I’m 25 and I don’t have a drivers license. I mean, I’ve never really felt the need to go and get one. Public transport is usually the fastest option where I live, and it takes a lot less responsibility to use it.
But most people would still prefer driving, rather than using the public T. Why?
Public transit is almost never the fastest option. Even when I lived in New York City, it wasn’t the fastest option. If you were running late, you’d spend the extra money on a taxi to get to the airport or to get across town and except for the very peak of rush hour, it was faster. That’s broadly been true in my travels in Europe, as well: taxis are almost always faster, from London to Rome.
Add to that, in the US, the actual experience of using public transit is often quite bad. Public transit is, well, public. You share a limited space, sometimes a very limited space, with literally anyone. Women are groped. The smell of urine is common. The seats are sticky. It’s just gross, even in wealthy areas.
In contrast, with a car, you have a private, controlled environment. The temperature is what you want it to be. There’s music. You can have a private conversation with your spouse. The chair is comfortable. Maybe you even have heated seats with a massage function. But whatever car you have, it’s probably more luxurious than even a great public transit option.
So: