Status quo bias is very strong. If you proposed accepting tens of thousands of fatalities per year, bulldozing entire city neighborhoods, kids not being able to

Status quo bias is very strong. If you proposed accepting tens of thousands of fatalities per year, bulldozing entire city neighborhoods, kids not being able to cross the street safely, smog, and constant traffic noise people would be horrified. One common justification NIMBYs use is increased traffic aka the burden other drivers impose on a neighborhood by driving through. Ironically instead of identifying the root of the problem (too many cars and the subsidized infrastructure supporting them) they blame one of the solutions (more housing).