> People also wanted to drive cars rather than take public transit.
Do they? Or do they because of really shitty broken public transport. I know many people in Berlin who had or could have a car but dropped it because it is totally not worth it having one.
(Through yes it's not a conspiracy, just very bad investments into public transport/infrastructure and a lot of lobbying often crippling approaches to improve public transit infrastructure.)
> I think suburbs are going to rise in status after the pandemic [..]
Even more a reason to interleave "non loud" industry with homes because then the people which can't work from home don't need to travel far.
> Plus, nobody really wants to use public transit during a pandemic
Even more a reason to interleave things as with that much shorter distances to work are possible and
as such can reach it their work place by food or bicycle. Not a option in some climate areas but very well an option in others like in Berlin.
> nobody really wants to use public transit during a pandemic
Actually in many EU countries where public transit is normal it's still used. A bit less but still used frequently. People just wear mask and make sure to wash their hand when arriving. Furthermore I'm not aware of any Corona hot-spot caused by public transit, even through e.g. Berlin does much less for disinfecting trains then what I have heard what is done in some US cities.
So my guess is that you might be right wrt. the US, but it's not a fundamental thing but more of a problem with cultural context, history and perspective.