The Herald yesterday reported that high petrol prices were forcing Auckland commuters to leave their cars at home and take the bus and train. Good news, except for one thing: existing public transport networks may be unable to cope with the demand, leading those new customers to write it off and go back to their cars. Truthseeker has an account of some of the problems here. Fortunately his bus company was eventually able to cope, but I'm not sure that all of them will have been able to.
All of which points to the need for a serious and sustained investment in improving public transport to meet higher demand in future. Otherwise, people are just going to be forced by the lack of real options to use their cars, with consequent effects on health and the environment.