Posted on 08/29/2013 3:38:01 AM PDT by Olog-hai
Driving in America has stalled, leading researchers to ask: Is the national love affair with the automobile over?
After rising for decades, total vehicle use in the U.S.—the collective miles people drive—peaked in August 2007. It then dropped sharply during the Great Recession and has largely plateaued since, even though the economy is recovering and the population growing. Just this week the Federal Highway Administration reported vehicle miles traveled during the first half of 2013 were down slightly, continuing the trend. …
Researchers are divided on the reasons behind the trends. One camp says the changes are almost entirely linked to the economy. … The other camp acknowledges that economic factors are important but says the decline in driving also reflects fundamental changes in the way Americans view the automobile. For commuters stuck in traffic, getting into a car no longer correlates with fun. It’s also becoming more of a headache to own a car in central cities and downright difficult to park. …
(Excerpt) Read more at hosted.ap.org ...
Traffic and high gas prices explains it all to me. Not to mention maintenance if one drives a lot of miles.
There's the lie from good ole AP which immediately makes me want to stop reading and label anything else the author has to say - as bull crap.
Maintenance is easier than ever and traffic only slowly worsened. But double the cost of gas and wipe out cheap used cars via cash for clunkers and the Obamanations have succeeded in depressing car use, especially with younger Americans, in record time.
It’s about the economy stupid! I live 18 miles from town. That’s 36 miles round trip just getting there. That’s $7 at least. Then, anyplace I go in town is extra cost. I can tell you it costs $15 to go the grocery store. It costs $18 to go to my car club meeting once a month; not including dinner.
I haven’t had a regular full time job since 2011. (I had 10 months contract in ‘12.) So, although I’m not hurting for money, I have no idea how long what I have must last. Also, with Obama diddling the money supply;doubling (2009) then tripling (2010); plus Quantitative Easing of adding 87 billion per month, how long will the money I have last?
That’s why Americans aren’t driving for entertainment anymore.
Personally, I love to drive. Enough that I’ll drive across the country rather than be molested and x-rayed by the TSA at an airport.
Sitting in tbe car in traffic after paying $4 a gallon for gas... who wants to go cruising?
LOL
Try high price of gas and tolls,and less money to spend anywhere once you get there
(Does this make me an economic analyst?)
The AP is full of it.
Dang, that is close to a Yogi Berra-ism:
Nobody wants to drive anymore, too much traffic,
Personal vehicle = freedom => the left hates it
Gas prices too high. Cannot afford to do anything once you get somewhere. Oh, and what recovery? The only recovery from the recession I see is in the wishful thinking of liberals who want to claim odumber’s economic policy is working. It isn’t, as history and common sense shows it cannot. Saying it is when it is not will not make everyone put on a happy face and march off into the socialist sunset singing.
They don’t live in LA then.
Well, starting with the new models, nobody wants a car that enables the government to spy on you, track your movement, and blow it up with the push of a button while you are in it.
Right, I prefer to drive but... taking the train each day costs less, consistently gets me to/from work each day, and allows me more time to read, do work, relax, whatever. Im on a train right now heading to work.
The stats in the article are legit. But this also correlates with Boomers retiring (not driving to work every day) and the Millennials not being able to find good paying jobs. My son put off buying a car as long as possible, but finally bit the bullet last Spring. Now he has real mobility and he will probably never be without one again.
Exactly correct.
(FreeRepublic really needs a “like” button)
economy is still in shambles. Gas prices are still incredibly high. Cost of everything else has gone up.
And that’s why people are driving less.
Liberals have got to be brain dead morons, or irredeemably evil, to not see this.
It is amazing, the liberals are getting everything they want.
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