> (...) salivated over the thought of getting a driver's license at 16 and getting away from Mom and Dad (...) I'm afraid this mindset needs context. If you fi

> (...) salivated over the thought of getting a driver's license at 16 and getting away from Mom and Dad (...) I'm afraid this mindset needs context. If you find yourself living in a place where everything is located tens of km away, and short drives are assessed in how many hours you spend in a car, and this is further compounded by the utter lack of a public transportation infrastructure, then gaining access to a car is a basic necessary condition for autonomy. Contrast this with some European urban centers such as the Netherlands' Randstad, where a two hour train ride from your doorstep can get you anywhere everywhere, and can actually be an international trip.