half the time – sort of like getting gas at $2 a gallon.  (Find out how much carpooling can save you with the Commute Cost Calculator.)
3. Getting stuck in traffic.  The fact that you burn more gas when idling in traffic adds insult to injury – anything you can do to avoid traffic can save you money.  Check traffic conditions before you hit the road and pick an alternate route if your usual route is jammed or flex your schedule so you travel outside of rush hour.
4. Neglecting car maintenance.  Saving a few bucks by skipping your regular tune-ups and maintenance means your car runs less efficiently and burns more gas.  The cost of that adds up fast.
5. Having a “car mentality.” If you think a car’s the only way to get around, you’re missing out on lots of options that are cheaper – like bus or rail that can take you farther for far less than filling up your own tank does at $4-plus a gallon.
6. Making lots of separate trips.  Every time you start a cool engine, you burn more gas than restarting a warm one – so combine trips to save money.
7. Carrying extra weight.  I’m not talking about that spare tire around your middle – I’m referring to all that junk in your (car’s) trunk that drags you down and gives you lousier gas mileage.
8. Lots of stops & starts.  In a test on the effects of hard acceleration and braking, drivers lost 2-3 miles per gallon.
9. Driving a gas hog.  If you can, trade that gas hog you’re driving for a more fuel-efficient vehicle – it’s an investment that could pay for itself and then some in gas-savings over time.
10. Thinking “all or none.”  Any time you cut down on driving adds up – so stop thinking that if you can’t rideshare every day, it’s not worth it.  Of course it’s worth it!

Here’s to saving cash instead of burning gas!

Huell Howser