From the AIADA newsletter (AIADA’s First Up [firstupnewsletter@aiada.org]

“Americans Cut Back on Driving
The amount Americans drove fell 4.3% in March compared with a year earlier, the first time driving has fallen in the month since 1979. U.S. driving began to taper off in November, said Doug Hecox of the Federal Highway Administration, but at first it was thought the decline could be seasonal. Then came March, and the largest year-to-year driving drop in the agency’s recorded history, going back to 1942. U.S. drivers drove 11 billion miles fewer in March than a year earlier. The Wall Street Journal reports that the reduction comes amid high gas prices and a shaky U.S. economy. The average price of gas is hovering around $3.87 a gallon, and things may become even worse as prices continue to rise for the summer driving season. Consumers have already taken note, with U.S. gasoline demand down 0.6% this year compared with the same period in 2007, according to the Department of Energy. Year to date, driving is almost at 2004 levels. For more on gas prices, click here.”

So last weekend my precious wife and I did our part to stimulate the economy. We traded in our 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser (Voodoo Blue), known as “the Beast”, for a 2008 Toyota Yaris 3 door. According to www.fueleconomy.gov , we will acheive an annual fuel savings of $1710.00, or $142.50 per month! And Al Gore will be pleased with us, because this transaction cuts our carbon footprint in half.

After buying the Yaris (which reminds me of an extraterrestrial VW Bug), we went out and did something really cool. We bought two 125cc scooters from Fort Worth Vespa www.VespaFortWorth.com . Mine is crimson red, just like the cover of Mark Knopfler’s latest album “Kill to get Crimson”  www.markknopfler.com . Dawn’s is “tangerine” colored. To see the real thing, go to http://www.genuinescooters.com/scooters/buddy/buddy_3.html