Ah, but as these baby boomers retire they are free to motor at any time of the day or week rather than be constrained by peak hour, etc. They will also have improved superannuation over previous generations to pay for their leisure activities. Remember that we used to have one car families? Now even two is not enough and we have to have special purpose vehicles as well as standard transporters. Cars used to be men's but now they are a must show fashion statement for women. They will think of new transporters. Its a pity we can drive only one vehicle at a time. Even the clean emissions trend will not reduce the number of cars on the road, just change to electric drives.
One of the last things that people will do is give up their 'sense of freedom', the car. There may be some mitigating behaviour in temporary circumstances such as the present GFC where individuals will do two things per trip and where companies attempt some fleet reduction.
With increasing general good health in older age in our society comes the corresponding stimulating mental activity and the acuity and motivation to drive on. It all adds to the e-tag pings.
The interesting question though is what may happen two generations hence: those people who have been brought up and spend most of their lives in front of computer screens (the gaming enthusiasts, etc). Will they not have the friends to see face to face (and the desire), or will they in fact react in the opposite sense and therefore leap into their cars all the more as they age? This is some analysis to do in 40 year's time.
Juke
TCL Price at posting:
$4.25 Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
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