As gas prices hit a record high it’s fast becoming the single biggest weekly expense for families these days even surpassing groceries. The national average of gas is rising to more than $3.71 a gallon. So many commuters are searching for an alternative to driving to work.. In the metro Atlanta area mass transit is seeing an increase in riders as fast as the price of gas is rising.
For years activist and politicians have encouraged us to use public transportation and car pool, of course many people ignored those calls. Now people are adjusting their commutes to work, not out of concern for the environment but necessity. It’s a bitter sweet win for the Eco-activist. As gas prices climb so do prices across the board from food to merchandise. On the other hand more people are taking fewer trips in cars and practicing telecommuting, carpooling and using mass transit at record rates.
Ever been stuck in traffic on I-285 or on I-85 near spaghetti junction during rush hour? Atlanta’s traffic is one of the worst in the country, and rightly so. Who would want to deal with all that, plus pay $3.71 a gallon for the privilege of doing so. Taking the bus or the train is the smart thing, especially if you live in the suburbs. A few years back when my car started to give out, I would drive to the nearest train station and take the train into the city. I suddenly found time to do all those things I never seemed to fit into my life like read a good book. The commute to work and back home became a great way to distress from a long day’s work. I actually miss all that free time I use to have…waiting for and riding the train home. So if anything is gained from these high gas prices, hopefully people can become more literate or even follow Oprah’s book club.
For years activist and politicians have encouraged us to use public transportation and car pool, of course many people ignored those calls. Now people are adjusting their commutes to work, not out of concern for the environment but necessity. It’s a bitter sweet win for the Eco-activist. As gas prices climb so do prices across the board from food to merchandise. On the other hand more people are taking fewer trips in cars and practicing telecommuting, carpooling and using mass transit at record rates.
Ever been stuck in traffic on I-285 or on I-85 near spaghetti junction during rush hour? Atlanta’s traffic is one of the worst in the country, and rightly so. Who would want to deal with all that, plus pay $3.71 a gallon for the privilege of doing so. Taking the bus or the train is the smart thing, especially if you live in the suburbs. A few years back when my car started to give out, I would drive to the nearest train station and take the train into the city. I suddenly found time to do all those things I never seemed to fit into my life like read a good book. The commute to work and back home became a great way to distress from a long day’s work. I actually miss all that free time I use to have…waiting for and riding the train home. So if anything is gained from these high gas prices, hopefully people can become more literate or even follow Oprah’s book club.
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