Surely as the day is long and hot right now, summer and persistent demand have brought record gas prices. As noted in this article from the Portland Tribune, there are plenty of reasons that we need to try alternatives to the personal automobile:

• Average time U.S. parents spend behind the wheel every day: 72 minutes
• Time spent with their children daily: less than 35 minutes
• Average cost of owning a car in the U.S. per year: $7,823
• Average cost of one lane-mile of new urban highway: $300 million
• Cost of one lane-mile of bicycle infrastructure: $2,000
• Number of people killed in motor vehicle related crashes in the U.S. every year: 42,000
• Odds of death due to being in a traffic crash as a pedestrian: 1:63
• Odds of death due to being in a traffic crash as a cyclist: 1:41
• Odds of death due to being in a traffic crash in a motor vehicle: 1:26
• Frequency of pedestrian deaths in the U.S.: every 110 minutes
• Frequency of pedestrian injuries: every 9 minutes
• Children raised within this distance of a freeway have increased chances of severe lung problems: 0.3 miles
• Amount by which motor vehicle emissions can be reduced by eliminating 1 percent of automobile trips: 4 percent
• Amount by which allowing commuters to exchange their free parking for cash has been shown to reduce automobile trips: 13 percent

So for the third time this year, SDRA, Savannah Bicycle Campaign, Pedestrian Advocates of the Coastal Empire, the City of Savannah, and Chatham Area Transit are promoting Dump the Pump this Friday June 20, a day for everyone to try another means of getting to work: take transit, carpool, ride a bike, or walk!

Posted on June 18th, 2008 by Drew Wade
Filed under: Chatham County, Latest News | No Comments »