{"id":17379,"date":"2009-08-03T00:00:01","date_gmt":"2009-08-03T05:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/%year%\/%monthnum%\/%day%\/a-scarcity-of-car-lovers\/"},"modified":"2024-04-14T03:42:59","modified_gmt":"2024-04-14T08:42:59","slug":"a-scarcity-of-car-lovers","status":"publish","type":"short-read","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2009\/08\/03\/a-scarcity-of-car-lovers\/","title":{"rendered":"A Scarcity of Car Lovers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Americans\u2019 romance with the automobile seems to be cooling off a bit. A Pew Research survey conducted in 2006 found that just 23% say they consider their car \u201csomething special \u2014 more than just a way to get around,\u201d barely half of the 43% who felt this way in 1991. About seven-in-ten American drivers (69%) still said they like to drive, but that was down from 79% in a 1991 Gallup survey. While the recent spike in gas prices no doubt contributed to the cooling of the affair, its primary cause appears to be the result of a longer-term trend, the growing hassle of traffic congestion. When asked whether they like to drive or consider it a chore, 69% of drivers in the Pew Research survey said the former, while 28% said the latter. When the \u201cchore\u201d respondents were asked why they felt this way, traffic congestion (23%) and \u201cother drivers\u201d (14%) topped the list of reasons. Just 3% cited the expense. Among the still sizable majority who say they like to drive, the biggest reasons offered were the relaxation (21%), the scenery (19%), the freedom (14%) and the ability to get around (12%). Read More<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Only about a quarter of U.S. drivers now say they consider their car “something special — more than just a way to get around,” barely half of the 43% who felt this way in 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