Miles Driven, Update and Prediction

[peristaltor]

I just skipped over to one of Doug Short's constantly updating sites and checked out the graph of recent numbers concerning how much per capita we in the US are driving. Given the paramount importance over road travel is in these paved states, it's a good indicator of economic health generally, at least as a snapshot.

Comments

[bill_sheehan]

We're always in the throes of a financial retirement check. That's part of the reason I don't pay much attention to prophets of doom 'n' gloom. If something cannot go on forever, it will change. Communications technology has changed things. The Great Recession has changed a whole generation - Millennials are less likely to own cars than my generation was at their age. But they've got broadband Internet and computers in their pockets.

Markets go up and down. Things change constantly. I sat in a 180 year old sanctuary this morning, the third church built on that spot, originally Puritan -- and powered by a solar array in the parking lot. Things change.

[peristaltor]

All true. I'm not worried that things will change or not, but whether people will realize that change is inevitable.

I'm sure you'll agree that folks get somewhat attached to things as they are. If they have trouble accepting that things are Different, some get a bit tetchy.