Fuel Saving Tips

SERVICING  WOF'S TYRES  DIAGNOSTICS BRAKES & SUSPENSION

Ph: 03 318 8113

15 South Terrace, Darfield

New Zealand petrol prices have taken a huge jump and the pain at the pump is being acutely felt. Below are a few tips to help reduce fuel consumption. • Don't drive too close to the car in front of you. Ideally, if you are on the highway try and keep a safe distance from other people, that way you are not having to brake and then speed up. Just keep a gradual speed the whole time. A lot of people get right up close behind someone then that person brakes and they have to brake and you are constantly speeding up and slowing down. This uses up more fuel. • Keep your tyres properly inflated. According to the Z

Energy website, the average driver can cut 10 percent off their annual fuel bill by keeping their tyres pumped up. Tyre pressure is a massive one, ideally every fourth or fifth stop at the petrol station

people should check their oil, coolant and top up their tyre pressure. • Make sure your petrol cap is screwed on tightly as fuel can evaporate if not. • Take any items you don't need out of your car to lessen its weight. What that does is weigh the vehicle down a little bit more, which uses more fuel. • Air conditioning, while a necessity in a Kiwi summer, is another hidden fuel trap.

Having the cold air blasting uses up petrol and so opening the window may be a cheaper option. Not all the time though. On the motorway, you are better off keeping your windows up because it causes drag so use the air-con sparingly. • Correct gear for your current speed. When driving in urban areas, switch into the highest possible gear – this keeps the revs low. Remember to adhere to the speed limit though.

When you drive with low revs while thinking ahead, you’ll be sure to save fuel. • Reduce mileage. This doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll have to give up on driving altogether. Rather, you have to plan ahead just as you think ahead while driving. When you have errands to run, make sure to combine your trips into one.

By having one longer trip, the engine can reach ideal working temperature. This way, it consumes less fuel than when you take several shorter trips. Several shorter trips mean several cold starts for your engine. In the end, you might actually be using just as much fuel on several short trips as you would on one long one.

Fuel-efficient driving has even more benefits: It prevents accidents, and saving fuel is actually better for the environment.

• Screened/Crushed Rotten Rock • Compacts Like Concrete • Bulk Deliveries - Truck & Trailer • Lifestyle Driveways - Free

Quotes

• Rotten Rock Dairy Lanes • AP20 • AP40 • AP65 • Drainage • Erosion • Landscape

20kg bags or 500kg bulk bags available!

Kindling & Dry, shed stored, native wood!

(Pick up or delivery - charges apply) FOREST MULCH  BARK MULCH  BLACK FOREST MULCH  BARK NUGGETS (10/20MM) UNSCREENED BARK  SCREENED SOIL  WAIPAPA LIME CHIP  SCHIST STEPPING STONES  PUNGA LOGS PREMIUM ORGANIC COMPOST  MACROCARPA SLEEPERS  RAILWAY SLEEPERS (PINE - 2.1M LENGTHS) LANDSCAPE BOULDERS  PAPAROA RED ROCK (3 GRADES: 4MM, 12.25MM & 25MM PLUS)

Pick up or delivery available (charges apply)  WINZ Quotes  Eftpos available

The special Glentunnel School Bike Track was constructed in 2006 as a clay based mountain bike track weaved throughout eucalyptus trees. It was severely damaged on Friday, September 10th 2021 when sixteen trees were uprooted from the 160kph winds and caused irreparable damage to the course. The Track originally cost $15,000 and was added to with a further $5,000 of clay five years ago. Bathurst Mines (Malvern Mine) were very generous in their donation of clay and forming the different tracks with their machinery. The Bike Track was a place to develop tamariki cycling skills and advancement, while also being open to members of the public outside of school time, especially Glentunnel residents, Campsite guests, Domain users and the wider Malvern and Selwyn communities. Glentunnel School has a wonderful opportunity to start again and build a new track that meets multiple ‘wheel’ needs (bicycles, scooters, rollers blades, skateboards, etc,) and includes the school and local community and becomes a special taonga (precious gift) to all users. A survey has been created by the Bike Track Committee to help get a wide variety of opinions on the redevelopment of the Track from three main groups; the tamariki of Glentunnel School, parents/caregivers, staff and BOT and the wider community. Principal Ed Trotter will work with each class to complete the Tamariki Survey. The Parents/ Caregivers, Staff and BOT Survey will be emailed and the Wider Community Survey is in digital form on the school website. Hard copies are all are available from the School office.

The Committee would love feedback from anyone who would like to be involved in some way, the Survey closes at 5pm on Friday, March 25th.

Above: Students using the track before it was damaged. Below: After the wind storm last September.

Glentunnel School’s vision for the new track is:

Our Services:

• PLOUGHING • CULTIVATION • DISCING • DRILLING Ph 027 319 9929

Available for rural & residential work! No job too small or too big! Contact: Wayne 021 165 5719 Dean 027 399 4084

• a safe place for tamariki to learn to ride a bike and advance their skills in cycling • a multiple advancement level for every rider from beginner (learning to ride and balance), technical skills (different surfaces - limestone, gravel, tarseal and obstacles), and pump track Big enough to do the job, small enough to care! • a place of equity with fifty new bikes and seventy helmets for the Glentunnel School tamariki to use stored in a container onsite. 60% of Glentunnel School’s tamariki • don’t have a bicycle or access to one a track that incorporates the school curriculum for PE and Health with weekly sessions per class throughout the year To complete the survey visit: Harry 027 978 5344  Office 03 317 9116 • a place of connection for the school and surrounding www.glentunnel.school.nz/ community free of charge NewsCentre/Article/122/ • a place to exercise, have fun and socialise • • a place of great hauora (wellbeing) for all a place of transitional development from the track to the road/off road. Incorporating safe cycling with NZTA (road Rural Fields rules), NZ Police and Selwyn District Council and the Your agricultural contrac ng partner • national Bike-Wise programme a place for all generations to come together and connect Ploughing Cultivation Drilling Mowing • where children and adults within or outside of Glentunnel

School can learn to cycle with a monthly ‘learn to cycle’ training on a Saturday or Sunday using the school bikes and helmets • a place of environmental tranquillity with native David: 027 659 6596 Sean: 027 466 7739 E: ruralfields@xtra.co.nz plantings, bench seats and regeneration. www.ruralfields.co.nz