Driving in circles: Society's reliance on cars takes away from traditional residential planning

I could only sympathize with friends who had to travel on business during the recent ice storm. I know most people wouldn’t turn loose of their steering wheel for any amount of money. Frankly, though, I’d give anything to be able to travel by bus or train rather than risk life and limb driving over ice and bankruptcy trying to buy enough gas to go the distance. Of course, those more in tune with contemporary life don’t seem to mind much at all. They view such things as challenges. And then there are those who refuse to allow anything to stop them from doing whatever they want to do.