U.s. Buying Fewer Cars

[pj8708]

This article is from the New York Times June 30, 2013 edition. It covers the topic of the continued decline in the number of cars purchased, miles driven, and licenses issued. These trends have already started Mercedes and Ford to reposition the way they market their product.

In my opinion, the article focuses to much on metropolitan areas and does not include the vast number of states where rural travel to work, school, shoping and so forth require a lot more miles.

I have noticed that some of our friends teenage kids have not felt a need or burning desire to get their drivers licenses when the come of legal age. This is totaly opposite of my generation when everyone couldn't wait for their 16 th birthday and getting behind the wheel without mom or dad !

What do you think? Read and post your opinion.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/30/sunday-review/the-end-of-car-culture.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130630

[LEX-SV]

IMO, no surprise the focus is on metro areas, vast majority of American population lives and works in the greater metro areas. Somewhat related is the declining gasoline consumption in the US too.

[pj8708]

IMO, no surprise the focus is on metro areas, vast majority of American population lives and works in the greater metro areas. Somewhat related is the declining gasoline consumption in the US too.

Your right Lex. However, within the metro areas, people have access to Busses, Subways, Trains, Taxis, Shuttles, and other forms of public transit. In less populated cities these services are not available making it necessary for more cars on the road, more gasoline purchased for those cars, and greater distances traveled to get from town to town.

This also means more CO2' being pumped into the atmosphre.

[lenore]

funny that you mentioned young people not wanting to drive, I too have heard from neighbors that there kids could care a less. I for the life of me cant figure that out, I guess because they get and have everything at home, and don't want to move out, that they are satisfied being home bound or using a skateboard. Also the average age now for moving out is 26 and up. Gas is expensive, insurance is expensive, and there are also job issues....all of these probably a component of the lack of driving.

[LEX-SV]

Yes, some kids prefer to be driven around by Mom in back of the LS460, but not enough kids to matter.

[13IS250C]

I saw the same thing with my kids (now 24 and 29). I cried on my 16th birthday because it was raining and I couldn't go take my drivers test. My mom came and got me out of school the next day so I could get my license. She had a red '70 Charger with a black vinyl top. (no...it didn't have a hemi).

My son was worse than my daughter. He didn't care about getting his license till he turned about 18. Allison got hers when she was 16, but it wasn't any rush.

Of course, I had a black WS-6 Trans Am to cart them around in, so I guess they didn't mind riding with Mom.

[LEX-SV]

Got my drivers license at 17 years old, more typical of another generation.