Driving in Reverse
1960 Chevrolet Impala by Hugo90
Take a walk with me… The year is 1960: Elvis returns home from active duty. Eisenhower signs the civil rights act, and Kennedy edges out Nixon for the presidency. Ben-Hur wins best picture. And gas costs just $2.25 a gallon (adjusted for inflation, of course.)
You hop into your new Chevy Impala and drive about 4,000 miles that year. Over the next decade, decreasing gas prices allow for longer commutes, and you push five thousand, then six thousand miles per year. Then WHAM! the Arab oil embargo pushes prices up $0.43 per gallon and for the first time, people drive a little less.
Over the last fifty years, the pattern has remained largely the same: low prices drive longer communtes, while sharp, punctuated spikes in what we pay at the pump cause a temporary plateau or even decrease in the miles we drive. This all becomes more fascinating in 2009 and 2010, when a stagnant economy lead to a decrease in both the price of gas, and the number of miles we drive per year. High unemployment rates meant fewer commutes, and presumably a sense of frugality about unnecessary trips and travel.
Gas Prices vs. Miles from the NYT
There are many stories in the price vs. miles graph, and Hannah Fairfield of the NYT does a great job at describing the big events. What will the next decade bring? Anyone care to make a prediction?
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