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They let us do things efficiently. Sure, you could have moved a truckload of goods up the coast using 20 wagons, 40 mules, 20 drivers, 10 security, and a week's time. Today, one dude can move a truckload of goods up the coast same day.

(Numbers have been entirely fabricated, feel free to send adjustments.)

Going faster and carrying more is enough to enable things that aren't otherwise possible.

For example, I can take my kids to visit their cousins for the day and make it home by bedtime.

Travel [long distance], relatively safely, in [short time].

LA to NY is a long roadtrip, but you can do it in 2-3 days with a few friends to rotate drivers. Walking that is a months long journey with a very real risk of death if you don't have a support vehicle.

Utilize car washes.