That's my point, if you had better transportation system it'd reduce car dependency, but you can't create economically viable public transportation system for suburbs, which were designed to maximize roads. Not be pessimistic, but it'd take efforts along the line of fighting a new world war to fix this. People who live in suburbs suffer with a form of stockholm syndrome and really thing they are living the best life. Yet they end up spending most of their lives isolated and in traffic. Cities should be designed that things you need daily/weekly/monthly are close to you. Let's see what do I need, or have needed in last two weeks: Pharmacy, medical specialists, grocery stores, hardware store, barber shop, food shops, accountant, library, park... and I've walked to all of them. For each one of these I'd have to make potentially a separate trip in a car, if I was living in suburbs.
I'm well aware of that (and have written at length about that on this site in the past). Your comment just seemed like it was saying "you can either reduce car dependency OR have good public transit, not both," which was probably a misreading on my part.
that's hilarious.. but here is a thing lot of people grew up entirely dependent on cars in suburbs, so they think that's the best. They really have no other perspective, only context they have is really bad buses in really bad neighborhoods. And obviously if you are drawing your conclusion based on that limited experience you will conclude that I'd never pick to be in there. Same with suburbs, people who were born there, grew up there and now are living there will come up with bunch of reason why it's SOO GOOD to be there. But they don't know the ease of being in walking distance of doctors, pharmacy, gym, grocery stores, chain food stores, public transportation, parks, school, etc. I who has lived in NYC, had to live in a suburban area due to job for a year. And I finally understood things about USA culture that I couldn't get before..
- Why in movies college is seen as peak of life? Because if you live in a suburb that's the last time you are going to be around new people in general. Rest of your life is going to be in isolated house, isolated car, and some workmates.
- Why car was/is seen as a symbol of freedom? Need to buy milk? drive 10 miles in that direction, need to go to gym? drive 8 miles in that direction.
- Why guns are so valuable? If you live in middle of nowhere cops aren't coming on time..
- Why going to church is so big? Well that's the last place left to socialize after college, that and walmart.