Constantly worrying about parking, insurance, traffic, how long you need to wait before you're sober enough to leave the pub does not seem like freedom to me.

Only being able to use a car to get around also does not seem like freedom.

Freedom is having good options - the option to use a car if that's what you have to, but also the option to bike, bus, or walk if you don't.

I've been to Houston recently - 'freedom' was about the last thing that I was feeling, as I traversed its freeway system.