The problem is an almost total lack of public transport in the US, coupled with sprawling suburbs. In most of the US (especially the west) living without a car is an unreasonable burden and it's a failure of government that development was allowed to occur that way. Now that it is that way, the only possible real correction is to bulldoze and rebuild, which is pretty unlikely.
Politicians in the US will never take away peoples' drivers licenses, except possibly between 16-18. This is because 16-18 year olds are the ones not allowed to vote.
I'm seeing an increasing number of age restrictions pushed back to 21 these days, which scares me. 18-21 year olds should be considered full blown adults, I was living on my own at those ages and a restriction on credit cards, drinking, driving, various other things would have been completely unwelcome.
02 Mar 2010, 9:51 am
