To TimJ

The heart of the matter is this: people have the option of living far away from work and it is perfectly acceptable to gripe about the cost to then get to work, but it is like moving to Miami and then complaining about the heat in the summer. Whatever is keeping them far from work must be worth the cost or they wouldn't do it. Maybe they have elderly parents, or a great school for the kids, or whatever.
People are very upset about the cost of gasoline but it must still cost less than the alternatives to them, because they continue to increase demand. No, car free living wouldn't work in America for the vast, vast majority today for a multitude of reasons. But if people have the right to complain about the cost of getting around in a car then I have the right to say I don't feel sorry for them.