Induced Demand

The concept of "Induced Demand" is often described in physical, mathematical terms, for example: a wider highway rapidly fills to an extent that it needs to be widened again.

While this is true, I also believe the the more psychological characteristics of "fulfilling capacity" and related pressures of social acceptance are the greatest drivers of MVH.

In our world, we are expected to be able to travel ever greater distances in a short period of time simply because the technology exists to do so, and to do it in style.

This is conformist pressure just as powerful as pop culture and mass marketing. Not only how quickly we get from here to there, but also how impressively we travel that distance is one of a few, top ranked ways society has come to judge us and classify our status.

I'm reminded of a bar conversation I had with a 'dating expert' who related a date she had with a mutual acquaintance of ours, (oh so gossipy!)

She took great pleasure in describing the "piece of shit" that the person drove up to her home and how ridiculous it was that she should get in such a vehicle.
It wasn't a mean-spirited jibe, but more a way to present this assumed universally agreed principle for the purpose of a humorous conversation: which makes it even more relevant to my point!

I wonder what a date would say to me if I suggested we meet at the Rapid station downtown?