It appears we Americans are not driving our cars as much as we used to. Nate Silver, writing in Esquire, says:
This is, historically speaking, highly unusual behavior. If there have been two seemingly immutable trends for the American consumer, they’re that he’s eaten more every year and driven more every year.
Not pretty.
I dislike “trends,” or, rather, the stuff that gets reported as trends. John Allen Paulos ruined trend reporting for me. And I thank him for that. Perhaps this drop — 15 consecutive months in which the average American drove less a year earlier — is something more than a temporary reaction to gas prices and recession. My own wishful thinking leans toward a shift in our culture away from dependence on the automobile. Here’s how Silver concludes his short essay:
Still, there is some evidence that more Americans are at least entertaining the idea of leading a more car-free existence. Between October 2004, when gas prices first hit two dollars a gallon, and December 2008, when they fell below this threshold, three cities with among the largest declines in housing prices were Las Vegas (-37 percent), Detroit (-34 percent), and Phoenix (-15 percent), each highly car-dependent cities. Conversely, the two markets with the largest gains in housing prices were Portland, Oregon (+19 percent), and Seattle (+18 percent), communities that are more friendly to alternate modes of transportation.
The exceptionally sluggish pace of new-vehicle sales, moreover, in the face of extremely attractive incentives being offered by the automakers might imply that Americans are considering making more-permanent adjustments to their lifestyles. And the denigration of the brand of the Big Three automakers in light of their financial difficulties — about one third of Americans have generally told pollsters they will buy only an American-made car — might reduce some of the patriotic associations with the activity of driving. Building a light-rail system might not persuade Bubba to get rid of his vehicle — but forcing him to buy foreign might.
I’m not buying it yet. I hope we’re seriously re-thinking the automobile. The (big) problem is, however, that even if we Americans wanted to change our relationship with our cars we might not be able to anytime soon — given how thoroughly the car has dictated our sprawling lives.
Comments 5
Well, I know WE are…when we moved to Springfield last August, we deliberately located in a part of town close to public transportation, greenways, and plenty of businesses and services close by.
Our old home was at least three miles over hilly, narrow roads with no shoulders to anything. Very bike-unfriendly, and public transportation access was laughable. You really had to get in your car to do ANYTHING.
I wouldn’t necessarily have chosen that time to remake our lifestyle if it hadn’t been for a job transfer, but since it happened, we took the opportunity to re-order our priorities. Doesn’t surprise me that other people are doing so as well.
Posted 14 May 2009 at 8:01 am ¶Kelly… My family did the same thing
Posted 14 May 2009 at 8:33 am ¶Andy,
I have given dozens of presentations to all sorts of groups around Columbia. During these presentations I explain what the GetAbout Columbia project is and in doing so I have to explain that the goal is to reduce automobile trips.
WARNING – I’m about to use wild generalizations here…..
People who are 50,60 years of age and up are often offended by that. They seem to bristle at the idea that lowering the amount that people drive is a good thing. I can only guess because you are assuming that driving is socially irresponsible.
I know several younger people who are either car free or trying to work their way there. Just the other day in my class I had a young woman just starting her teaching career at MU. She signed up for the confident city cycling course and lent me a book called, “how to live well without a car.” She drove her car to every class but her confidence grew with every session. I could see her starting to get that she REALLY could not just live without a car but live better.
My wife is graduating from Veterinary School tomorrow. Our income is getting ready to jump by $80,000 per year and I still would not DREAM of spending 1 penny of it on a car. Yuck! Could not imagine it. What a waste.
I’m more and more convinced that living car free is the key to being wealthy, 6-pack abs, freedom and everything else us Americans are supposed to want.
: )
Posted 14 May 2009 at 9:13 am ¶Robert… I’m hoping the younger crowd will begin making changes in Springfield just by virtue of their numbers. Downtown seems to be attractive to them (me too). So I have hope the population density will go up. Just that will begin to change things.
A food market is supposed to open in the old Weaver’s building at Walnut and South. I’ve heard a rumor from a downtown businessperson that Trader Joe’s may open a store in College Station (how I would LOVE that!).
More people in a smaller area means things will have to change.
Posted 14 May 2009 at 10:10 am ¶Chris Balish, the author of “How to Live Well Without Owning a Car” spoke at our annual Ozark Greenways meeting and he was outstanding!!! Goto: chrisbalish.com (or Google his name for a link to his website), click the upper right photo (video reels???), then scroll down to ‘Green Segments’ and watch ‘Living in LA without a car.’
Posted 14 May 2009 at 6:58 pm ¶