Have Sustained High Gas Prices Changed Your Driving?
October 17th, 2007 | by Brian Carr |Remember the last time the price of a gallon of gasoline was under $2.50 a gallon? While it may seem like it’s been forever, if you go by the national average price the date was March 3, 2007, which, from the date of this posting was exactly 229 days ago.
After years paying less than $2.00 per gallon, these higher prices have come as a shock to many of us, but have sustained gas prices above $2.50 per gallon been enough to force us to change our driving habits? According to a recent poll on Daily Fuel Economy Tip, it would appear that they have.
When asked, “Have sustained gas prices above $2.50 per gallon changed the amount of driving you do?” the responses went like this:
- 39% of respondents said, “Yes, but only slightly.”
- 30% of respondents said, “Yes, I don’t drive if I don’t have to.”
- 26% of respondents said, “No, not at all.”
- 4% of respondents said, “Unsure.”
Before you get on my case regarding the fact that the 69% people who responded to the poll and said they had adjusted their driving habits are probably already interested in maximizing their gas mileage regardless of what gas prices are - after all, they did take a poll on a site dedicated to gas mileage tips - it’s fairly apparent that higher gas prices would inevitably force many of us to make changes to our driving habits.
On the flip side, with demand for gasoline continuing to sit at or near all-time highs (as evident by the fact American gasoline inventories have remained relatively flat for quite some time) it’s hard to imagine that we’re really making a concerted effort to drive less and save gasoline.
I hope the results of the poll aren’t just lip service, but it appears that may be the case.
But with $90 dollar oil right around the corner - it hit $89 today - in all likelihood higher gasoline prices can’t be that much further behind.
Considering gasoline prices have remained right around $2.75 per gallon over the past two months (even with the switch to the cheaper winter blend), I’m sure we’re about to see whether or not sustained gas prices above $3 per gallon will have an even more dramatic effect on our driving habits.
Popularity: 33% [?]
18 Responses to “Have Sustained High Gas Prices Changed Your Driving?”
By crash course on Oct 18, 2007 | Reply
Hi Brian
As an experiment why don’t your readers try imagining gas costing $10 a gallon and whether that would effect your choice of car, number of journeys and style of driving.
OK, now take on board that this is reality for most Europeans.
Now, imagine a world where the actions of one country have a global effect… if this helps one person understand that the ‘American right’ to drive huge cars is not right. Your right to bare arms only kills your countrymen; your right to use gas at outrageous levels is killing the earth.
Yes, I know there are many enlightened Americans - please, enlighten the other ones!
By Alasdair Allan on Oct 18, 2007 | Reply
Good God, get over it. I’ve just done the conversion from litres to US gallons, and from pounds sterling to US dollars. Currently we’re paying around US$7.68 per US gallon here in the UK. As far as I can see it hasn’t significantly changed anyone’s driving habits.
By Rob on Oct 18, 2007 | Reply
Crash course,
Enlightened Americans means …. those who agree with you?
The European Union has 490 million people living on 4.3 million km^2 for a population density of about 114 people/km^2. The U.S. has 301 million people living on 9.8 million km^2 for a population density of about 31 people/km^2. European women have a fertility rate of 1.5 children born/woman. U.S. women have a fertility rate of 2.1 per woman.
Now doesn’t it stand to reason that larger families living with smaller density would need larger vehicles and drive farther?
I’m not trying to make the case that the U.S. shouldn’t reduce driving and fuel consumption and utilize more fuel efficient vehicles, but please stop with the accusations. How’d those WW1 and WW2 things work out for y’all? I know the Marshall Plan was quite a hoot for us.
By Brian Carr on Oct 18, 2007 | Reply
If we keep the current consumption growth trend, it’s not going to matter where we live because we’re all going to be paying an arm and a leg for the precious few gallons of gas we have left.
By Duane on Oct 18, 2007 | Reply
Nah, no real change for my family. I commute to the train station, which is still about 34 miles a day. I do what I gotta do. My wife ships the kids back and forth around town. Although my wife’s Odyssey does have an “ECO” light on the dash which supposedly says when I’m driving at the most optimal, so I do actually pay attention to that and see if I can keep it on when I’m driving her car.
http://commutesmarter.blogspot.com
By Strixus on Oct 18, 2007 | Reply
As soon as my state gets its act together and actually implements a metro/regional transit system that I can use all 5 days a week without having to a) drive 10 miles to the closest bus stop, or B) take 3 + hours of bus and train rides for a 30 mile commute if its not during their “peak times” when they run the express buses, I will be using it every day. Right now, two days a week, I pay 6$ to take a bus after having driven to the Park and Ride lot. The other 3 days a week? Sorry, last bus is at 6:45 on the other side of town from where I work, and its either drive or not get home until 9pm having gotten off work at 6pm.
OH yeah… or they could just lower prices in town so I could afford to actually live there on my grad student / part time job salaries.
By Blake Brannon on Oct 18, 2007 | Reply
Experts predict that if the current trend for oil is maintained, we will have used up all the Earth’s oil in the next 40 years. Of course this won’t happen because as it become more and more scare the price will sky rocket and thus the demand decline.
