Are You Driving Less?

Hi Guys!

With gas prices at their highs (and no apparent relief in sight), do you find yourself driving less? Same? Or maybe more?

For me, I'm driving the same as before....out of necessity for going to work and visiting family on weekends.


WP

My wife and I are strategically using our two vehicles to maximize use of the more fuel efficient one so we're switching cars sometimes even at lunch to use the gas guzzling SUV as little as possible.

On the upside, we've just moved and I'm only 2km from work, that has signficantly reduced my vehicle usage (from 35km/day round trip to work, down to 4 km/day round trip).

i wonder if the younger memmbers are really feeling the crunch?

When I was just a young ladddd I was making $20-$80 a week...TOPS!!!

Now I spend $55-$80 on gas (when i'm not traveling for work) .. I wouldn't have been able to do it!!!

My gas powered cars have become treats. I drive my biodiesel powered trucks for transportation now, not just when I have to haul something.


:buddies:

I'll walk if it's a 3-5km trip, or ride within a 5-10km distance while it's still summer. The downside is that Toronto is notorious for stolen bikes, there's a front page article in today's Star on how a bike was taken while locked up infront of police headquarters at 40 College St. With bike ridership increasing due to gas prices, it's anticipated that thefts (reported / unreported) will be higher than ever.

Montrealers are feeling the pinch even more, gas is selling upwards of $1.20 (reg) on the island and was $1.25 last week!

WAVE_PARTICLE and Blazer, do you guys use www.torontogasprices.com? It's pretty helpful for saving a few dollars on a tankfull, especially if you're gassing up a truck.

I live out in the country, so we have to drive at least 8-10 miles to get to any grocery stores, and for any real entertainment, Columbus is a 15-20 mile drive. My commute is about 14 miles each way, and my wife's is 17 miles. Not too much we can cut out, although we do combine things into one trip or get groceries on the way home from work whenever possible. We have started counting the total cost of things though, like a trip to rent a $3 movie would cost us an additional $3 in gas, and a trip to the "dollar movie" theater would cost us $5 in gas. I do a lot of my shopping for non-food items online, and we often buy movies instead of seeing them in a theater, since in addition to gas costs, we'd have to pay $20-30 for a night for a babysitter.

Most of our cars get decent gas mileage though, so it isn't hurting us too much. Our Ford Freestyle that is used to haul the family around gets 23-25 mpg, our Mini Cooper which my wife commutes in gets 32-34 mpg, the Miata that I commute in gets 26-28 mpg, and my fun car (a Mustang GT Bullitt edition) gets around 20-22 mpg unless I really hammer on it. We typically fill up the Miata and Mini twice a month, and the Mustang and Freestyle once a month.

-Keith

I should have chose Don't drive anymore, but I do sometimes, so that wouldn't be true. I have been riding my bike more, and using it to do small errands that don't require a car. Fortunately I live somewhere nice where that is possible year round. Some people have to take the car EVERYWHERE.

mosport said:

WAVE_PARTICLE and Blazer, do you guys use www.torontogasprices.com? It's pretty helpful for saving a few dollars on a tankfull, especially if you're gassing up a truck.

Click to expand...

Usually not, for a couple of reasons. Between work and home there is one gas station, I usually go out at night 9-10 pm and fill up. The other reason, my Blazer (6cyl) has a 58 litre tank, but my Toyota Camry has a 70 litre tank (the Toyota is the 4cyl) but when the Toyota has to be filled it's a lot larger bill, obviously less often, but still a bigger bite per fill. (I hate to see $68.00 on the pump after filling up, but take solace that it's only every couple of weeks at the most frequent). The other thing about the website is that usually the gas stations that are low are nowhere near me, so it would cost me more to go get the gas. But I hear it's a great site and cudos to the guy for setting it up.

My Dad takes a hit though, he's got a GMC Yukon with a 118 litre tank...ouch...and I don't see him altering his driving habits at all. Guess I wouldn't either if I were 65, I'd just spend my kids inheritence on gas..too bad for them...:laughing:

BTW, my "Blazer" is kinda my username on this forum. Two meanings, one, my first truck that I bought with my own cash, new, no help from anybody, and I guess a "Blazer" would also be a bright flashlight that can Blaze well. IF that makes sense...:huh:

I think I am going to start driving my 1009 now. It's diesel and gets a little better mileage than my gas truck.

...and soon, I will have the rail buggy on the road...it will get close to 40mpg (doesn't weigh much...maybe 1000-1200 pounds...)...

