[DorintheFlora]

Sorry to have made assumptions. My understanding is that there was no pre-existing infrastructure suitable to cars. The dirt and cobblestone roads that existed were inadequate, to put it nicely. I have read up a good bit on such things and drawn a very different conclusion from you.

In the US, personally owned vehicles are critical for sprawling suburbs and rural life. It is a big country with low density. Cars should not be necessary in the big city. Those that are designed well make it possible to live without a car. In much of America, it is quite challenging to live without a car. This is partly due to choices we have made, not because it had to be that way.

[eru]

The cyclist lobbied for some 'proper' roads to be build at first. The cars found them very useful.

[billbrown]

I was curious and found this article - https://www.theguardian.com/environment/bike-blog/2011/aug/1...

[eru]

Thanks. Lots of automobile pioneers, like Henry Ford, were also very avid cyclists.