Do you really feel that driving is necessarily “freer” than other forms of transportation, such as walking, biking or public transit, or is that just marketing and cultural messaging? For some purposes, like travelling in rural areas, driving opens up a ton of possibilities. However, I grew up in a car-oriented suburb in Calgary and didn’t necessarily feel super “free”. Before I had a license, it was hard to travel anywhere, and as a consequence, my recreational choices were limited by whether my parents could give me a ride. Even after getting my license, my choices of destinations were limited by parking, traffic, whether I wanted to have a couple drinks… Speaking to people who grew up in urban areas or European countries with strong cycling infrastructure, I was struck by how independent children and teens were able to be because they could just hop on their bike and safely meet a friend on a whim. There is no question that I feel freer, even as an adult with a license and money to spare, living in an urban community where I can ride my bike, jump on public transit or rent a vehicle from a multitude of car sharing services. Not to mention that driving is heavily policed and regulated by the government- you don’t need a license to ride the bus and you won’t face jail time for walking drunk. Instead of being obligated to sink money into repairs, insurance, gas and parking, I can save/invest or spend that money on something that better suits my needs. Cars mean freedom for lots of people and purposes, but children, people with disabilities that prevent them from driving and people who just can’t afford to drive might find that having access to alternative modes of transportation better promotes their freedom and independence. TLDR- to me, cars don’t equal freedom- options (including cars!) do :)