RON430

Without trying to get yet another gas/mileage thread going, I am kind of curious how you guys have changed your driving habits. There are numbers out now that says that, at least as far as consumption, we have trimmed demand for oil in the US by several percent. I think 4 to 6% is what I keep hearing. The choices in the poll are roughly five ranges and put maybe +/- 2% around all of them to get an idea.

The reason I put this up is because, being honest, I haven't cut my driving at all IMO. I don't have a big commute, especially for Cali. I go out with my wife for a meal or two on weekends and she still goes grocery shopping and at least one mall crawl a week. If I were to cut my driving by 10%, I look at it as saying that I essentially park the car every tenth day. And I certainly haven't done that.

This thread is independent of the mileage you get and more the miles you drive. So, have you cut back? Have you started car pooling or dove into the public transportation swamp in the US? My initial guess would be this affects people of lower income than are usually rolling in Lexi but I can't really cut anymore, I have to work and get groceries. Now, I freely admit that I don't have any hobbies that required a lot of travel so maybe I am lucky because I might cut those out. And, I have skipped a couple of trips because I didn't think they were worth the gas. But, once again, if I am honest, I haven't really cut the miles I drive by any significant amount.

sleeper408

iTrader: (6)

I still drive to the same places for the same reasons. However, I have gone easier on the gas pedal.

rominl

iTrader: (4)

same as before. most coz' i never do unnecessary driving anyway

pbm317

I used to drive over 400 miles a week... I now drive maybe 50-100. But that's mainly driven by a change in jobs. Used to work out in the suburbs, but now that I work downtown, I take a bus vs. paying for parking everyday. So the just sits other than runs to the gym or out to meet up with people.

whoster

I'm with rominl. All my driving is pretty much really necessary. I try to hitch rides with people who drive more fuel-efficient vehicles when I go out, and when I run errands back home in Torrance I use the mom's car instead of mine.

When I'm at church I get reimbursed for gas/other related spending so it's not really a big deal there..

MCG33

iTrader: (4)

I drove on the highway for the first time in 2 months yesterday. Lately I have only been driving to/from work and points in between and not driving downtown at all. Even still, my gas mileage has been really good considering its been all city/suburb driving.

RON430

Wow. I assume the change in jobs that drove the miles down was caused by just taking a better job and not taking one that had a shorter commute.

I don't know how to answer the "unnecessary" trip one though. I am not sure I make too many unnecessary trips either now or before gas took off. It's the reason why I have to respond to the poll with no change. One thing I haven't done is use public transportation at all. And I don't see that changing.

PhilipMSPT

iTrader: (5)

The same.

Just less on the car. More on the bike...

2010mRXsh

>=50%. and actually, another 50% prior to that...(before last 6 months)

It's all so weird how it happened, too. But, I began to drive less not because of the price, but for a number of other reasons. It began as an experiment, sort of.

Which is why in another thread, I was suggesting, $24 a gallon? Bring it on!!!

But, and I introduce this somewhat rhetorically, it's crazy, what changes this has brought in my thinking.

Now I wonder, "How much do I value a luxury car?" I mean, if the average person who pays $35,000 for a nice car drives it 12000 miles a year...what should I do faced with the prospect of paying the same price but driving it 3000 miles a year? Now I feel like that car is more like a $140,000 car. But in a Lexus, it is.

Slightly more on topic though, maybe, is...yes, I calculate the price of going places now. I mean, the other day, I had to figure out if it was even worth going back to some remote store to price match something I had already bought(!) Just barely, really.

But, I had been trying to combine car trips a lot as part of the experiment. So I'm trying for only twice a month. Failing, but I'm still low.

In the future, I hope to keep business, food, and home all within miles of each other. Like under 5 miles.

But I've put a lot of trips / vacations >100 miles on hold, because I don't have time for them. Since then this gas has gotten crazy, and I don't know how I'll go back to it. Rent a Prius? Sure, but even then, it may be just cheaper to fly and rent as necessary. And I used to do driving trips at least every other month. But I've become less interested in that kind of thing, too. Who knows.

The best thing though has been getting out of traffic. Every time I drive my car, it's refreshing to think everyone else sits in their car like 10 times as much as I do! And I know, in a Lexus, nothing wrong with that. But, keeping a small circle means I choose when I drive for pleasure, not dictated by any other obligations.

Every time I've seen traffic in LA, and when I heard some people in DC drive over an hour each way, I wonder: Do you enjoy torture???

I'd think that a number of people should ask how much they value their time.

wolverine

iTrader: (9)

I drive about the same but no more boosting so i went from 15mpg to about 20mpg... its less fun but saves me a little bit.

PVlexus

I go the same places, but some friends and I will ALWAYS carpool now. So I fill up once ever 3-4 weeks instead of 2. so I guess I'm saving 25-50% of the gallons I burn... better for the environment and my pocket.

ISF_GG

iTrader: (2)

I've cut back a little, and tried to combine all shopping trips into one outing, going to the furthest place first (as I've read in several articles that it is the most efficient way to do it), then backtracking to other venues before hitting home. I'm also a little lighter on the gas pedal, and will become much lighter on it as the price of gas keeps going up.

darkdream

I have been driving more like just for fun and to visit college friends... it is summer time got to enjoy it... plus I have always taken joy rides when the sun is down, it just calms me down...

EZZ

I hope this poll holds true and that 45% of people do drive less due to higher gas prices. So-cal traffic is a biotch!

pbm317

Hahah yes the new job had nothing to do with the commute, just another added perk to a better job!