Cars a Rite of Passage No More?

"Recreational driving, or cruising, has been a rite of passage for generations of teenagers, representing freedom and independence to anyone old enough to obtain a licence, but record-high gas prices are putting the brakes on the classic summertime activity. The carefree days of driving for the sake of driving are over.

Teens say they're now spending as little time behind the wheel as possible, hanging out instead at friends' houses, at parks and beaches, and at movie theatres.

The romance of cruising fades, teens say, when they have to scrutinize their gas consumption like minutes on their cellphones."