Regardless, I have made a commitment to reduce my gasoline consumption and walk anywhere I can. I live in Atlanta (in the city unlike most people who claim they are from ATL) and this is a feasible option. I realize that the majority of America however does not have this luxury.
So to answer the original question, my amount of driving has not changed due to the sustained gas prices, but I do try to walk where appropriate for the exercise and planet earth.
By Steven on Oct 18, 2007 | Reply
If gas was 10 bucks a gallon i’m still going to give my BMW 750il a good whipping. It’s 5.4L V12 gets a whole 4mpg in sport mode but who cares; it’s still cheap. Europe pays like 8 bucks a gallon, when its 10 in the US it would be even higher in Europe.
If gas price is such a concern that a few cents hurts your style of living, then go ride a bicycle. It would save you money and improve your health. And yes I know people in the US might drive like 20 miles, guess what? It’s possible on a bike too, and with the 2 hours spent in traffic you could make it with a slow ride. Or if you happen to love sitting in traffic anyway, just don’t stop by Starbucks in the morning for that 4-5 dollar mocha that you “need so desperately to wake you up” and you’d be fine.
By bob on Oct 18, 2007 | Reply
in recent months i have been lucky enough to be able to live within walking distance to my job. since gas prices started to go up a few years back, i started looking for a job that i could walk to, and i was lucky enough to score just that! i still have my car but it is only really used for trips to the grocery store and popping around town. but it feels good to be able to walk to work, every little bit helps right?
By Brett on Oct 18, 2007 | Reply
$2.50 a gallon!!! Soooo cheap. It Canada it’s been over $1.00 a litre for about two years. That is over $3.80 a gallon. It risin to over $4.50 at times. It’s really fun because we export a very large portion of our oil to the to the states.
By proto on Oct 18, 2007 | Reply
I have reduced my driving 80%. It sucks.
By Ovi on Oct 19, 2007 | Reply
Hi. Sooner or later, the habits of everybody except the richest guys on earth will change. So will their fuel types, and so will their lives (unless there’s some wise mind to put tax on the river water.
I also have am additional subject on my blog about driving habits and how to make them save your hard-earned money: http://www.cars-and-trees.com/?p=53
By crash course on Oct 19, 2007 | Reply
Where to start!
Enlightened: people who agree with me - not necessarily; just people who have the ability to consider the wider implications of their actions.
Now, to the maths - and I hope you understand this bit - the size of the car does not make a difference to the journey time! This view that because you have a big journey you need a big car is wrong.
2nd, by your stats US families have 0.6 extra children than Europeans - I fail to see why you need a vehicle the size of a Yukon to transport half an extra child. Although with US obesity rates the way they are maybe you’re correct…
Marshall Plan - I worry that because the world was grateful for US involvement in WW2; your current incumbent thinks we’ll be grateful when he starts WW3 - to keep gas prices down - just for the record, we won’t!
By Jon on Oct 19, 2007 | Reply
My driving has reduced from 25,000 annual miles to about 10,000. This is a result of a number of factors. A combination of gas price increases, central city living, a short commute to work, alternative transportation(bus, bike, shoes) has helped me reduce my driving over 50%. I still enjoy driving and will always look at driving as a a spirited pastime. Cutting my mileage has cut the related costs to such a degree that I’m able to enjoy a relatively high maintenance sports car as opposed to something a little more prudent. Its an all around lifestyle change whose time has come.
By nocomment on Oct 19, 2007 | Reply
One giant difference it would be nice to recognize between the cost of gasoline in the US vs. that of Europe is TAXES. Europe for some reason has extremely high tax rate on gasoline (and other fuels?). In the US, we don’t pay as much on gasoline taxes so our gas is cheaper, instead, we pay what Euros do in other forms of taxes, or perhaps don’t have a service to pay for.
Don’t get me wrong, we in the US are far over taxed, and we pay well enough fuel taxes to a ridiculous point, along with all the other taxes we have to pay. I’m going to be laughing at all the “we don’t pay enough taxes” flames coming because those newbs don’t understand the current system, we the consumer, pay corporate taxes as well in reality.
By Matt on Oct 19, 2007 | Reply
Personally, my bike(bicycle) is right outside, i now ride about 8 miles a day to and from work, i got a dodge ram that i built up and now only gets 13mpg. So yeah with going to work each day at about 5 bucks a pop, it has changed mine.
By MD on Oct 19, 2007 | Reply
I have about a 30 mile commute to work. No buses run between, and if they do, I hate to say this, the occupants aren’t the nicest and cleanest bunch. In the US, our communities are sprawled out and designed with the automobile in mind, so its going to be hard to change our driving habits other than local errands. I could ride my bike the 30 miles, but it would take 3 times as long, and in the rain, snow, and ice, or even when it was nice, there is nothing like showing up for work, Sweaty, or drenched or frozen. I love driving, I drive for fun as well as needs. And there are a lot of us enthusiasts. Just remember, there was a time when people had personal choice whether it was good for the whole or not.