So I pull up my email one day a while back, and there's message from a friend.

It was one of those emails that you dread seeing...the ones that have been forwarded 100 million times. Usually it's a plea for some desperate cause and it ends with a statement like, 'Please pass this along to all your friends who are concerned about this horrible atrocity!"

But this was not about a lost child or animal abuse or even a virus that threatens to shut down the world economy.

The topic of this particular email? Gas prices.

Yep. Apparently there was a movement to gather a large group of American citizens and protest the rising cost of gas. Their idea was to get as many people as possible to not visit the gas station on one particular day.

This was supposed to really put the hurt on those big oil companies, and show them exactly how we all feel by hitting them where it hurts most--the pocketbook.

My response to this email? DELETE.

I mean, who are we kidding? Do you REALLY think we can put even the slightest dent in the monster that is the oil industry by refusing to get gas on one day?

I would have loved to have seen the faces of the old oil barons when they heard about this. They must have chuckled for hours. Because the truth is, we're a slave to gasoline. And there's no getting around it.

We need gas to survive. It gets us to work, gets us to school, and gets us home. Without it, we're sitting still. And in this day and age, sitting still is death.

Sure, we can spurn the pumps for a day. But after a few trips here and there, the tank will be reading "E"...and as much as you hate to do it, you'll be pulling out a wad of bills at the pump, just like millions of others do every day.

It's just a simple fact--the oil companies have us over a barrel, so to speak. And we either have to take it, or not go anywhere.

So what can you do?

Well, you can turn your back on petroleum all together and pedal your bike everywhere. But there's some serious limitations to that. For example.

--It's a little hard to get a car seat on the back of a mountain bike. --No way to transport the soccer team to Dairy Queen after the game. --Showing up to work either sweating (and smelling) like you've run a 22 mile marathon or frozen solid from head to toe can be detrimental to your career. --Puts a bit of a crimp in your love life (young ladies tend to avoid guys who show up on a ten-speed).

Nope. Bikes can be a short term solution. But in the long run, you need some motorized movement. So here's 10 quick tips on making your gas dollar stretch a little farther.

--Don't rev the engine at stop lights. This not only wastes fuel, but it makes you look like an obnoxious jerk who never got past his Speed Racer fantasy. --Buy your gas in the cool hours. This is when the gas has more density, so it goes farther. Early morning or late evening is best. --Close your windows. The drag from an open window makes the engine work harder to maintain speed. --Try and drive as steady of a speed as possible. Stop-and-go traffic causes more fuel consumption. --Remove any extra weight from the rear area. A heavier vehicle means more work for the engine, and more gas used. --For the same reason, make sure any snow or ice buildup is removed during winter months. You'd be surprised how much extra weight that stuff adds to your car. --Avoid rough roads. Potholes, dirt, and gravel can result in a substantial reduction in fuel economy. --Car pool. This one's a no brainer--less driving means less money spent on gas. --Slow down. When you speed, it eats up more gas...which eats up more of your gas budget. --Use public transportation when you can. It's a lot cheaper to take the bus, train, or subway than to put more miles on your car (and sometimes much faster).

That's just a few of the ways to save a few bucks at the pump. Give these a try and watch your gas dollar go farther than you ever thought possible.