The Car: A Literal Steel Trap

In America, owning a car isn't a luxury—it’s a mandate. Whether you're commuting to work, grabbing groceries, or just trying to visit friends, chances are you're doing it in a 2-ton steel machine

What if I told you that in order to live in America, you had to spend (on average) $30,000 on something that would cost you thousands of dollars a year to maintain, destroy the environment, isolate you from your community, worsen your mental health, and—on top of it all—could literally kill you? Would you take that deal?

Probably not.

And yet, most Americans already have.

In America, owning a car isn't a luxury—it’s a mandate. Whether you're commuting to work, grabbing groceries, or just trying to visit friends, chances are you're doing it in a 2-ton steel machine. But how did we get here? Why is something so costly, isolating, and dangerous so normalized?

It wasn’t always this way. What we now accept as “freedom” on four wheels is actually the result of decades of lobbying, corporate influence, and misaligned public investment. The car is more than just a mode of transportation—it's a sunk-cost trap engineered to keep you spending, commuting, and disconnected.

Henry Ford: The Architect of More Than the Automobile

It’s impossible to talk about the car without mentioning Henry Ford—not just for inventing the Model T, but for revolutionizing American life. His assembly lines made cars affordable, but his influence didn't stop at the factory. Ford was a vocal proponent of the 40-hour workweek, shaping the very rhythm of modern labor. His model became a blueprint for an education system built to churn out obedient factory workers—punctual, repetitive, and stationary.

The world Ford envisioned was one where mass car ownership wasn’t just a convenience—it was a necessity. And corporate America made sure it became just that.

Lobbying Away the Tracks: The Death of U.S. Public Transit

In the early 20th century, American cities had robust public transit—electric streetcars, rail systems, and walkable neighborhoods. But car companies (led by General Motors and its front companies) systematically bought up and dismantled these systems. Highways replaced railroads, and suburbs replaced urban centers. Meanwhile, Europe doubled down on trains and urban planning.

By the 1950s, the U.S. had spent billions on the Interstate Highway System while leaving rail systems to rust. The result? A nation built for cars, not people.

In the early 20th century, American cities had robust public transit—electric streetcars, rail systems, and walkable neighborhoods. But car companies (led by General Motors and its front companies) systematically bought up and dismantled these systems.

The Car is a Financial Sinkhole

Let’s break it down:

• Average cost of a new car: Over $48,000 (as of 2024)

  
  

• Average loan term: 67 months with 6-8% interest

  
  

• Maintenance & repairs: $1,200/year on average

  
  

• Insurance: $1,500–$2,000/year

  
  

• Gasoline: Fluctuating, but always adding up

  
  

Now stack that against the fact that your car loses 20-30% of its value the moment you drive it off the lot. By the end of a 5-year loan, you're lucky if your vehicle is worth half of what you paid.

And let’s not forget depreciation: cars are one of the worst investments you can make. They offer no return—just ongoing, ever-mounting costs.

A Dangerous Machine Normalized

Cars kill around 40,000 people annually in the U.S. That’s higher than gun-related homicides. Add another 4.4 million injuries from crashes, and you've got a public health crisis that’s just accepted as “part of life.”

• Pedestrian and cyclist deaths are up across U.S. cities.

  
  

• Drunk and distracted driving remain rampant.

  
  

• Cars are the leading cause of death for Americans aged 1–54.

  
  

Meanwhile, car-first infrastructure makes it dangerous for anyone who isn’t behind the wheel—especially in lower-income or transit-poor areas.

Mental Health, Road Rage, and the Isolation Trap

There’s also a psychological toll. Americans spend an average of over an hour commuting per day, stuck in traffic, listening to radio ads, isolated from human interaction. This isolation breeds irritability, stress, and even clinical depression.

Here’s a personal story: when I bought my first e-bike a few years ago, I started noticing my neighborhood for the first time. Local coffee shops, art galleries, small restaurants—all hidden in plain sight because I had been driving past them every day. The change was liberating.

Being sealed in a steel box all day robs us of community, spontaneity, and connection. It narrows your world down to highways and drive-thrus.

Local Businesses Pay the Price

Car culture kills walkable neighborhoods. Malls and big-box stores with giant parking lots replace mom-and-pop shops. Parking minimums force cities to waste valuable real estate. Even when you want to support local, it’s often a hassle unless there’s convenient parking. This dependency strips communities of their unique identity and funnels money into chains that cater to the car crowd.

The System Wants You Dependent

This didn’t happen by accident. Urban sprawl, poor zoning laws, underfunded public transit, and strict car ownership incentives (like tax deductions for vehicle leases) keep you trapped in the cycle. You can’t live a full life without a car in most American cities—and that’s by design.

It’s a feedback loop:

1. We build for cars.

2. Life without a car becomes harder.

3. People buy cars.

4. Cities keep building for cars.

   
   

   

   This didn’t happen by accident. Urban sprawl, poor zoning laws, underfunded public transit, and strict car ownership incentives (like tax deductions for vehicle leases) keep you trapped in the cycle.

   So What Do We Do?

It’s time to rethink how we move.

• Support public transit. Push for better bus and train systems in your city.

  
  

• Use bikes, e-bikes, and scooters. Not only are they cheaper, they reconnect you with your environment. The U.S is currently seeing an uptick in e-bike and e-scooter usage.

  
  

• Vote for zoning reform. Advocate for walkable neighborhoods and mixed-use development. Go to those meetings, make your voices heard.

  
  

• Carpool or rideshare if you’re stuck in a car-centric area. Certain apps are available to connect with other drivers in your area for carpooling.

  
  

• Push for policies that prioritize pedestrians and cyclists. Again, those townhall meetings? Very important.

  
  

We don’t need a complete ban on cars—but we do need to stop letting them rule our lives, our cities, and our futures.

Break Free from the Steel Trap

The American car is not just transportation. It’s a money pit, a time sink, a psychological burden, and a public health hazard. It isolates us from our neighbors, our cities, and our environment.

Breaking free isn’t easy, but it starts with awareness. We don’t have to accept this system as inevitable. We can build something better—together.