Here in America high gas prices are a relative new problem. In Britain, however, drivers are used to shelling out at the pump, sometimes paying as much as $9 per gallon. It's no wonder then that recent studies show an increasing number of Brits consciously changing their driving habits and even opting for public transit.

A poll conducted by Tiscali UK, sponsor of the 2008 MPG Marathon, reveals that 40 percent of the respondents switched from driving to alternative methods of transport over the last six months. As a devout car guy, I take issue with ditching your auto all together and instead side with the 80 percent who chose to consciously alter their driving habits to save fuel. Of these 54% are choosing to minimize aggressive braking and acceleration and 31% are driving more slowly, the study says. Some 82 percent of the participants also said that fuel economy is a key factor in buying their next car, while 72 percent considered a hybrid/EV to help lower their fuel costs and lessen their impact on the environment.

This eco prowess was particularly manifest at this year's MPG Marathon - the UK's premier economy driving event which covers a 400 mile route from Bristol to Macclesfield and back on just two tanks of fuel. "The MPG Marathon might be the British Rally in a cardigan but we think fuel efficiency is an increasingly important part of household budgeting," said MPG Marathon's Neal McCleave. "During MPG Marathon you will be able to track the live performance of the cars participating, including our own motoring editor Martyn Collins in his Citroen C1 - Go Martyn, but slowly!"