My maternal grandparents never owned a car. Ironically, my grandfather worked for Ford.
My paternal grandparents owned one car. They used it mainly to grocery shop and run other errands. My paternal grandfather walked to work every day, regardless of weather (about 6km each way). After he retired he continued to do the same walk daily. He did his daily trek until he was in his early 80s when he had a serious health crisis (ruptured appendix). After his recovery, he continued to walk but only about half the distance he did previously. He continued his daily walks until his sudden death at age 90. I figure if my grandfather could walk like that every day for his entire adult life, I can certainly cycle about the same distance to work every day.
My father has always owned multiple cars but, like his father, likes to walk everywhere. I think for my dad, cars have been a status type of thing. You know, show the neighbours how successful you are by getting a nice new car or two every few years. He needs a hip replacement so that is slowing his walking down, but he continues to walk daily. He just stoicly suffers with the pain while he waits for his turn for surgery (about nine months waiting now, surgery in May or June 2008).