Anybody else notice traffic changes?

[The Wogster]

Anyone else notice that auto traffic today was lighter then usual?

Usually at 7:30 at night on a holiday Monday the 400 Highway southbound
from Barrie to Toronto, would be one big traffic jam, tonight, there are
a very few cars. A look at the MTO COMPASS cameras (available online)
show all highways as lightly traveled.

Anybody also notice that bike traffic is up, considerably? A few nice
bikes, a lot of cheap gaspipe bikes as well.... Even in rural areas,
while you might see 1 bike on a 50km car trip (yes we took the car, my
father-in-law who has had several heart attacks and has emphasema(sp?)
was along), today at least a dozen, in the city, where they are more
common, at least 75.

I figure gas prices have a lot to do with it, but then maybe Canadians
are starting to clue in?

W

 

[Brian Huntley]

The Wogster wrote:
> Anyone else notice that auto traffic today was lighter then usual?
[snip]
> I figure gas prices have a lot to do with it, but then maybe Canadians
> are starting to clue in?

Even before the big hurricane-related gas price jumps (35% or more
here), traffic in Ontario's "Cottage Country" has been down all summer.
That's according to the restaurant and campground operators I spoke with
on my trip around Georgian Bay a few weeks ago.
(http://brianhuntley2005.crazyguyonabike.com)

One guy told me this was the best year to be buying, and worse to be
selling a boat, as many hadn't even been in the water all summer due to
the gas prices. I imagine cottages would be similar.

ObBike: You won't be able to bike around Georgian Bay much longer, as
the new highway bans bikes and provides no alternative route in many places.

 

[frank-in-toronto]

On Mon, 05 Sep 2005 19:46:07 -0400, The Wogster <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Anyone else notice that auto traffic today was lighter then usual?
>
>Usually at 7:30 at night on a holiday Monday the 400 Highway southbound
>from Barrie to Toronto, would be one big traffic jam,
i went up a day early and came back late
saturday night to avoid the traffic. i've been caught in that long
weekend return traffic once too often. i also noticed that boat
traffic on saturday was WAY down. there was only about
a 15 minute period where there were a few boats. usually
see-dooes are ripping up the waves. not anymore.
....thehick

 

[Chuck]

On 2005-09-05, The Wogster <[email protected]> wrote:
> Anyone else notice that auto traffic today was lighter then usual?
>
> Usually at 7:30 at night on a holiday Monday the 400 Highway southbound
> from Barrie to Toronto, would be one big traffic jam, tonight, there are
> a very few cars. A look at the MTO COMPASS cameras (available online)
> show all highways as lightly traveled.
>
> Anybody also notice that bike traffic is up, considerably? A few nice
> bikes, a lot of cheap gaspipe bikes as well.... Even in rural areas,
> while you might see 1 bike on a 50km car trip (yes we took the car, my
> father-in-law who has had several heart attacks and has emphasema(sp?)
> was along), today at least a dozen, in the city, where they are more
> common, at least 75.
>
> I figure gas prices have a lot to do with it, but then maybe Canadians
> are starting to clue in?
>
> W
>
>
I was sitting at the beach reading (wink) today, and something was
missing. It was the noise of open headered powerboats speeding along the
coastline. Sailboats outnumbered other boats. Maybe some good will come
out of this after all.

 

[Bob the Cow]

"The Wogster" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Anyone else notice that auto traffic today was lighter then usual?

Not sure about that. I took a long walk into the country and it was about
typical for a long weekend's conclusion.

Yesterday I did about an eight-mile paddle in the kayak on my backyard river
and the pontoons, bassboats and jetskis were about as usual.

 

[andy gee]

The Wogster <[email protected]> wrote in news:4N4Te.3758$I02.304975
@news20.bellglobal.com:

> Anyone else notice that auto traffic today was lighter then usual?
>

From Long Beach, (Long Island) NY --

General aviation is way down. Bike traffic to the beach is way up, auto
traffic is slightly down. Except in the cabana club area of Atlantic
Beach; looked like a 20 minute wait for valet parking. No word on highway
traffic last night since, of course, we multi-mode back to the city.

--ag

 

[mark]

Usually traffic on I-70 from the mountains back to Denver is horrendous at
the end of any good summer weekend, especially a holiday weekend. Last night
the eastbound traffic just wasn't that bad. Maybe I picked the right time to
make the drive, maybe car travel did drop off this weekend.
--
mark

 

[Bill Henry]

The Wogster wrote:
> Anyone else notice that auto traffic today was lighter then usual?

I haven't seen a decrease, in general, but I also haven't been driving
as much.

I am lucky in that the area I live is ideal for bicycling. Flat
terrain, great weather, and everything I need within only a few miles
from my house. I use the car for long trips or to take the dog to the
park. I fill the tank maybe once a month.


> Usually at 7:30 at night on a holiday Monday the 400 Highway southbound
> from Barrie to Toronto, would be one big traffic jam, tonight, there are
> a very few cars. A look at the MTO COMPASS cameras (available online)
> show all highways as lightly traveled.
>
> Anybody also notice that bike traffic is up, considerably? A few nice
> bikes, a lot of cheap gaspipe bikes as well.... Even in rural areas,
> while you might see 1 bike on a 50km car trip (yes we took the car, my
> father-in-law who has had several heart attacks and has emphasema(sp?)
> was along), today at least a dozen, in the city, where they are more
> common, at least 75.
>
> I figure gas prices have a lot to do with it, but then maybe Canadians
> are starting to clue in?
>
> W
>
>

 

[Neil Cherry]

On Tue, 06 Sep 2005 16:49:49 GMT, mark wrote:
> Usually traffic on I-70 from the mountains back to Denver is horrendous at
> the end of any good summer weekend, especially a holiday weekend. Last night
> the eastbound traffic just wasn't that bad. Maybe I picked the right time to
> make the drive, maybe car travel did drop off this weekend.

