It's happening!
Thread started by
ideasculptor at 06.19.08 - 1:31 pm
From the Department of Transportation:
Americans Drove 1.4 Billion Fewer Highway Miles in April of 2008 than in April 2007 While Fuel Prices and Transit Ridership Are Both on the Rise
[U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary E. Peters] said that Americans drove 1.4 billion fewer highway miles in April 2008 than at the same time a year earlier and 400 million miles less than in March of this year. She added that vehicle miles traveled (VMT) on all public roads for April 2008 fell 1.8 percent as compared with April 2007 travel. This marks a decline of nearly 20 billion miles traveled this year, and nearly 30 billion miles traveled since November.
This is the fewest miles driven in April since 2003.
This was cribbed rather gratuitously from the
Calculated Risk blog, by the way
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This is GREAT news and no surprise.
Basic economics: higher prices = lower demand = better riding conditions.
indigis06.19.08 - 1:38 pm
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This is relevant to my interests.
SPOOK06.19.08 - 1:51 pm
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This is GREAT news and no surprise.
Basic economics: higher prices = lower demand = better riding conditions.
actually for years the price of gasoline has been rising even as demand rises--people were just willing to pay whatever it cost to keep driving... it looks like we're finally reaching people's breaking point
stevestevesteve06.19.08 - 3:30 pm
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I was listing to Art Bell on the Coast to Coast show in 2003~4(?) and they were talking to a retired oil geologist about the future of oil as an energy source.
At the end of the show they were taking calls from listeners and asking them how much they were willing to spend in fuel before looking at alternatives.
90% of them were in the $4~4.50 per gallon range.
Even with fuel prices today, I'm sure 75% of these people are still biting the bullet and paying whatever the pump says they have to pay. There are a few alternatives to a car that we all know of (bicycle, public transit, jet packs) but these options are probably not too attractive to the average dude with a family and mortgage in the suburbs of middle america.
America needs another option.
Mook06.19.08 - 5:33 pm
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This IS good news. I would be curious to compare the overall national stats to just LosAngeles. If only there was some massive information database I could query...
bikesplosion06.19.08 - 5:35 pm
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Like always, no one starts doing shit until they begin to see less steak on their plates.
There were plenty of warnings before, but no one wanted to listen.
There are honestly times where I want to chucking tennis-balls at peoples heads for being so ignorant to the obvious.
But, in light of all of these reports concerning lower-driving activity, high fuel costs, hot-air accumulation, I have this to say....
Y'ALL DONE DID IT NOW!!!!
bentstrider06.20.08 - 2:29 am
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@Hartwick Pussy
I read the title of this thread and I was like, Sam! you're finally hitting puberty!
I've been hitting puberty for more than 20 years now. I'm just wondering when I'm finally gonna be mature.
ideasculptor06.20.08 - 3:00 pm
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Ridazz Roulette!
It's true.