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Edmunds’ always dead-on Autoobserver brings us the shocking news that Americans don’t drive enough. That, or they use the wrong cars. Whatever it may be, Americans are about to lose the carefully cultivated title “world’s biggest gasoline oinkers.” Gasoline consumption hit rock bottom in July!
Says Edmunds:
There are multiple reasons for people taking a pass on gas. Let’s investigate.
“Gasoline demand relative to previous summers appeared to be hindered by a stubbornly high unemployment rate,” says Edmunds. Aha! We aren’t prudent, we’re po!
“Consumers aren’t spending, and jobless claims have increased, so it isn’t surprising gasoline demand was down and overall demand slipped a bit,” John Felmy, Chief Economist at the petroleum-pushing institute moaned.
Horrible: Not only do Americans buy less gasoline, they also save on overalls! What’s next? A resurgence of streaking?
Americans indeed develop nasty habits: They buy miserly cars, and – OMG! – they drive less. Over to you, Edmunds:
Subcompacts aren’t taking over America – yet. According to Edmunds, they “accounted for 4.7 percent of U.S. vehicle purchases during the first seven months of the year.” But there is a nasty little trend:
That’s not all. Americans are giving up their hard-earned freedom of driving anywhere, anytime, anyfar. Edmunds.com Chief Economist Lacey Plache paints a grim picture:
We can’t have that, Best & Brightest. Stop what you are doing. Cease reading immediately (even TTAC – it’s for a good cause.) Hop in your car, warm up that engine before starting, drive like Jack, and for Pete’s sake – fill ‘er up on your way home!
Take the scenic route.