Travel diary: Bill Owens

Owens, 53, Tracks Mileage for His Family's Four Vehicles.

$5,500- Family's Total Gas Bill in 2007

13- Miles Per Gallon His Son's 1998 Chevrolet Silverado Got in Owens' Diary Week.

Other vehicles his family drives: 2005 Nissan Altima, 2003 Buick Rendezvous, 1994 GMC Sonoma.

"This was a unique week for me because I was not able to drive after foot surgery Feb. 20. I was depending on my two sons and my wife to drive me where needed. ... I could probably continue to do this with no problem, but I don't think my son is enjoying it. He likes his freedom. Sometimes he has extracurricular activities after school, and this could present a problem. One of the days this week, I had to get my other son, who drives to Wake Tech in South Raleigh, to come after me. I tend to become a backseat driver, especially when riding with my two teenage sons. I told one of them this week that I have been driving 37 years, and I still use two hands to drive with (he was using only one)."

Saving strategies: "This weekend, my wife and I were looking for a pair of boots for my son's birthday. Had gas been cheaper, we might have driven to Smithfield or Garner to look for his boots but instead drove to North Raleigh and purchased them. We ended up saving time and probably paid no more for them and spent less on gas. ...

"Drive-in windows have made us lazy. I went to Bojangles' this morning; even with healing feet, I parked and went inside. I got my food within three minutes. When I left, there were 10 cars in the drive-in lane from the speaker back, with probably another five ahead of that. Can you imagine how long those people waited to get their breakfast? Plus, think of all the gas they wasted waiting in the drive-in lane."