Auto-dependency restricts freedom

For years, auto industry marketing has associated driving on the open road with freedom. It was a good con. Look around American metropolitan areas, and you’ll find fewer two lane open roads, more congestion, more frustration. Yet we can’t stop driving, because our environments are built to support driving and driving alone.

Living and working in a car-dependent development means you are not free to choose how you get around. You’re not free to choose to walk or ride a bike, and exercise during your commute. You’re not free to ride a bus or a train, and relax or read a book. You’re not free to choose a way to get around that makes you happier, healthier, and saves you money. If “freedom” is an American core value, is auto-dependency therefore anti-American?