Originally Posted by
Dahon.Steve
Good article. Thanks for posting.
I emailed the writer and thanked him for the excellent article. I also gave him a link to our website and forum.
From the article:
"Drivers are hemhorraging money. The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics calculated that in 2006 vehicles sucked down nearly 17 cents of every family dollar."
I think that says it all and why most of us became car free. When you're spending 17% of your income on a motorcar, it effects your whole lifestyle to the detriment. People don't believe me when I state that 150 years from now, our great, great grand children will be car free. I don't believe this percentage will go down and in fact, will go up as the price of petrol increases with each decade.
In about 50 years, I suspect this number will be 40% of every family dollar or more for those who want to remain dependant on motor transport.
I cannot find the source but IIRC in the 1920's the expense of owning a car was over the 20% mark of the average salary at that time. The article I read had a table showing the costs of every thing as a percentage of median income from around 1920 up thru 2002. Interesting to see how people's spending has changed over the years.
I also agree with Steve that the total percentage cost of owning cars is going to increase...for two reasons, increased cost of fuel as well as overall reduction in salaries.
Aaron
