[jbrovont]

On ABC right now, they're doing a piece on how much less American's are driving. 40 Billion less so far this year compared to last year, and 9.6 Billion less this May compared to last May.

[Duende]

Absolutely mind-numbing numbers. Do you know how far that is? It's over 85 million trips to the moon and back! I don't know what's more shocking: that driving has been cut back that much by Americans or that it's only 3.7% of the total!

As I've said in other posts though, yes - demand is coming down, and will continue to do so. Jack and Jane American will cut back their trips from 10 per day to 6. But that's just gravy. Easy efficiencies. When things get comfy again, the price will rise, and drivers will cut back again. But this time, the cuts drivers make will be more tougher, and the efficiency gains will be less: it's easier to go from 10 trips per day to 6 than from 6 to 2. It's at this point that things start getting kooky.

[jbrovont]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Duende', 'A')bsolutely mind-numbing numbers. Do you know how far that is? It's over 85 million trips to the moon and back! I don't know what's more shocking: that driving has been cut back that much by Americans or that it's only 3.7% of the total!

[joeltrout]

Another piece of truth. Demand destruction is coming strong.

joeltrout

[copious.abundance]

--> LINK <--
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '[')b]Miles driven in May drop 3.7 pct: government
Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:32pm BST
By Tom Doggett

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Soaring gasoline prices and a weak economy combined in May to reduce the number of highway miles traveled during the month by a record 3.7 percent, the U.S. Transportation Department said on Monday.

The 9.6 billion miles less traveled was the biggest drop ever for any May, when traffic usually increases due to the Memorial Day holiday and the beginning of summer vacations.

During the first five months of the year, highway travel was down 29.8 billion miles, or 2.4 percent, from the same period in 2007.

"The decline in American driving is deepening," U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters said.

"During the past seven months, Americans drove 40.5 billion miles less than they did over the same period last year. It's the equivalent of 200 round trips to the sun, if you want to put it into perspective," she said.

Three of the biggest monthly declines in highway travel, each more than 9 billion miles, have occurred since December.

[...]

[shady28]

Something that isn't really discussed in the article was that people are also driving more efficinet cars.

The last I saw, gasoline demand was down well over 5%, which means the average driver is getting 1-2% more MPG on top of not driving as much.

It's very interesting when you consider that, until the last month or so, employment has held up and the economy has been more or less flat.

How much more demand destruction is coming in the 2nd half of 08 as the economy sinks into recesssion?

[JustaGirl]

I still don't see a lot of people car pooling. I had to drive to the airport a few weeks ago during rush hour & I would guess 80% or more of the cars only had one person. I don't see many scooters or motorcycles either. But with the drivers out here, I wouldn't want to be on a scooter either

[CarlosFerreira]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('shady28', 'S')omething that isn't really discussed in the article was that people are also driving more efficinet cars.

The last I saw, gasoline demand was down well over 5%, which means the average driver is getting 1-2% more MPG on top of not driving as much.

[aahala2]

The media and the US public are having a field day over the
decline in driving and gasoline consumption.

It is, in my opinion, big news. . .about almost nothing.
The price of gasoline from 12 months earlier is 30-50% higher
and we have responded by dropping consumption by perhaps
2%.

Here are the numbers of finished gasoline supplied from the EIA website (thousand barrels per month):

2007 - Jan -May
275,451
252,180
284,506
276,463
292,463

2008 - Jan -May
273,235
256,422
281,141
273,501
285,685

You do the math.(The slight increase in Feb,2007-2008 is
what the numbers are)

If the price of something rises sharply over a short period of
time, you can choose to reduce your purchases. You then have the right to complain about prices.

If you continue buying nearly the same amount, that's
your right. You do not have the additional right to bellyache
about it. Nor does the media have the right to boast about
such tiny declines considering the level of price increases.

[Tyler_JC]

It's not just decreased driving that is pushing gasoline demand down.

Recreational boating, ATVs, go-carts, RVs, and the other gas-hogs are decreasing in popularity.

Instead of taking an RV camping, people are driving their Honda and sleeping in tents.

That has at least some impact on gasoline demand.

At the marina where my dad keeps his boat, no one goes out anymore. The marina is mostly a blue collar dock with lots of carpenters and plumbers who own small motorboats.

With marina gasoline reaching $4.50 a gallon, boats have become party barges. People sit around on their boats and drink beer instead of driving around the harbor.

I'd estimate that gasoline consumption from the boats in that marina is down at least 1/3 compared to last year.

[CarlosFerreira]

Yes, the numbers are seasonal. The 5% decrease in Portugal I quoted was against the same month, last year.

This is probably just trimming the fat. The first few pounds are quite easy to lose, and some people will even go around happily saying they feel better with taking the train, of bus, or subway (I do). The pain starts when you have to leave the job because you can't afford the commute. There you'll see demand destruction.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Tyler_JC', 'W')ith marina gasoline reaching $4.50 a gallon, boats have become party barges. People sit around on their boats and drink beer instead of driving around the harbor.

[MD]

80,000,000,000 fewer miles this year? That should kill demand for about a million new vehicles.

Anyone want a few shares of GM stock? Cheap?

[skeptik]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Duende', 'i')t's easier to go from 10 trips per day to 6 than from 6 to 2. It's at this point that things start getting kooky.

[f2tornado]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('aahala2', 'N')or does the media have the right to boast about
such tiny declines considering the level of price increases.

[Byron100]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('skeptik', '
')
As a Brit, I have been half expecting to read a news report like this for some time. The outer suburbs have to adapt, or as some already have, die. When visiting the USA its always amazed me how far people in some suburbs have to drive just to buy a pint of milk!

One of the best things the USA could do in response to Peak Oil would be to radically overhaul its (IMHO tyrannical) zoning laws.

[cube]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MD', '8')0,000,000,000 fewer miles this year? That should kill demand for about a million new vehicles.

Anyone want a few shares of GM stock? Cheap?

[vaseline2008]

Here in Orange County California the freeways and streets look like business as usual...

On a side note, I was watching a PBS show showing life in Saudi Arabia, the most common hobby is driving their cars out on their sand dunes since a gallon of gas is around $1 there...reminded me of Glamis.

[MrBill]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'F')or much of the 20th century, most rural U.S. counties saw their population shrink as mechanization of agriculture eliminated jobs and pushed residents toward the big cities.

But that began to shift in the mid-1970s, as Americans began to flock back into rural areas.

Today, an estimated 50 million Americans -- about 17 percent of the population -- reside in the countryside. Only one-fifth of those live in so-called exurban areas -- on the fringes of cities. The rest live in places like Tipton, Iowa, the town of 3,200 where Bob Bird moved a decade ago to enjoy the simplicity -- and affordability -- of rural life.