Rt 36, Sandy Hook to the Garden State Parkway, 6:30 - 8:00 PM. Traffic
was moderate (for a holiday weekend) and the GSP around Aberdeen and
Matawan as light. Local roads were a bit heavy all weekend long
(strange).

--
Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry [email protected]
http://home.comcast.net/~ncherry/ (Text only)
http://hcs.sourceforge.net/ (HCS II)
http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog

 

[John_Kane]

The Wogster wrote:
> Anyone else notice that auto traffic today was lighter then usual?

On the 5th? Well yes but it was a holiday and I was in town.
>
> Usually at 7:30 at night on a holiday Monday the 400 Highway southbound
> from Barrie to Toronto, would be one big traffic jam, tonight, there are
> a very few cars. A look at the MTO COMPASS cameras (available online)
> show all highways as lightly traveled.

This is weird.
>
> Anybody also notice that bike traffic is up, considerably?

Well yes but I live ,2.0km from Queen's and THEY're back!!
> A few nice
> bikes, a lot of cheap gaspipe bikes as well.... Even in rural areas,
> while you might see 1 bike on a 50km car trip (yes we took the car, my
> father-in-law who has had several heart attacks and has emphasema(sp?)
> was along), today at least a dozen, in the city, where they are more
> common, at least 75.
>
> I figure gas prices have a lot to do with it, but then maybe Canadians
> are starting to clue in?

Gas if anything but that's okay. Just as long as they ride.
John Kane
Kingston ON

 

[Jasper Janssen]

On Tue, 06 Sep 2005 09:21:24 -0500, andy gee
<[email protected]> wrote:

> Except in the cabana club area of Atlantic
>Beach; looked like a 20 minute wait for valet parking

Okay, so you have a service that is supposed to save you time.. and you
have to wait for it. Why not park your own damn car if the line is 20
minutes?

Jasper

 

[andy gee]

Jasper Janssen <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:

> On Tue, 06 Sep 2005 09:21:24 -0500, andy gee
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Except in the cabana club area of Atlantic
>>Beach; looked like a 20 minute wait for valet parking
>
> Okay, so you have a service that is supposed to save you time.. and
> you have to wait for it. Why not park your own damn car if the line is
> 20 minutes?
>
> Jasper
>

Thanks for catching the irony in that one. Really. On my side of the
island, parking is free and freely available, although most people
prefer to take the train, a bicycle, a skateboard, or walk to the beach,
and bring a blanket, some lunch, and a frisbee. On their side, they are
holding on to some 1950s-era American dream of luxury.

As to the practicalities, there wouldn't be enough room to park your own
car, they have to be shoved in. And I understand that certain good
fellows have an interest in maintaining the status quo.

--ag

 

[Derek Lloyd]

On Mon, 05 Sep 2005 20:13:14 -0400, Brian Huntley
<[email protected]> doth put forth:

>The Wogster wrote:
>> Anyone else notice that auto traffic today was lighter then usual?
>[snip]
>> I figure gas prices have a lot to do with it, but then maybe Canadians
>> are starting to clue in?
>
>Even before the big hurricane-related gas price jumps (35% or more
>here), traffic in Ontario's "Cottage Country" has been down all summer.
>That's according to the restaurant and campground operators I spoke with
>on my trip around Georgian Bay a few weeks ago.
>(http://brianhuntley2005.crazyguyonabike.com)
>
>One guy told me this was the best year to be buying, and worse to be
>selling a boat, as many hadn't even been in the water all summer due to
>the gas prices. I imagine cottages would be similar.
>
>ObBike: You won't be able to bike around Georgian Bay much longer, as
>the new highway bans bikes and provides no alternative route in many places.

Which new highway is that?


--
Derek Lloyd [email protected] <*>

 

[The Wogster]

John_Kane wrote:
> The Wogster wrote:
>
>>Anyone else notice that auto traffic today was lighter then usual?
>
>
> On the 5th? Well yes but it was a holiday and I was in town.
>
>>Usually at 7:30 at night on a holiday Monday the 400 Highway southbound
>>from Barrie to Toronto, would be one big traffic jam, tonight, there are
>>a very few cars. A look at the MTO COMPASS cameras (available online)
>>show all highways as lightly traveled.
>
>
> This is weird.

I think a lot of people skipped the cottage....

>
>>Anybody also notice that bike traffic is up, considerably?
>
>
> Well yes but I live ,2.0km from Queen's and THEY're back!!
>
>>A few nice
>>bikes, a lot of cheap gaspipe bikes as well.... Even in rural areas,
>>while you might see 1 bike on a 50km car trip (yes we took the car, my
>>father-in-law who has had several heart attacks and has emphasema(sp?)
>>was along), today at least a dozen, in the city, where they are more
>>common, at least 75.
>>
>>I figure gas prices have a lot to do with it, but then maybe Canadians
>>are starting to clue in?
>
>
> Gas if anything but that's okay. Just as long as they ride.
>

Hopefully a few people will like it enough to keep doing it, I have a
feeling though, if gas prices come down a little now that people are
softened up to the high prices, that a lot of people will go back to the
car.....

W