Monday 30 May 2011

Cars Going Out Of Fashion?

This graph, showing the shrinking use of cars (in car kms per person) appeared in an article explaining the reasons people are using cars less.


The article suggests that we have found a better way to live. A way that doesn't involve spending hours in traffic, or having hefty petrol bills. We are apparently opting for smarter options, involving a combination of public transport, and doing things closer to home (so we can walk or ride).

2 comments:

Stuart McMillen said...

This graph talks about 'peak car km per person'.

I was talking to a researcher recently who mentioned that 'peak car production' (i.e. cars rolling off factory floors) happened in 2007.

I wonder what the impact of these phenomena will be...

david said...

Yeah Stuart, i hear the occasional news item about car sales being down on last year, but i'd kind of assumed that people were driving just as much, but hanging on to their old car for a bit longer (which does save some energy in not producing as many cars) but i was more happy to hear that people are seeing the benefits of driving less.

As far as the impacts go ... hopefully less time spent in traffic congestion, less fuel consumption, better community (as more things happen locally) and more free-time (including reading a great book on the train rather than driving) ... and probably countless others :)