I suppose you are an exception then, because the traffic problems, at least here in Toronto, arise from a large majority of people who positively do not need a personal vehicle for their day-to-day activities.
Subsidized conveniences when you add it all up, really.
> when it clearly works fairly well the way it is
Aside from the traffic, smog, and high number of accidental deaths directly attributable to automobile traffic, you mean?
Which is to say, yeah, I suppose we're selfish, but then again, owning property is selfish, comrade.
Also, as an aside, try riding a bike about 5 ~ 10 miles when it's 105 degrees out (pretty common where I live), or even hovering around zero (fairly common where I used to live). It's not fun, nor is it practical. It's a big part of why nobody does it.
They exist in most of the developed world; North America is the major exception. All that's required to create them here is good public policy, which was the topic to begin with.