Click above for high-res gallery of the Piaggio MP3 400 and 500

Finding yourself stuck in a truck? Gas guzzling got you down? You are certainly not alone. Though the most obvious thing to do would be to ditch the fuel-inefficient vehicle for a cheaper to run model, Fox Business has other ideas. Keep in mind that the current value of pickups, especially full-sizers, has dropped nearly as dramatically as the fuel prices have risen, so you're not likely to get what you owe, assuming you are still making payments. That's why getting out from under your purchase could end up costing you more than its worth.

If you're stuck with a gas-hog, what are your money-saving options? Umm... drive less. No, seriously. Consider public transportation and carpooling if possible. Ride your bike when its practical and even *gasp* walk. Of course, it's not always possible to walk or ride a bike to get where we need to go. Fox ends by suggesting a scooter as a second vehicle. It's worked out for lots of people already, but be sure to count that cost too before making any rash decisions. We're cycle fans who recognize the fun and low-costs associated with scooters, but safety and practicality cannot be ignored. Whatever you do, get used to it, 'cause gas isn't likely to begin dropping back down any time soon.

[Source: Fox Business]

While scanning the news for important green automotive information, we ran across a note from Allstate Insurance which mentions that the average motorcycle rider reports fuel consumption of just over fifty-six miles per gallon. For comparisons sake, automobile drivers report an average of 22.4 miles per gallon. It's impossible to know for sure how many new riders have specifically chosen to ride a motorcycle or scooter for the sake of fuel savings. What's not debatable, though, is the rapid rise in motorcycle registrations in the last decade. As Allstate points out, ten years ago, there were roughly four million cycles registered in the United States. This year, there are over six million bikes registered. Granted, not every trip that's possible with a car is possible with a motorcycle, but when a bike is a viable option, we're pretty sure that the owners of said two-wheelers are enjoying the less frequent fill-ups that their rides require.

You read that right: Major automakers affirm that they are OK with a proposal in the US for stricter vehicle mileage standards. They still say the standards would cause them financial strains, because they would require "tremendous investments over a sustained period of time".

Dave McCurdy, the president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers (which includes GM, Ford, Chrysler, Toyota and 5 other automakers) made this announcement during a House of Representatives hearing yesterday. He also said that the proposed goals were extremely aggressive and difficult to achieve

The nation's major union, UAW, is endorsing the proposal as well.

The proposed plan at the House of Representatives would require passenger cars to increase fuel economy by 8.5 mpg to 36 mpg by 2022 and SUVs, pickups and vans by 7.8 mpg to 30 mpg by 2025.

Related:

• Sen. Dorgan to Big Three: you lose on holding back CAFE increases
• Survey shows 3 out of 4 Americans favor 40 mpg by 2010
• Look Back to Look Ahead
• Automakers pushing for CAFE alternatives, might call for 36 mpg car standards

[Source: Autonews (Subs. req.)]

I am sure that you have seen various gadgets being sold that claim to increase your fuel mileage. I won't mention any names, but some of them make rather dubious-sounding claims which have never been verified, yet they remain on the market. Some of them have even been tested by the EPA, and have not fared well. This turns out to be nothing new, as you can see from this test that was run all the way back in 1968. Here are the gadgets in question:

• THE GT ENERGY CHAMBER
• THE GAS-O-MISER
• OCTA-GANE
• ECON-O-MISER
• FIRE INJECTORS
• SOLAR VOLT SUPERCHARGER
• GANE AIR FLOW NEEDLES
• GAS SAVER CHAMBER

So, did any of them work? I guess you'll need to read the article, now won't you? But, you can probably guess the answer anyway!

[Source: The Olds Zone via Jalopnik]