Anyone driving less?
- Thread starter fishman
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California
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( ...Another co-worker moved to a location less than 2 miles from work to save gas. )</font>
I think more people will consider this. Not us tractor-owning types who are necessarily rural, but especially urban renters. Also first time buyers may choose city living for a few years before kids, instead of starting in a new suburb on the outer edge.
I took some land-use planning classes long ago. A couple of concepts seem to describe the present moment:
1) Many people in a region tend to conform to a single idea of a reasonable commute time. 20 minutes was popular then. If you open a new freeway, then the 20 minute radius around each employer is pushed a few miles out and people can now move to a suburb that is now 20 minutes away via the new freeway. Conversely as the freeways become congested and commute time increases, the outer suburbs seem less attractive due to increased commute time.
I think you can now substitute commute cost for commute time in this model, and forecast a weakening of the suburbanization trend.
Another way to visualize this is as a funnel centered where the jobs are. Higher walls of the funnel at the outer edge represent higher commute costs the farther you get from the center.
I think the funnel has just become steeper due to increased fuel costs. People are rational, they will respond accordingly.
I think more people will consider this. Not us tractor-owning types who are necessarily rural, but especially urban renters. Also first time buyers may choose city living for a few years before kids, instead of starting in a new suburb on the outer edge.
I took some land-use planning classes long ago. A couple of concepts seem to describe the present moment:
1) Many people in a region tend to conform to a single idea of a reasonable commute time. 20 minutes was popular then. If you open a new freeway, then the 20 minute radius around each employer is pushed a few miles out and people can now move to a suburb that is now 20 minutes away via the new freeway. Conversely as the freeways become congested and commute time increases, the outer suburbs seem less attractive due to increased commute time.
I think you can now substitute commute cost for commute time in this model, and forecast a weakening of the suburbanization trend.
Another way to visualize this is as a funnel centered where the jobs are. Higher walls of the funnel at the outer edge represent higher commute costs the farther you get from the center.
I think the funnel has just become steeper due to increased fuel costs. People are rational, they will respond accordingly.
Farmwithjunk
Super Member
We were already driving the bare minimum BEFORE the most recent gas price hike. No way to cut anymore from my basic schedule.
jmc
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Normally if I'm trying to get a project done and find out mid-project that a trip to the hardware store is necessary, I'd just go and get that one thing. Now I wait and combine it with other trips. Better use of gas AND time. Once I get numb to $3/gal gas, who knows if the efficiency will stick.
John
John
Bob_Skurka
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</font><font color="blueclass=small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">( So has anyone began driving fewer miles due to increased gas prices? )
No )
</font>
<font color="black">Me either.
But living where we live, I don't see how we can drive less. Long ago I realized that my time was valuable and tend to shop on my way home from work or during the day near my office. I don't do it for fuel efficiency, I do it because it is time efficient.
No )
</font>
<font color="black">Me either.
But living where we live, I don't see how we can drive less. Long ago I realized that my time was valuable and tend to shop on my way home from work or during the day near my office. I don't do it for fuel efficiency, I do it because it is time efficient.
_RaT_
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Yes, and planning trips a bit wiser. None of this nilly willy stuff. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
RedDog
Platinum Member
<font color="blue"> Anyone driving less? </font>
Yes. Didn't go on our trip in August, just stayed home. We've been driving the VW Golf diesel a whole lot more, and parking the other vehicles. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
RedDog
Yes. Didn't go on our trip in August, just stayed home. We've been driving the VW Golf diesel a whole lot more, and parking the other vehicles. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
RedDog
slowrev
Elite Member
Yep, we have cut back about 30% on gallons of gas used. combining trips, is this trip really necessary question, etc....
Ben
Ben
ejtaylor822
Gold Member
<font color="blue"> Anyone driving less? </font>
About the same as always. A little less from this time last year but that's due to the new baby. We just can't load up and head to the beach/restaurant/movies on a whim /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif - I ain't complaining, love being a daddy!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
We are very blessed. The wife stays home with the baby and my work is about 25 minutes away - 15 minutes when there is not any construction. Hurts bad when we do travel though and when I have to fill up. The best gas prices around here are running between $2.79 and 2.89.
About the same as always. A little less from this time last year but that's due to the new baby. We just can't load up and head to the beach/restaurant/movies on a whim /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif - I ain't complaining, love being a daddy!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
We are very blessed. The wife stays home with the baby and my work is about 25 minutes away - 15 minutes when there is not any construction. Hurts bad when we do travel though and when I have to fill up. The best gas prices around here are running between $2.79 and 2.89.
sneaky_pete
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( So has anyone began driving fewer miles due to increased gas prices?)</font>
Sort of; we try to make fewer trips to town just to go to dairy Queen etc., and pick up the kids from school less.
About six months ago, I moved my office from downtown Fort Worth to my shop building. I didn't do it at the time for gas prices, but to save the time and hassle of commuting. I'm fortunate to be self-employed, so I can make that decision - but it wasn't without risk. Being downtown was for my client's convenience, and my biggest and best client didn't like it when I moved away from them. They appear to be getting used to it, but only time will tell how it really works for them (I love it).
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( And if others are doing this, shouldn't the reduced demand cause prices to decline (as they are now doing)? However, I wonder how much of the fuel burned in the U.S. (or the world for that matter) is discretionary? I mean, goods and services require fuel, and many goods and services have come to be considered necessary.
Note: There is no agenda inherent in this question. I'm just curious. )</font>
You hit upon some good points that are frequently ignored Fishman, that demand today really is world-wide, and that everything in our modern lifestyle is dependent on petroleum in one way or another. Everything we buy at a grocery store or any other store was trucked there from a long ways away.
Sort of; we try to make fewer trips to town just to go to dairy Queen etc., and pick up the kids from school less.
About six months ago, I moved my office from downtown Fort Worth to my shop building. I didn't do it at the time for gas prices, but to save the time and hassle of commuting. I'm fortunate to be self-employed, so I can make that decision - but it wasn't without risk. Being downtown was for my client's convenience, and my biggest and best client didn't like it when I moved away from them. They appear to be getting used to it, but only time will tell how it really works for them (I love it).
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( And if others are doing this, shouldn't the reduced demand cause prices to decline (as they are now doing)? However, I wonder how much of the fuel burned in the U.S. (or the world for that matter) is discretionary? I mean, goods and services require fuel, and many goods and services have come to be considered necessary.
Note: There is no agenda inherent in this question. I'm just curious. )</font>
You hit upon some good points that are frequently ignored Fishman, that demand today really is world-wide, and that everything in our modern lifestyle is dependent on petroleum in one way or another. Everything we buy at a grocery store or any other store was trucked there from a long ways away.
