Fair points, but it feels like the product of an intensely individualistic society and at some point the impact of that has to be taken into consideration, cons

Fair points, but it feels like the product of an intensely individualistic society and at some point the impact of that has to be taken into consideration, considering the effect it has on government, policy, and culture. If a group can look at evidence of successful public transport (and other things) and still decide that can never work for them, for various nonsensical reasons (big country, x million people, the guiding hand of the free market, whatever), then they can at least be honest with themselves and say what their problem really is.