I will say non-automotive transport isn't really an option for a large portion of US Americans. Basically anyone who doesn't live within one of a few major cities will need access to a car for at least some of their transit needs.

The average commute in the US is 41 miles each day. This is largely along highways and stroads where cars are traveling 45-65 mph (70-100kph). Unless you have a death wish, walking, biking, and using a scooter isn't something anyone would do unless there were absolutely no options. If there is bus service (which isn't a given) it's usually infrequent (every 1-1.5 hours) and doesn't take you to where you need to go.

It's a systemic issue that's been implemented gradually over a few generations through policy and culture making. It can be reversed but it will take a generation or more to roll it back.

In my home state, the urban areas are trying to build out functioning transit systems, however it's difficult to get support as so many people think transit "brings the wrong kind of people" (aka poor and black people) to their neighborhood and fight it. But progress is being made. My city is breaking ground on a new BRT line next week.

Then when there is a cohesive project that could work and serve large portions of the state, the state government has killed it because "it only serves the cities and not the rural areas" although it very much is in the best interest of rural communities to have some sort of public transit.

We do have a train that runs service multiple times a day between the two largest cities in our state, with funding secured to expand it further. So that's a win.

The uphill battle we face in terms of transit is so many people have never experienced how great a functioning transit system is and won't look at those "socialist areas" (aka NYC, Europe, and parts of Asia) because they believe those places are evil, and if they can't use their car to get places they're having their freedom taken away from them.

I don't recall the full story, but the reason SUVs and "cars" like this sell big is because they are classified as trucks and do not need to meet the same emission standards as cars. Thus it is cheaper to make and more power.

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Hey, sorry for the late reply. I actually work in an adjacent field so I think I'm decently qualified to speak on the infrastructure here. Firstly, I am in one of the larger metropolitan areas of the US. We are completely dependent on cars. We have a couple of train tracks but the pricing, limited destinations, and limited run times kill any chance they have of converting the masses, myself included. We have no plans for more mass transit and no plans to improve current mass transit. While they are making an attempt to make the area more bike friendly, the zoning laws effectively make these changes impossible as places you would typically travel to are too far from your place of residence. These zoning laws don't appear to be changing anytime soon.

The real problem with my area specifically, but America as a whole is just the vastness. Due to the sheer amount of space we have, there is urban sprawl everywhere. Why live on top of one another when everyone can get a little space and we can destroy all of the beautiful nature around us and pave over paradise?

As a personal anecdote, by American terms I live close to work and VERY close to the grocery store. Store is a 20 minute walk one way and work would take me hours to get to... or I can hop in a car, be at the store in under a minute and to work in 10

Edit: and unfortunately I would love a motorcycle but due to licensing requirements (or lack thereof for motorists) and the appalling infrastructure, it is just too unsafe to justify a motorcycle of any kind.