From the article:
PORTLAND — When Ty and Brooke O'Steen gave up their Toyota Prius in favor of a cargo bike, most people felt sorry for them.<<<<<
This is what happens the moment you give up the car, people feel sorry for you. The automatic assumption is that you've fallen on hard times and become practically improvished. I think it's this image of poverty that's keeping millions living in debt trying to afford a motorcar lifestyle.
I've never had more money the day I became car free.