About, Terms

The United States is often called the land of the automobile. It has more than a quarter billion cars on the road (roughly 25% of all cars in the world), more than any other nation, as well as one of the highest number of cars per capita of any non-city-state country. Most Americans' primary form of identification is a driver's license. Consequently, car-dependent settlement patterns are more extreme and more the norm in the U.S. than anywhere else. Outside of certain cities, car ownership is widely assumed to be the default.
Still, many travelers want to get around without a car, whether for lack of a driver's license, to save money, or to minimize environmental footprint. Another reason is that city driving can be quite stressful and many people want to enjoy a relaxing holiday free from even the thought of their annoying daily commute.


== Understand ==

American public transit authorities struggle to obtain enough funding for even the most basic maintenance. Heavy political lobbying from car manufacturers, airlines and oil companies also means that most taxpayer dollars earmarked for transportation are used to build more roads for more cars rather than rail or buses. Finally, most...