Thanks for both the answers and the psychological support.
Yeah, it makes sense that they would have these types of bikes in Europe, where most people actually don't have cars and would need an inexpensive, efficient form of transportation to get around or to even do work in.
It's kind of neat that they have specialized utility bikes...I wonder what it would be like to ride one of these things.
Trek also makes "commuting" bikes in the US, which are on their USA site. They look pretty weird, too, but the drivetrain is completely enclosed in a plastic (I think) casing that prevents your pants from getting chewed up...