Friday
Aug172012
Driving Less
Posted on 
August 17, 2012 | ∞
August 17, 2012 | ∞ Are younger Americans driving less? The answer seems to be yes, but why? It seems that for an increasing number of people the car is viewed not as an enabling technology for mobility but as a liability. With an unprecedented number of young Americans choosing to live in compact, walkable neighborhoods driving becomes a hassle and an expensive one too.
Source:Are Younger Americans Driving Less?
via Urbanism News
Reader Comments (3)
Hey Gregory, nice blog! We have been a 1 car family since we've lived in MD, and I recently started riding my bike to work, saving metro money. I don't know if we are considered young but At my office 3 out of 6 of us ride bikes to work and only our boss drives a car. Of course we have a very walkable city and a spectacular rail system (unless you ride on the weekend). I live the farthest from the office (6 miles) near the dc line.
Hi Isaac. Thanks for reading and for the comment! It's great that you made it work as a one car family (saving an estimated $8000-$9000 a year from that second car!). I think you hit an important point though - you live in a region that has great transportation options. The gist of the studies I'm reading indicates that areas such as yours are extremely desirable because of the options. 6 miles is probably approaching the limit of a viable daily bicycle commute. Does it take you about 30 minutes? I'm about 9 miles from work and it's just a little too far for a daily commute although I used to bike about twice a week. What do you do about inclement weather?
When I first stared riding it took about 40-45 minutes, but now it takes 30-35 minutes. It's pretty hilly, but fortunately it's mostly downhill on the way to work, so I'm not as sweaty when I get to work as when I get home. I like being car-light. I only drive on the weekends, mostly to church, which is ironic because we have 2 SDA churches within walking distance. I know! I didn't think that was possible either. Lauren does more driving during the week for errands and such, but most stores are less than 2 miles away. It's a pretty nice place to live, although you wouldn't know it from my most recent facebook rant about impatient Easterners.
So far I just haven't ridden when it has rained, but I'm planning on getting rain gear and riding when it starts raining more. My co-worker rains no matter the weather, and let me tell you sometimes there are downpours out here and he comes into the office soaked, but he strips out of his rain gear and he's dry underneath.
I doubt we save thousands by not having a second car, just because whatever car we would have would be a bucket of bolts held together by rust, like the car we currently have, but I save $6.35 every day I don't take the Metro!