The bit you overlooked was Freedom.<p>Freedom to live and work in one small area, or to do otherwise. Freedom to go where you want, when you want.<p>Is there a cost to that? Hell yeah. But for an awful lot of people, it&#x27;s worth it.<p>Too many time to count, I&#x27;ve met someone whose car was their only significant possession, the only thing of any real value they owned outright. They&#x27;d lost or sold everything else, but the car they wouldn&#x27;t part with - it wasn&#x27;t just transportation, but their home, and for a few dollars in gas it was heat and a lifeline to those who could help in an emergency. I guess in NYC, they&#x27;d have been sleeping on the subway somewhere... But instead, they had freedom.