Americans don't like public transit because it really sucks in America.
Not everywhere. When I was in school in Boston, I went everywhere by public transit. I never missed having a car (I rented one the few times I wanted to travel somewhere like up to New Hampshire to see foliage). However, I also learned from that experience that I don't want to live in a place like that for the rest of my life.
not every city with great transit has to be a stressful megalopolis like NYC - Vienna or Zurich for example are really nice and quiet (and clean and have low crime) despite having great transit
I didn't find Boston to be a "stressful megalopolis" (I haven't lived in NYC so I can't speak to that). I just realized I didn't want to live permanently in a place that dense. I've also visited London and Paris, both of which have excellent mass transit (at least by US standards), and while I enjoyed visiting them, I don't think I would want to live permanently in those cities either. Maybe I'll get a chance sometime to visit one of the smaller European cities you mention to see what they're like.
Well Paris & London are the largest cities in Europe (together with Istanbul and Moscow, if you consider those Europe) so if you aren't after the "big city experience" it's not really surprising you wouldn't want to live there :)
I wouldn't either btw - and I live in Berlin which is also a big city (but still 1/3 of London and less than 1/2 of Paris in terms of metropolitan population - and still double or more the medium sized cities I mentioned).
Vienna/Zurich/Prague/Copenhagen/etc are more like living in Portland than in London or Paris (or NYC for that matter).
Vienna/Zurich/Prague/Copenhagen/etc are more like living in Portland than in London or Paris
Hmm, interesting comparison. Portland is smaller than Boston, I believe. I have visited it (briefly), but never stayed long enough to really get a feel for the city.
Not everywhere. When I was in school in Boston, I went everywhere by public transit. I never missed having a car (I rented one the few times I wanted to travel somewhere like up to New Hampshire to see foliage). However, I also learned from that experience that I don't want to live in a place like that for the rest of my life.
not every city with great transit has to be a stressful megalopolis like NYC - Vienna or Zurich for example are really nice and quiet (and clean and have low crime) despite having great transit
I didn't find Boston to be a "stressful megalopolis" (I haven't lived in NYC so I can't speak to that). I just realized I didn't want to live permanently in a place that dense. I've also visited London and Paris, both of which have excellent mass transit (at least by US standards), and while I enjoyed visiting them, I don't think I would want to live permanently in those cities either. Maybe I'll get a chance sometime to visit one of the smaller European cities you mention to see what they're like.