JM-99

Actually, I wasn't sure whether to chose "No affect" or "I don't drive anymore" since both are technically true. In the end I chose the latter, but since I never drove to begin with gas prices haven't affected my travel habits. I always walk for trips of less than about 5 miles each way and take the bus/subway for anything longer. Sadly, as much as I'd love to use my bike for some of the longer trips the lack of secure off-street bike parking makes this impractical. If politicians want to encourage bike use I suggest requiring larger stores to have indoor bike racks with secure locking mechanisms placed near the security guards. Many of these same businesses are all too happy to provide huge parking lots. For 1/10 the space they could service the same number of customers on bicycles.

While on this subject how many here who can't alter their driving habits significantly (because of a long commute to work perhaps) are considering one of the following:

a) Buying a more efficient vehicle, perhaps even an EV should they become available.

b) Moving closer to work or choosing a job closer to home.

c) Telecommuting at least some of the time.

d) Using public transportation, or if unavailable writing to local politicians to have a system built.

Driving less and planning my trips better as far as routes, timing, and which vehicle to take on the "journey".

About a year ago, I started carpooling with a coworker. We've had good luck shuffling appointments and family commitments and such so that we don't have to drive separately much. This has reduced my gas costs on my 25-mile round trip commute over 40% for the past year. That's been a big help...I can often go two weeks on my tank.

Absolutely not, maybe more. I will pay what it costs for gas, period.

I am by no means "wealthy", actually for as long as I've been working at my job it's kinda pathetic how much money I earn. Anyway, it really kills me when the news interviews "everyday" people about rising fuel costs. You get the usual complaints and the same ridiculous scenarios such as "I can't even afford to visit my grandmother anymore!", "I can't afford to drive to the grocery store anymore!", "I can't afford to mow my lawn every week!", blah, blah, blah.

Most everything rises in cost, that's just how it goes. Perhaps before bitching about rising fuel costs people should ask themselves - Maybe I should scale back my 160 channel cable service, maybe I can not have the 89.99 cell phone plan, maybe I can cut my 5 day a week fast food trips back, maybe I can stop buying bottled water...see what I'm saying?

If I lived closer to work I would definately walk or ride my bike but I don't and it's just not practical for me. If I could carpool with my boss (who lives 25 miles in the opposite direction than me) I would but it's not practical. Can I continue to drive like "an old lady", make sure my vehicle is in proper mechanical order, plan ahead on stops and errands during the week, absolutely!

I drive my vehicle 7 days a week and will continue to drive and I won't blame rising fuel costs for being lazy, not mowing my lawn every week or visiting my family.

Re: Are You Driving Less? (I wish I could...)

I wish I could say I was driving less. I live 40 miles, one way, from work. All I use my car for is work. My girlfriend and I don't go out much, which may be considered driving less, but we didn't go out much before. I live in a completly different direction from anyone I work with so carpooling is out, and we don't have public transportation near enough to me to make a difference. Moving closer to work is not an option. I pay very little for my living arraingments, so it would actually cost me much more to move. I haven't been able to find anything to combat how gas prices are crowding my budget... Well, I'm what I call an "offessive" driver. So I could drive a little slower. But there is only a 10 to 15 mile strech where I can really get higher than 55, so even driving different where I can will make very little difference. My 2006 Ford Focus is getting a decent 27 mpg with the way I drive. I think I'm SOL in the gas department. That's why I want to look into alternative power for my home. I was thinking Solar Power would be good in Florida...

Re: Are You Driving Less? (I wish I could...)

yep, since my tranny blew up last week!!!

so now I'm in the market for a Green Volvo turbo biodiesel hybrid handicap-accessible partially solar powered station wagon.

JK :devil:

We retired the old Pathfinder (it's 9 years old, has about 1/2 of the power of Nissan's current offerings while drinking the same amount of fuel....) and bought a more fuel efficient car, we only take out our gas guzzlers when necessary. Has the fuel prices affected our buying habits? Yes, Have they also affected our commuting habits? Yes. Save our Environment. It's the only home we have.

Whining more and driving less.

we haven't even seen the worst of it. Just wait until the high energy prices filter through all the secondary markets.....the you see all goods and services go up like crazy too.


:thumbsdow WP

I just use the wife's car.....

dragoman

Bike Bike Bike!

I bike to work in downtown Chicago every day, all year, rain/snow/sun/anything... it's a little scary, but it's like I get to star in my own action movie - twice a day, every day!

When I'm not, my little Saturn gets 38mpg!