The Civic hybrid does have a regenerative braking system, which uses small generators to provide drag to the wheels and derives a charge from the braking process. Overall, the system should be balanced so that you do not have to "drive around aimlessly" to have a charge. If you are losing charge (or failing to gain charge) and the car is not functional, there is a problem, either with your batteries or with your charging system, and you should have it checked out by a Honda technician.