Driving is in a steep decline in America

[opebo]

From 2001 to 2009, the average annual number of vehicle-miles traveled by people ages 16-34 dropped 23 percent, from 10,300 to 7,900, the survey found. Gen Y-ers, also known as Millennials, tend to ride bicycles, take public transit and rely on virtual media.

[opebo]

Why are conservatives so "pro-car"?

I'm pro-car and I'm not a conservative.  I grew up driving Cadillacs and other huge cars, and I deplore the fact that people can't live like that now. 

"The service is bad and I have to wait a long time" is not an adequate excuse to purchase a vehicle and have to pay monthly charges, gas, repairs, parking, and others.

Lets face it, if people were paid properly, as they once were - say a unionized living wage of $30-60/hour - they could easily afford cars.

Why would people use slow, unreliable, dirty public transport. Its also good to see the country is metamorphmosing into the thirld world with this take up in the use of bicycles, like Vietnam.

As much as I disagree with BritishDixie on almost everything, he is absolutely right that the decline of driving is a sign of the impoverishment of the American working class.  The future is filthy public transport for the masses, and limousines for the oppressors with no mass market for automobiles in the middle.

[opebo]

Lets face it, if people were paid properly, as they once were - say a unionized living wage of $30-60/hour - they could easily afford cars.

If everyone were paid that much, our standard of living would have evolved to make it so that $30/hour would equal the current poverty level.  At the point that you increase everyone's wages, eventually the economy will go back into equillibrium so that there is a poverty class, a lower class, middle class, and upper class.

Sure, buddy, we all know capitalism is terrible no matter how you slice it.  But the point is to tweak it, so that people can buy the garbage produced.  That's all - no grand plan, just a bit of the necessary redistribution.

[opebo]

I wish this was true, but Muon brings up a very good point, which makes me think driving will become more popular as the economy improves. 

I would say IF the economy improves, Yelnoc.  All indications are that the vast majority of Americans will be permanently poorer than their parents, so their driving will doubtless be curtailed for life.

[opebo]

I would say IF the economy improves, Yelnoc.  All indications are that the vast majority of Americans will be permanently poorer than their parents, so their driving will doubtless be curtailed for life.

Assuming a stagnation of technology you may well be right.  I'm an optimist though, and I think we're heading towards a future that will not just find a way to get by without oil, but will break down the barriers put in place by oil, creating a more energy rich society.  And when you get right down to it, all of economics relates to energy.

It is State policy (neoliberalism) which impoverishes the working class and enriches the owning elite.  The focus on energy is an obfuscation.