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This is exactly it.

The USA has solved two problems: cheap and easy travel across town (in your car) and cheap and easy travel across the country (in a plane).

Both COULD be done by rail, and some places do - sometimes on the same rail network.

And when the ONLY option for transcontinental travel was rail - the USA has some impressive shit.

Given the limitations and money available it’s surprising it’s as good as it is.

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> cheap and easy travel across town (in your car)

It's only cheap and easy if you discount omnipresent traffic jams, 50,000 deaths per year, ever-worsening climate change and the inability to walk/bike anywhere anymore.

Aside from that, it only costs the average American $1,000/mo to keep that cheap and easy transportation!

It's a strawman to only mention downsides.

People buy and use cars because the benefits exceed their costs.

It isn't easy to value the benefits nor the externalities.

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