Atlanta's traffic/pace/atmosphere? (Gainesville, McDonough: neighborhoods, organic, live)

[matt8325]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

C'mon- unemployment is +/- 10%, and "normal unemployment" is around 5%, so we're talking about a +/- 5% change in the number of people who are working. While it's not a good thing for the folks who are out of work, it's a blip on the radar sceen when it comes to the number of cars on the road.

Also, at least for my commute, it's not the cars that cause the problems as much as the trucks, which create all kinds of mess as they try to get onto 75 north from 285.

Real unemployment is over 20% when you consider the number of people who want to work full time, but are having to work part time jobs. Also the unemployment rate is very deceiving because it doesnt count the many people who have left the labor market because they were discouraged.

[BobKovacs]

Originally Posted by matt8325

Real unemployment is over 20% when you consider the number of people who want to work full time, but are having to work part time jobs. Also the unemployment rate is very deceiving because it doesnt count the many people who have left the labor market because they were discouraged.

Meh. If that's the case, than "real unemployment" is probably around 10% in the best of times, since they use the same measurement tools to track it then as they do now. I'm also curious as to how you "leave the labor market because you're discouraged"- that's a very unusual statement (I know it's not your statement)- I mean, how many people can afford to just "stop looking for work"???

[waronxmas]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

C'mon- unemployment is +/- 10%, and "normal unemployment" is around 5%, so we're talking about a +/- 5% change in the number of people who are working. While it's not a good thing for the folks who are out of work, it's a blip on the radar sceen when it comes to the number of cars on the road.

Also, at least for my commute, it's not the cars that cause the problems as much as the trucks, which create all kinds of mess as they try to get onto 75 north from 285.

YES! to the bolded. While the other highways are bad, 285 is the worst and it all points to the hundreds of freight trucks clogging things up/trying to drive like they have a compact instead of the 50 foot semi.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by TakeAhike

We have many transplants. No one has ever been certain how things got to this point. I can verify that several decades ago for whatever reasons driving was easier.

Lack of enforcement?

I would almost be willing to bet that I see at least one car running a red light or making an illegal turn every single day, and my commute isn't even 8 miles one way.

[MAniacTHW]

Atlanta traffic:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs279.snc1/10625_190082640041_641625041_4371984_6336964_n.jpg (broken link)(This was about 2 hours before rush hour kicked in)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs279.snc1/10625_190082735041_641625041_4371998_1788604_n.jpg (broken link)

Saturday afternoon

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc1/hs279.snc1/10625_190083165041_641625041_4372062_7631042_n.jpg (broken link)
Sometime during that weekend.

In other words, traffic is nowhere near as bad as it is in Tampa .

[stewarthaas]

Thanks for info!

[VA7cities]

Originally Posted by MAniacTHW

Atlanta traffic:

(This was about 2 hours before rush hour kicked in)



Saturday afternoon


Sometime during that weekend.

In other words, traffic is nowhere near as bad as it is in Tampa .

Just got back from ATL and those pictures are not a good representation of their traffic. Its alot worse. But one thing I can say is that it always flowed. Never was at a stand still. But it was jam packed.

[PKCorey]

Well, the first pics did say 2 hrs before rush hour...Either way, I agree, not exactly a great representation overall...

[xavier132487]

Originally Posted by matt8325

Real unemployment is over 20% when you consider the number of people who want to work full time, but are having to work part time jobs. Also the unemployment rate is very deceiving because it doesnt count the many people who have left the labor market because they were discouraged.

Le sigh. I'm getting tired of the "real" unemployment crap. No, it is NOT over 20%. The U-6, which is listed on BLS, is at 16.5% or so, and that counts people who are NOT unemployed. In fact, it includes folks who want to be engineers but have to take office jobs that pay a measly 40K/yr because they "are not utilizing their skills to their fullest potential," which is what U-6 measures. It is NOT a good gauge for macro-economic activity or whether or not people who are willing are able to afford the necessities. Alternative measures that would be appropriate in this climate would be U-4 (includes discouraged workers), maybe U-5 (U-4 + marginally attached, i.e. not seeking but would if times were really good), and U-1 (which measures those unemployed for 6 mos or longer).

The U-6 never even hit 20%, BTW.

Table A-15. Alternative measures of labor underutilization

[xavier132487]

Originally Posted by BobKovacs

Meh. If that's the case, than "real unemployment" is probably around 10% in the best of times, since they use the same measurement tools to track it then as they do now. I'm also curious as to how you "leave the labor market because you're discouraged"- that's a very unusual statement (I know it's not your statement)- I mean, how many people can afford to just "stop looking for work"???

You stop looking because of despair and hopelessness, possibly taking odd jobs along the way until permanent employment is more readily available. Anyway, it only adds about .7 points to the U-3, the primary measure in the news.

Now, as to your last statement of only 5% more people being unemployed not making a dent in traffic: those people WERE purchasing goods before the recession. That means more trucks on the road for merchandise. When 5% of employees are no longer employed (not to mention the labor pool is still growing despite the economy not). The exponential multiplier has a profound effect on the economy, and when you take out that large of a swath of consumers (or a large part of their consumption), you take out a much larger swath of the economy, including how much people drive, how much freight is delivered, etc. etc.. Believe me, 5% can take a lot of potential traffic off the roads.