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I don't think it is fair to say that it is an "American problem". Not owning a car could be realistic if you live in a really large city where moving with publi

I don't think it is fair to say that it is an "American problem". Not owning a car could be realistic if you live in a really large city where moving with public transport can potentially be faster than moving with a car. But even then I wonder how a family with kids would carry groceries unless you live right next to a supermarket. Often times in HN you get the impression like americans are the only ones using cars to get around, but at least where I live (Finland) families generally own at least one car even if good public transportation is available. In 2021, 89% of adult men and 76% of women had a drivers license and I would say that commuting to work with a car is more common than with public transport. Despite having decent public transportation, it is just seen more convenient to use the car.

jltsiren 2y ago
If you live in a city, you typically go to a supermarket 3-5 times a week. And if your family is small enough to fit in a normal car, you can easily carry the groceries. Those trips don't take too much time either, because urban supermarkets are smaller than suburban hypermarkets and designed for quick visits.
- erik_seaberg 2y ago
  That's a lot more time and effort than should be necessary. You should have at least a week of food just to prepare for an emergency.
  - jltsiren 2y ago
    Those two things are unrelated. Going to a grocery store a few times a week is not a lot of effort. Urban grocery stores are nearby, they are optimized for quick visits, and you can often buy groceries when returning from somewhere else. You should have emergency food at home, but many kinds of fresh foods are best eaten within a day or two. If you only go to a grocery store once a week, the quality of the food you eat is worse.
CRConrad 2y ago
> But even then I wonder how a family with kids would carry groceries unless you live right next to a supermarket. In bags, duh. (Or a backpack.)

jltsiren 2y ago

If you live in a city, you typically go to a supermarket 3-5 times a week. And if your family is small enough to fit in a normal car, you can easily carry the groceries. Those trips don't take too much time either, because urban supermarkets are smaller than suburban hypermarkets and designed for quick visits.

erik_seaberg 2y ago
That's a lot more time and effort than should be necessary. You should have at least a week of food just to prepare for an emergency.
- jltsiren 2y ago
  Those two things are unrelated. Going to a grocery store a few times a week is not a lot of effort. Urban grocery stores are nearby, they are optimized for quick visits, and you can often buy groceries when returning from somewhere else. You should have emergency food at home, but many kinds of fresh foods are best eaten within a day or two. If you only go to a grocery store once a week, the quality of the food you eat is worse.

CRConrad 2y ago

> But even then I wonder how a family with kids would carry groceries unless you live right next to a supermarket. In bags, duh. (Or a backpack.)