You're right that Euro style compact cities are better than urban sprawl, though plenty of people still own cars in them, and those who don't still benefit from

You're right that Euro style compact cities are better than urban sprawl, though plenty of people still own cars in them, and those who don't still benefit from the option of doing so should they choose. I'm not saying it can't work at all, I'm saying there is a risk of unintended consequences if you take that option away, and that risk should be considered/managed. Your rant against the US, while it has some merits, is misdirected at me; I have lived in Europe all my life and cycled to work for around 20 years (alas no longer). Perhaps my post outs me as someone who grew up in a rural area in a country that invests poorly in public transport (1 bus per day to the village, how's that supposed to work for shopping?) and as an adult I have hobbies which require transporting equipment to remote locations (e.g. mountain biking, mountaineering, performing musician). I can't see myself enjoying the well being benefits those things bring me and my family without regular ability to drive a car to our door.